In all programs, every effort is made to integrate theory with practice. Thus, the programs have been developed with the goal of training future practitioners by modeling a commitment to professional practice as service with a balanced approach to spiritual, personal, professional, and interpersonal growth and development. For more information, please refer to each program's handbook.
The graduate programs conform to the Community Covenant and the Statement of Faith of Wheaton College which provide a framework for our life together as an academic and spiritual community.
The four graduate psychology programs offered are the M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy, the M.A. in Counseling Ministries program, and the Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology program.
M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
The MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at Wheaton College integrates Christian belief and practice with the best of contemporary scholarship and professional standards in the discipline of counseling. At Wheaton your training will shape you to become a competent clinical counselor one who models a commitment to professional practice as service, along with a balanced approach to spiritual, personal, professional, and interpersonal growth and development. Our goal is to produce graduates who will be distinctive as Christians in their practice of professional counseling.
The M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling prepares you for licensure as a Professional Counselor (LPC).
M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy
New for Fall 2012, the MA in Marriage and Family Therapy program is designed to integrate Christian belief and practice with the best of contemporary scholarship and professional standards in marriage and family therapy. Our goal is to produce graduates who are distinctive as Christians in their practice of marriage and family therapy, and who demonstrate a vision for clinical practice as service, especially to the body of Christ, the Church, and to marginalized persons throughout the world.
The MA in MFT prepares students for professional licensure as Marriage and Family Therapists.
M.A. in Counseling Ministries
The M.A. in Counseling Ministries offers training in the application of psychological research and theory to ministry settings. Students in this program are prepared for work in churches, mission agencies and other settings where lay counseling, support groups, and other healing ministries are provided. The program is especially designed for lay people and clergy who are already involved in spiritual formation, pastoral care and healing ministries and desire more extensive training in the application of psychological studies to those ministries.
The M.A. in Counseling Ministries does not prepare graduates for licensure as a counselor or therapist. The M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy prepare students for licensure.
Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology
The Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology program at Wheaton College makes every effort to integrate Christian belief and practice with the best of contemporary scholarship and professional standards in the discipline of psychology. At Wheaton your training will shape you to become a competent clinical psychologist one who models a commitment to professional practice as service to individuals and communities who have been marginalized and wounded by our society. Our goal is to produce graduates who will be distinctive as Christians in their practice of professional psychology, and commitment to be agents of reconciliation wherever oppression and injustices exist.
Wheaton’s PsyD program received the seven-year maximum extension of accreditation from the APA in August 2008. In addition to this outstanding achievement, the doctor of psychology program continues to place its students in full-time internships with a success rate of more than 90%.