New clinical ministry degree for those called to become chaplains
Classes will begin in the Fall term through AdventHealth University.
AdventHealth University's new Clinical Ministry degree will offer lessons in theology, ethics, and psychology.
ORLANDO, Fla. — Chaplains are an integral part of the healing process.
They are with patients and families at their most vulnerable moments, and health care organizations are in profound need of board-certified chaplains. To meet this need, AdventHealth University will begin offering a Master of Arts in Clinical Ministry degree in Fall 2026.
“We are pleased to be able to meet the needs of hospitals, hospices and other care environments by offering this Clinical Ministry degree and look forward to developing students equipped to address the spiritual, emotional, and ethical needs of patients and their loved ones,” said C. Josef Ghosn, EdD, FACHE, president of AdventHealth University. “This is one of many ways AdventHealth University continues its commitment to playing a vital role in the health care workforce pipeline.”
The graduate degree program, which is 100 percent online, is grounded in theology, ethics, and psychology. Courses include Grief & Loss, Narrative Counseling, and World Religions. The Clinical Ministry degree equips students with foundational competencies for spiritual care practice and can serve as an academic bridge for those who plan to go on to pursue certification through organizations such as the Board of Certified Chaplains Inc.
As with other health care professions, hospital chaplaincy is experiencing a shortage. Currently, there are approximately 20,000 professional health care chaplains in the U.S. and projections show that number shrinking by 10 percent by 2030, according to Chaplaincy Innovation Lab.
This shortage comes at a time when research continues to highlight the potential impact chaplains have on patient experience, family well-being, and even clinical outcomes. Chaplains can help during end-of-life discussions, bring peace to an anxious patient, and offer solace to a parent or child receiving a difficult diagnosis.
“Chaplains play such a vital role in whole-person care,” said Ramona Reynolds, MDiv, MHA, vice president of ministry education and spiritual integration strategy and research for AdventHealth. “Countless AdventHealth patients and their families have been aided and supported by chaplains in ways that statistics can’t fully capture. Hope and healing can be defined in so many ways.”
Eight faculty members will be dedicated to this Clinical Ministry degree.
“This degree is unique, set apart from a theology or pastoral degree,” said Andy Lampkin, PhD, professor and chair of AdventHealth University’s Department of Religion and Spiritual Care. “At AdventHealth University, we want to help nurture the next generation of chaplains who will display ethical discernment and spiritual sensitivity and an informed respect for diverse beliefs.”
Professionals in the fields of social work, mental health, public health, or pastoral care as well as volunteers in church or health care may find this degree fulfilling and convenient to complete in as little as four trimesters.
12 items. To interact with these items, press Control-Option-Shift-Right Arrow. These items are in a slider. To advance slider forward, press Shift-Command-Right Arrow. To advance slider backward, press Shift-Command-Left Arrow.
News
Emerging AdventHealth leaders recognized for strengthening community health
Andrii Korchuk, chief financial officer at AdventHealth Waterman, and Bibi Bell, an orthopedic program manager for the AdventHealth East Florida Division and a nurse navigator at AdventHealth Waterman...
I don’t know about you, but AdventHealth Parker is 22!
AdventHealth Parker is celebrating 22 years of caring for our community – and while the building has grown, one thing has remained beautifully consistent: the heart of the people inside it.
Heart screening identifies rare condition in Flagler County basketball player
A free sports physical last spring changed the course of Matanzas High School basketball player Jamel Guerrero’s season and may have prevented a far more serious outcome.
AdventHealth Medical Group adds nephrologist to support kidney care in Daytona Beach
Dr. Poemlarp Mekraksakit, a board-certified nephrologist, has joined AdventHealth Medical Group and will care for patients at AdventHealth Daytona Beach, expanding the hospital’s kidney care team.
New wellness trail opens on AdventHealth Sebring campus, offering a new space for movement, prayer and healing
Patients, caregivers and community members now have a new place to find comfort and calm on the AdventHealth Sebring campus with the opening of a new wellness trail. The outdoor walking path...
Prior to graduating and serving patients of their own, eight nursing students are now part of a new program of clinical training and patient interaction in AdventHealth DeLand’s orthopedic and medical...
Our website uses cookies. Please review our privacy policy to find out more about the cookies we use. Browsing our website means you accept these terms.
