Maryville College introduces new program in ministry and church leadership

April 12, 2010

Faculty at Maryville College recently approved a new certificate program in ministry and church leadership, available to students in all majors.

Proposed by the College's Faith and Learning Committee, the program is designed to equip students with a set of intellectual and practical skills that will help prepare them for future work in ministry, including youth ministry, social outreach and other forms of parish and pastoral work.

Students are required to complete five components: a supervised and reflective internship in a church/ministry setting, a group facilitation course, a course in Biblical studies, introduction to Christian theology and one additional course outside of the student's major.

Course substitutions are available for students who desire to pursue ministry in a non-Christian religious tradition, said the Rev. Anne McKee, program director and campus minister.

“In these challenging economic times, students want and need a broad education that will help them be flexible for many different kinds of work,” said McKee. “We are excited that our new certificate in ministry and church leadership will allow students to enjoy the full breadth of a liberal arts education, while gaining particular skills and experience for lay ministries in the church.”

According to the College's catalog, “Students work with the Director [McKee] and their faculty advisor to select appropriate courses and coordinate the requirements of the certificate program in relation to their other academic requirements.”

Requirements for a major and the certificate program may be completed in a four-year course of study. Students completing the program will receive a certificate upon graduation.

Dr. Jeff Fager, vice president and dean of the College, said that the faculty unanimously passed this proposal.

“They believed that it fits very well with our historic relationship with the Presbyterian Church and our liberal arts identity,” he commented.

The program is slated to begin this fall.

For more information, contact McKee at anne.mckee@maryvillecollege.edu or 865.981.8298.

Maryville College is ideally situated in Maryville, Tenn., between the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Knoxville, the state‘s third largest city. Founded in 1819, it is the 12th oldest institution of higher learning in the South and maintains an affiliation with the Presbyterian Church (USA). Known for its academic rigor and its focus on the liberal arts, Maryville is where students come to stretch their minds, stretch themselves and learn how to make a difference in the world. Total enrollment for the fall 2011 semester was 1,078.