This committee participates in drafting a mission statement that informs the student's doctoral project. The committee also functions as a sounding board for the student in the planning, execution, and evaluation of the project. The certificate meets the didactic, supervisory and counseling requirements for membership in the American Association of Pastoral Counselors. New Groups in the Pastoral Care Focus are scheduled at four-year intervals. Classes are held on Mondays during the academic year.
Students enroll in two courses each term.
A new group is planned to begin the program in the spring of 2000. The Eastern Christian Focus is a variation of the Parish Focus designed for clergy serving Orthodox and Eastern Rite congregations and agencies and those interested in dialogue with Eastern Christianity. The structure of the two focuses is similar, but several of the courses have been modified to reflect the Eastern emphasis. Each of the six core courses is scheduled in a one-week intensive format. Three of the courses are held each summer at the Antiochian House of Studies in Bolivar, PA, a spacious conference center about ninety minutes east of Pittsburgh.