Master of Arts in Christian Counseling
The Master of Arts in Christian Counseling (MACC) prepares students to meet the emotional and spiritual needs of people in their churches and ministries. Students pursuing the MACC develop a strong theological foundation in addition to practical training in counseling methodology.
50 Credit-hours
The MACC is a 50 credit-hour degree that many students complete in two years.
Locations
The MACC is available at the Los Angeles campus, the Arizona campus and through Gateway Online.
Spiritual Development
Students are expected to grow in compassion, self-awareness and theological knowledge.
Why a Master of Arts in Christian Counseling?
God created people to be connected to Himself and to each other but everyone experiences disconnection. The MACC program prepared me to help people restore the important relationships in their lives.
- Bethany Rafferty, MACC '19
Because of my experience with Gateway preparing for chaplaincy, I always remind myself that in every hospital room is a mission field.
- Rico Marquez, MACC '17
Ministry Path
The MACC degree will prepare students to serve as Christian counselors in a variety of church-related settings. It is beneficial for pastors and ministry leaders who practice pastoral care.
It is a non-licensure 2-year professional master’s degree. This degree is not designed to fulfill the California state requirements that allow a person to seek credentialing as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) or a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT).
What will I learn?
The MACC will prepare students to:
• Develop a philosophy of Christian counseling consistent with a Biblical perspective of mental health and mental disorders.
• Develop a sufficient Christian biblical and theological framework to provide safe and effective counseling ministries in global environments.
• Analyze the major theories in psychology and counseling to enhance effectiveness with individuals, marriages, and families.
• Apply the Bible to counseling ministries based on a graduate level understanding of the Bible’s content, context, structure, and message.
• Apply practical counseling skills within a ministry context that integrates current counseling theories and evidence-based practices with biblical insights.
Catalog Information
For more information about the MACC, use these links to access our Academic Catalog.
Master's by Exception
Gateway Seminary will consider applicants lacking an accredited undergraduate degree for admission to its basic master's degrees. A student must request admission under this provision in writing through the Office of Enrollment and may initiate this request only after all qualifying criteria have been met:
• Applicants must demonstrate their ability to do graduate-level work by entering the Seminary as a diploma student and by completing at least 15 hours of Gateway Seminary coursework required in the master’s degree sought (at least 6 hours of introductory courses in New Testament, Old Testament, history, or theology) with a minimum GPA of 3.2. Electives, transfer credits and ADVANCE courses may not be used to satisfy this requirement.
• This provision will not be granted to previous students who graduated with diploma degrees.
