Spiritual Care

Program Overview

It integrates spiritual care into healthcare practice, covering topics such as spirituality in health and illness, spiritual assessment, and pastoral care. Graduates are equipped for careers as spiritual care practitioners, chaplains, and other roles in healthcare settings.

Program Outline

Spiritual Care Major: An in-depth Analysis

Degree Overview:

• Overview: This major is the first postgraduate spiritual care training program in a health sciences context in Australia.
It is designed for healthcare professionals who wish to develop their expertise in spiritual care for their own practice or who plan to transfer into the field.
• Objectives: Graduates will enhance their practice through gaining knowledge and skills equipping them to incorporate spiritual care into their continuing professional work.
The program enables graduates to apply for specialist spiritual care positions in a range of healthcare settings.
• Description: The program focuses on integrating spiritual care into healthcare practice.
It explores the history and philosophy of spiritual care, contemporary issues in spiritual care, and the role of spirituality in health and illness. It also provides students with the opportunity to develop their own spiritual care skills and practice.

Outline:

• Content: The program covers a range of topics including:
• The history and philosophy of spiritual care
• Contemporary issues in spiritual care
• The role of spirituality in health and illness
• Spiritual assessment and interventions
• Pastoral care and counseling
• Grief and bereavement
• Ethics and legal issues in spiritual care
• Structure: The program is offered full-time or part-time and consists of 8 core units and 4 elective units.
The core units cover the foundational knowledge and skills of spiritual care, while the elective units allow students to tailor the program to their own interests and needs.
• Course Schedule: The program is offered over two semesters per year.
The full-time program can be completed in one year, while the part-time program can be completed in two years.
• Modules:
• Core Units:
• Spiritual Care in Healthcare
• Spirituality and Health
• Spiritual Assessment and Interventions
• Pastoral Care and Counseling
• Grief and Bereavement
• Ethics and Legal Issues in Spiritual Care
• Research Methods in Spiritual Care
• Practicum in Spiritual Care
• Elective Units:
• Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care in Different Settings
• Spirituality and Indigenous Health
• Spirituality and Trauma
• Spirituality and End-of-Life Care
• Spiritual Direction
• Interfaith Dialogue
• Advanced Topics in Spiritual Care

Assessment:

• Assessment Methods: The program uses a variety of assessment methods, including essays, presentations, case studies, and exams.
• Assessment Criteria: Assessment criteria are based on the learning outcomes of each unit and are designed to assess students' knowledge, skills, and attitudes in spiritual care.

Teaching:

• Teaching Methods: The program uses a variety of teaching methods, including lectures, seminars, workshops, and supervised practice.
• Faculty: The program is taught by experienced and qualified faculty members who are experts in spiritual care.
• Unique Approaches: The program incorporates a strong practical component, with students having the opportunity to apply their learning in a clinical setting.

Careers:

• Potential Career Paths: Graduates of the program may pursue careers as spiritual care practitioners, chaplains, pastoral care workers, or in other roles related to spiritual care.
• Career Opportunities: The program prepares graduates for a variety of career opportunities in healthcare, including hospitals, aged care facilities, mental health services, and palliative care settings.
• Career Outcomes: Graduates of the program have been successful in obtaining positions as spiritual care practitioners, chaplains, pastoral care workers, and in other roles related to spiritual care.

Other:

• Accreditation: The program is accredited by the Australian Association for Spiritual Care.
• Admission Requirements: Applicants must have a bachelor's degree in a health-related field or equivalent qualifications.