Program Overview

---

Introduction to the CAS Seelsorge im Straf- und Massnahmenvollzug AWS Schweiz

The CAS Seelsorge im Straf- und Massnahmenvollzug AWS Schweiz is a university program offered by the Theological Faculty of the University of Bern, the Theological University of Chur, the Reformed Churches of Bern-Jura-Solothurn, and the German-Swiss Ordinaries Conference. This program provides advanced training in pastoral care, spiritual care, and pastoral psychology, with a focus on institutions involved in the execution of penalties and measures.

Program Overview

• Duration: 2026 - 2028
• ECTS Points: 15
• Frequency: Every 2 years
• Flexible Entry: Yes
• Individual Modules: Can be attended separately
• Location: Bern and various institutions involved in the execution of penalties and measures
• Language: German
• Admission Requirements: University degree at the master's level in Theology, experience in pastoral care, or experience in similar fields of accompaniment and counseling. Admission can also be granted "sur dossier" by the program management.
• Costs: CHF 8,000 - 12,000

Program Modules

The program consists of several modules designed to equip participants with the necessary knowledge and skills for professional and reflective pastoral care in institutions involved in the execution of penalties and measures.

Module A1: Institutions of Penalty and Measure Execution

• Duration: 2 days / 1.5 ECTS points
• Topics: Inner-institutional communication, interdisciplinary cooperation, institutional analysis (total institution and paradoxical institution), conflict between security and resocialization.
• Learning Objectives: Participants will understand different approaches to understanding institutions and be able to assess the impact of these analyses on pastoral care concepts.

Module A2: Interdisciplinary and Interreligious Cooperation

• Duration: 2 days / 1.5 ECTS points
• Topics: Seelsorge moves in a multiprofessional, interreligious, and interdisciplinary exchange. Different professions, religions, and disciplines present their tasks in different types of detention.
• Learning Objectives: Participants will understand the necessity, possibility, and limits of interdisciplinary cooperation and sharpen their own understanding of pastoral care in different forms of execution.

Module A3: Law and Restorative Justice

• Duration: 2 days / 1.5 ECTS points
• Topics: Penal law and criminal procedure law. Restorative Justice: family reconciliation and methods and programs of Restorative Justice.
• Learning Objectives: Participants will know the different procedures regulated by penal law and, if necessary, by the code of criminal procedure. They will be able to name the effects of law and the criminal process on pastoral care concepts and their own understanding of pastoral care.

Module A4: Psycho- and Sexual Pathological Disorders

• Duration: 2 days / 1.5 ECTS points
• Topics: Personality and sexual disorders: narcissistic disorders; antisocial disorders; histrionic disorders; pedophilic disorder. Empathy. Christian anthropology and its relationship to deficit orientation.
• Learning Objectives: Participants will know and understand the basic concepts of psycho- and sexual pathology and be able to represent Christian anthropology in the interdisciplinary discourse.

Module A5: Pastoral Care Concepts Considering Victim and Relative Themes

• Duration: 3 days and CAS work / 3 ECTS points
• Topics: The prison population is culturally and religiously diverse. This necessitates culturally sensitive pastoral care and ecumenical and interreligious cooperation.
• Learning Objectives: Participants will know three different prison pastoral care concepts and be able to reflect on their own preliminary considerations and order them execution-specifically.

Module A6: Elsewhere Acquired Special Knowledge

• Duration: 2 days / 0.5 ECTS points
• Topics: On application and upon presentation of a conference certificate that lists the type, scope, and content of the further training event, a module is recognized.
• Learning Objectives: Participants will be able to reflect on a central question of this event in terms of prison pastoral care and their own understanding of pastoral care.

Module A7: Deepening Methodical and Contextual Competencies in the Institution

• Duration: 2 days / 1.5 ECTS points
• Topics: Institution-overlapping cooperation between hospital, clinic, home, and nursing contexts. Increase in method competence through cooperation with systemic, solution-oriented, or CPT trainers in the context of different institutions.
• Learning Objectives: Participants will know the basic concepts of systemic, solution-oriented, or CPT thinking and be able to increase their method and context competence in cooperation with other AWS study or course leaders.

Practical Training

• Duration: 3 training days and 4 days of supervision / 2 ECTS points
• Description: The training days are carried out in training groups with pastoral care professionals and are documented by two written papers. Supervision is carried out in specific supervision groups and in individual sessions.
• Learning Objectives: Participants will be able to document their practical experience and reflect on their own pastoral care competence.

B-Modules: Cross-Program B-Modules

• Duration: 4 days / 2 ECTS points
• Description: These are thematic deepening modules that can be attended by participants from all advanced training programs in the field of pastoral care at the University of Bern and/or the Theological University of Chur.
• Learning Objectives: Participants will know the latest developments in the fields of pastoral care, pastoral psychology, spiritual care, or related disciplines.

Sponsorship and Lecturers

The program is sponsored by the Theological Faculty of the University of Bern, the Theological University of Chur, the Reformed Churches of Bern-Jura-Solothurn, and the German-Swiss Ordinaries Conference. Lecturers come from the fields of law, psychiatry, forensics, social work, victim support, ethics, theology, pastoral care teaching, and pastoral care methodology.

Admission Requirements

Admission requirements include a university degree at the master's level in Theology, experience in pastoral care, or experience in similar fields of accompaniment and counseling. Exceptions to the admission requirements can be approved "sur dossier" by the program management.

Registration and Costs

Registration for the CAS program is possible through a provided form. The costs for individual modules are typically calculated based on CHF 275 per day (including course materials), unless otherwise specified. A CAS study program costs between CHF 8,000 and CHF 12,000. Additional fees apply for the study conclusion.

Related Programs

Other related programs offered by the university include:

• CAS L飉ungsorientierte Seelsorge AWS Schweiz
• CAS Clinical Pastoral Training AWS Schweiz
• CAS Systemische Seelsorge AWS Schweiz
• DAS Spezialseelsorge AWS Schweiz

These programs provide further specialization and training in specific areas of pastoral care and are designed to equip participants with advanced knowledge and skills for professional practice.