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You want to work with people, influencing them for good and encouraging them with hope. The Christian Formation & Counselling program will provide a firm foundation for you as you look towards a career in counselling.
This program is available for a 2-year diploma and a 4-year bachelor’s.
In the fall of your second year, you can spend seven weeks learning about God through the beauty of His handiwork in the Canadian Rock Mountains at Frontier Lodge. This experience will shape your soul, mind and body.
Receive “level 1” certification in spiritual direction from Urban Sanctuary (also known as the Centre for Evangelical Spiritual Formation). This includes the opportunity to learn from and work with experienced evangelical Christian counsellors and spiritual directors from Urban Sanctuary.
Prairie has developed a formal transfer agreement with Briercrest Seminary that provides 12 advanced credits into their Masters of Counselling or Master of Marriage and Family Therapy programs.
The two-year diploma program offers a foundation for basic, discerning spiritual care for others. At the same time, it deepens your own personal transformation into the likeness of Jesus Christ.
Prairie’s Christian Formation Diploma will equip you to:
The four-year degree program builds on the foundations of the diploma program. Beyond the Diploma, four-year students learn to integrate Christian theology and modern psychology, and sharpen their people-helping skills through intensive, supervised ministry. This degree carves a pathway for credentialing and graduate level training in counselling and a range of other people-helping careers (e.g., MSW, MDIV).
Students will graduate with “level 1” certification in spiritual direction from Urban Sanctuary which includes the opportunity to learn from and work with experienced evangelical Christian counsellors and spiritual directors.
Box 4000
Three Hills, AB T0M 2N0
Canada
Phone: 403.443.5511
TollFree: 1.800.661.2425
admissions@prairie.edu
info@prairie.edu
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Students in the Christian Formation and Counselling program learn to offer discerning spiritual care by cultivating an attentive life with God. Our students pursue this goal by engaging in spiritual disciplines and by crafting an evangelical theology of God and the human person in dialogue with modern psychology and traditions of Christian devotion.
Students in the Christian Formation program:
All courses are three credits unless shown otherwise.
Bible and Theology (27 credits)
NT 112 Reading the Gospels and Acts
NT 221 Reading Paul’s Letters
NT 351 Reading Hebrews to Revelation
OR OT 453 Reading the Prophets
OT 112 Reading the Torah
OT 221 Reading the Historical Books
OT 343 Reading the Psalms and Wisdom Literature
ST 100 The Christian Life
TH 100 Introduction to Christian Theology
TH 210 The God of the Gospel
Arts and Sciences (21 credits)
HF 111 Thinking and Writing
OL 104 Introduction to Experiential Education (1.5 credits)
OL 136 Outdoor Leadership for Christian Formation (1.5 credits)
SS 170 Christianity in the 21st Century World
SS 210 Introduction to Psychology
SS 261 Leadership Foundations
SS 311 Lifespan Development
Arts and Sciences elective
Christian Formation (12 credits)
CF 141-242 Readings for Christian Formation (2 credits)
CF 212 Introduction to Evangelical Spiritual Theology
CF 231 Prayer, Community, and Creation
CF 290 Directed Study (1 credit)
ST 103 Discernment and Discipleship
For course descriptions, see our catalogue here.
Notes:
Readings for Christian Formation are required each year a student is enrolled in the Diploma program.
Directed Study CF 290 can be taken for 2 credits if a student joins the program in their second year.
All courses are three credits unless shown otherwise.
Bible and Theology Major (45 credits)
BT 409 Word and World
NT 112 Reading the Gospels and Acts
NT 221 Reading Paul’s Letters
NT 351 Reading Hebrews to Revelation
OT 112 Reading the Torah
OT 221 Reading the Historical Books
OT 343 Reading the Psalms and Wisdom Literature
OT 453 Reading the Prophets
ST 100 The Christian Life
TH 100 Introduction to Christian Theology
TH 210 The God of the Gospel
TH 313 Creation to New Creation
Bible and Theology electives (9 credits)
Arts and Sciences Core (39 credits)
AS 400 Integrative Seminar
HF 111 Thinking and Writing
HF 231 History of Western Civilization I
HF 232 History of Western Civilization II
OT 104 Introduction to Experiential Education
OT 136 Outdoor Leadership for Christian Formation
SC 230 History and Philosophy of Science
SS 170 Christianity in the 21st Century World
SS 210 Introduction to Psychology
SS 261 Leadership Foundations
SS 311 Lifespan Development
SS 314 Social Psychology
Arts and Sciences elective
Christian Formation Major (33 credits)
CF 1-341 Readings for Christian Formation
CF 212 Introduction to Evangelical Spiritual Theology
CF 231 Prayer, Community, and Creation
CF 418 Theology and Psychology
CF 430 Theory and Practice of Spiritual Direction
CM 250 Introduction to Counseling
CM 478 Christian Formation Internship (9 credits)
CM 479 Practicum in Spiritual Direction
ST 103 Discernment and Discipleship
Electives (6 credits)
For course descriptions, see our catalogue here.
Notes:
The Diploma in Christian Formation sets students up to complete the Bachelor of Arts in Ministry – Christian Formation. Additionally, students can easily go on to complete other degrees at Prairie such as the Bachelor of Arts in Intercultural Studies or other Bachelor of Arts in Ministry degrees.
This diploma better equips you to help other Christians in their walk with God. This is especially important for anyone involved in children’s ministry or youth discipleship.
Our degree graduates go on to:
• Pursue graduate education in counselling or social work (e.g., at Briercrest Seminary**, Providence University College and Theological Seminary).
• Take up specialized support roles for addictions, rehabilitation, and mental health (e.g., Youth Care Worker at Rock Solid Refuge).
• Lead in discipleship or small group ministry as a church pastor or camp director.
• Pursue para-church chaplaincy.
** Due to Prairie College’s partnership with Briercrest Seminary, graduates of the 4-year Christian Formation and Counselling program (BAM) may receive up to 12 credits of advanced standing towards a Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy at Briercrest Seminary (a 63 credit hour degree).
For our Tuition & Fee rates as well as Room and Board please see Fees & Financial Aid
Program Specific Costs:
Christian Formation students are charged a $60 program fee in the Fall semester. Students participating in the Frontier Lodge 7-week experience have a fee of $1000 to offset additional programming in the Canadian Rockies in that term.
Winter 2024 (January start) and Online Education (start anytime) are open.
Application for Fall 2024 (September start) will open on October 2, 2023.
Prairie welcomes applications from individuals all around the world! To begin the International Student Application please click the link below.
If you are applying for the Master of Leadership in Global Christian Education and need more information visit the program page.
In 2022 we launched a 5-year, $100 million dollar Capital Campaign. This ambitious campaign includes a major overhaul to Prairie’s facilities in various areas on campus. It is a long-term investment to equip Prairie to expand our reach and impact students to meet the greatest needs of the world for God’s glory.
Encourage inmates in three institutions across Alberta to discover or reconnect with Jesus Christ. This fund assists the students studying the Certificate in Bible program with scholarships, resources for classes, and instruction.
Invest in the next generation of world changers for God’s Kingdom. Your gift to this fund reduces the burden of students’ tuition and allows more students to receive scholarships and bursaries each year.
Prairie College is educating students to pursue a Biblical foundation for life and career. Your contribution to this fund assists in minimizing the College’s general operating expenses.
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