In the summer of 2021, Gordon-Conwell formally transitioned to new degree programs. Learn More. The program below remains active for students who entered before that time who have not yet graduated. No new students are being accepted into this specific program.
Gordon-Conwell offers an MA in Counseling in two locations: Hamilton, MA as a high-residency MACO program; and Charlotte, NC as a low-residency MACC program. Each program is unique, yet share a commitment to academic excellence and the integration of counseling theory with theological foundations. Click on the appropriate location tab above to learn more, or reach out to us personally (using the form below) so that we can connect you with the right people and the right program for your specific counseling career and ministry goals.
Request Information
Learn More about the MA in Counseling through Gordon-Conwell — Hamilton.
Both inside and outside the classroom—through lectures, projects and discussion groups with fellow students and within my supervised counseling internships—I was challenged, invested in and had the opportunity to apply my learning practically. I consider my education from Gordon-Conwell to be an indispensible gift and tool as I continue my own purposeful journey.”
Jim Petipas, MAYM ‘92, MACO ‘09
Counselor and Life Coach, Xpedition Counseling | Chelmsford, MA
Hamilton Campus
Program Overview
- Completion time: 3 years
- Credit hours: 87
- Online limit: Up to 25%
- Degree Requirements »
The Master’s in Counseling Program (MACO) is a CACREP-accredited program geared to prepare you for various careers in professional counseling, and help you integrate your Christian faith throughout the program. For many students this is a terminal degree, nevertheless, some students have chosen to pursue doctoral training after completing the MACO degree. The integrated academic and clinical training is naturally embedded in a seminary because such a context will allow you to acquire the necessary biblical and theological foundations to effectively provide whole-person care, to both people whose values and practices are framed in the Christian faith and those whose faith and practices are different from your own.
The MACO program is a residential program that offers you a community of fellow students who do life together and grapple together about contemporary issues in the church and in culture. The Hamilton program also offers proximity to Boston’s cultural scene and GCTS’ CUME campus and all it has to offer.
We in the Hamilton Master’s in Counseling program are here to help you in your journey in every way we can.
Hamilton Program Distinctives
MACO / M.DIV Dual Degree
Hamilton Campus
Program Distinctives
- Supervised clinical practicum and internship experience
- Professional and integrative seminars designed to incorporate theological studies with counseling theories and practices
- Opportunities for participation in workshops, staff meetings, group supervision and other professional development activities
- Courses structured in discipleship development (equipping one to become like Christ) and apprenticeship (equipping one to become a disciple-maker)
Hamilton Campus
Program Mission, Objectives & Goals
Masters in Counseling Mission Statement
Our mission is to equip effective, competent, ethical, and reflective counselors who integrate counseling theory with Christian faith so that their knowledge and skills will be actualized in professional practice.
Program Objectives
Faculty & Staff will:
- Promote and develop the students’ academic excellence, their integration of evidenced based research, their fair-mindedness toward differing views and evidence, and their critical thinking skills.
- Educate and train students in theoretical conceptualization and enactment of evidence-based practice where available.
- Develop student’s awareness of social, racial, multinational and ethnic diversity of persons,in all its definitions, and to develop the capacity for critical evaluation of current trends within the discipline of counseling.
- Prepare students to become professional counselors who will practice in various settings and adhere to the professional standards of the ACA Code of Ethics (2014) or the AACC Code of Ethics (2014).
- Encourage and guide students in the integration of their Christian faith with counseling theories, models and practices.
- Support and mentor students and graduates across their professional development.
Program Degree Goals
Graduates will:
- Adopt the roles, functions and identity of a competent member of the counseling profession.
- Practice ethical decision-making in matters related to client welfare and interagency collaboration and consultation (Ethical Practice).
- Provide competent, culturally relevant counseling and advocate to eliminate social injustices (Social and Cultural Diversity).
- Implement developmentally relevant and strengths-based approaches in counseling (Human Growth and Development).
- Equip clients for career decision-making and life planning across the lifespan (Career).
- Provide evidence-based counseling, informed by theories and best-practice models (Counseling and Helping Relationships).
- Provide evidence-based group counseling and group process, informed by theories and best-practice models (Group Counseling and Group Work).
- Conduct assessment of clients’ cognitive, affective, behavioral and social functioning by means of reliable and valid measures and approaches (Assessment and Testing).
Typical Student
M.A. in Counseling students are a diverse group who display essential qualities of wisdom, maturity and skills necessary for excellence in the field of counseling. Most have an undergraduate background in psychology or sociology, or significant life experience in the field. Whether you’re starting your first endeavor out of college or moving into a second career, the M.A. in Counseling degree will provide excellent preparation for Christian and/or secular employment opportunities.
Potential Counseling Careers
- Agencies
- Private practice
- Schools
- Hospitals
- Churches
- Group homes
- Chemical dependency/substance abuse settings
- Pregnancy centers
- Behavioral health care organizations
- Para-church ministry
- Missions
Hamilton Campus
Counseling Faculty
Dr. Angie Kim
Assistant Professor of Counseling
Dr. Kateryna Kuzubova
Assistant Professor of Counseling
Dr. Karen Mason
Professor of Counseling and Psychology, Director of the Hamilton Counseling Department
Hamilton Campus
MACO Staff
Shiri Messina, MA |
Program Administrator of MACO Program [email protected] 978-646-4187 |
Office
Office Hours |
Monday – Friday 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (Fridays during the semester: 10:00 a.m. – 6:15 p.m.) |
Accreditation
The MACO-Masters in Clinical Counseling program at the Hamilton, MA campus focuses on diagnosis and treatment of behavioral health issues for individuals, couples, families, and groups, and is both nationally and regionally accredited:
- Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP): Awarded July 2019, expires October 31, 2021
- The Association of Theological Schools (ATS)
- New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)
Learn More
Still have questions? Reach out to our friendly admissions team and we’ll connect you with the right people and answers.
Gordon-Conwell offers an MA in Counseling in three locations: Boston and Hamilton, MA; and Charlotte, NC. Each program is unique, yet share a commitment to academic excellence and the integration of counseling theory with theological foundations. Click on the appropriate location tab above to learn more, or reach out to us personally (using the form below) so that we can connect you with the right people and the right program for your specific counseling career and ministry goals.
Request Information
Learn More about the MA in Christian Counseling through Gordon-Conwell — Boston.
Boston Campus
Program Overview
Integrate Christian theology with psychology in a trauma-informed, urban-focused counseling program with international application, as you prepare for your career in today’s multicultural, urban context. Our program emphasizes practical training and deep spiritual formation within the framework of a broader seminary education.
Program Tracks
Students can choose from two tracks:
- Mental Health Licensure Track will equip you for counseling as Christian ministry and for building strong individuals, children, youth and families. A major feature of this track is its commitment to supervised clinical practicum and internship experience. Mental Health Licensure Track graduates are qualified to sit for licensure examination(s) in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.Completion time: 3 years (license track) | Degree Requirements »
- Pastoral Care Non-Licensure Track is for those who do not intend to pursue licensure, but want to better address the mental health needs of their congregations in diverse urban communities. If you decide to continue on to the Licensure Track, the majority of your work in the Pastoral Care Track is transferrable.Completion time: 2 years (non-license track) | Degree Requirements »
Certificate Program
Essentials of Pastoral Care Certificate is a 6-course certificate for Pastors, Ministers, Lay-ministers, and Professionals wanting to enhance their existing degrees by increasing their knowledge and application of pastoral care strategies.
Boston Campus
Program Distinctives
- Academic programs contextualized to the needs of the city
- Emphasis on deep spiritual formation, global engagement and practical training
- Unique multi-ethnic focus offers a strategic approach to servant-leadership in an urban context
- Convenient class locations in downtown Boston, and in cities across New England
Boston Campus
Degree Goals
- To understand the basic content and themes of the Old and New Testaments in their historical and cultural settings, as well as the historical and theological dimensions of the Christian faith
- To demonstrate academic excellence in the ability to communicate effectively materials from the study of psychology and the biblical, historical and theological disciplines
- To integrate psychological theory with biblical truth so that the knowledge and skills learned in studies and practice will be realized in professional application
- To evidence a commitment to the authority of Scripture in personal and community relationships, as well as a personal commitment to spiritual formation
- To foster love for God and his Word and therefore to cultivate the practices of spiritual maturity and Christ-like character, and to understand the Christian’s ethical responsibility in church and society
- To gain experience in an understanding of cultural backgrounds toward effective expression of biblical truth, with the goal of ministering to Christians and to those who are not Christian believers
- To demonstrate an awareness of national, racial, ethnic and cultural factors that impinge upon the teaching and modeling of biblical truth, and to develop the capacity for a critical evaluation of important cultural changes within the discipline of counseling
Typical Student
MA in Counseling students are a diverse group who display essential qualities of wisdom, maturity and skills necessary for excellence in the field of counseling. Most have an undergraduate background in psychology or sociology, or significant life experience in the field. Whether you’re starting your first endeavor out of college or moving into a second career, the M.A. in Counseling degree will provide excellent preparation for Christian and/or secular employment opportunities.
Potential Counseling Careers
- Agencies
- Private practice
- Schools
- Hospitals
- Churches
- Group homes
- Chemical dependency/substance abuse settings
- Pregnancy centers
- Behavioral health care organizations
- Para-church ministry
- Missions
Learn More
Still have questions? Reach out to our friendly admissions team and we’ll connect you with the right people and answers.
Gordon-Conwell offers an MA in Counseling in two locations: Hamilton, MA (MACO); and Charlotte, NC (MACC). Each program is unique, yet share a commitment to academic excellence and the integration of counseling theory with theological foundations. Click on the appropriate location tab above to learn more, or reach out to us personally (using the form below) so that we can connect you with the right people and the right program for your specific counseling career and ministry goals.
Request Information
Learn More about the MA in Christian Counseling through Gordon-Conwell — Charlotte.
“My experience at Gordon-Conwell fueled my excitement for studying of the Bible and developed my ability to interpret and contextualize Scripture to the lives of those to whom I minister. I received so much more spiritually than I ever imagined from being a part of the community of Gordon-Conwell.”
Sharon Exum, MACC ‘10
Staff Counselor, Elizabeth Family Medicine | Integrative Pastoral Psychotherapy Training Program of Carolinas Healthcare System | Charlotte, N.C.
Charlotte Campus
Overview
The MACC-Clinical Mental Health (CMH) program at the Charlotte, NC campus focuses on diagnosis and treatment of behavioral health issues for individuals, couples, families, and groups, and is both nationally and regionally accredited:
- Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP): Awarded July 2019, expires October 31, 2027
- The Association of Theological Schools (ATS)
- New England Association of Schools & Colleges (NEASC)
Charlotte Campus
Mission & Objectives
Program Mission Statement
The aim of the Master of Arts in Christian Counseling Program at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary—Charlotte is to train students to become competent professional counselors who advance Christ’s Kingdom in various clinical, educational, and ministry settings by equipping them to think theologically, live biblically, and engage globally. This means that:
- Students who think theologically will develop a professional counselor identity that is grounded in orthodox Christian theology and sound clinical practice.
- Students who live biblically will demonstrate congruence between their faith and their actions in their personal and professional lives by maintaining a commitment to the process of ongoing spiritual formation.
- Students who engage globally will fulfill their call to serve others by being sensitive and response to the needs of diverse cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic populations.
Program Objectives
The MACC program goals are informed by our mission statement and anchored in the CACREP common core curriculum for counseling programs. We have five program priorities with 16 corresponding goals for the development of counseling students.
Charlotte Campus
Program Distinctives
- Supervised clinical practicum and internship experience
- Professional and integrative seminars designed to incorporate theological studies with counseling theories and practices
- Rigorous courses offered in various formats (evenings, weekends, week intensives and online/hybrid) to accommodate your schedule
- Convenient, economical and innovative adult education system
- Renowned, highly qualified and experienced faculty
- Enhanced library services with capability to access theological databases from your home
- Access to library resources and classes at other top-tier institutions through the Carolina Theological Consortium
Typical Student
M.A. in Christian Counseling students are a diverse group who display essential qualities of wisdom, maturity and skills necessary for excellence in the field of counseling. Most have an undergraduate background in psychology, counseling, education, or sociology, a strong interest in behavioral science, or significant life experience in the field. Whether you’re seasoned in the field or moving into a second career, the M.A. in Christian Counseling degree will provide excellent preparation for Christian and/or secular employment opportunities.
Potential Counseling Careers
- Agencies
- Private practice
- Schools
- Hospitals
- Churches
- Group homes
- Chemical dependency/substance abuse settings
- Pregnancy centers
- Behavioral health care organizations
- Para-church ministry
- Missions
Charlotte Campus
Counseling Faculty
Dr. Pam Davis
Associate Professor of Counseling, Director of the Counseling Program at Charlotte
Dr. Carolina Benitez
Assistant Professor of Counseling
Dr. Christopher Cook
Assistant Professor of Counseling
Dr. Vickey Maclin
Associate Director of Graduate Programs in Counseling (Charlotte)
Learn More
Still have questions? Reach out to our friendly admissions team and we’ll connect you with the right people and answers.