Academic Degree Options
The CCU Counseling & Family Studies Department offers three degree options. Each option is designed to address distinct ministry areas. Please consider the purpose and the requirements of each option.
Master of Arts in Counseling (Clinical Mental Health Counseling)
Master of Arts in Religion (Family Studies emphasis)
Master of Arts in Religion (Pastoral Counseling emphasis)
For additional information on the Counseling & Family Studies academic programs, please contact the Cincinnati Bible Seminary 
or view the CBS Catalog. 
Philosophy and General Objectives
Education in the United States is designed to modify human behavior through a prescribed program of experiences aimed at helping the student to realize his/her potential, engage in satisfying human relationships, manage his/her affairs, and develop a set of meaningful values. Ethnic and cultural trends are taken into account in order to provide a satisfying and usable education for all students.
The faculty, recognizing the uniqueness of students, seeks to identify and extend knowledge, skills, and attitudes required by practitioners in counseling. It is hoped that this emphasis on uniqueness transfers to our students and enables them to meet the unique needs of all types of clientele. The faculty believes that in order to perform effectively, practitioners must possess a respect for human dignity and worth, a commitment to fulfillment of individual potential, an understanding of educational and counseling processes, knowledge in their specific field of endeavor, competence in application of professional expertise in counseling, knowledge of the role and function of others working in related specialties, and maturity in self and faith development.
In order to develop such practitioners, it is essential that the faculty themselves exhibit the above attitudes, behaviors, and competencies so that they might serve as models of appropriate behavior for their students. Finally, the faculty should select, encourage, and retain students in the program who exhibit the potential to become competent practitioners as described above.
In order to prepare competent practitioners, the faculty, through a program of planned educational experiences, attempts to develop in each graduate:
Respect for the dignity and worth of the individual
Commitment to the fulfillment of human potential
Maturity in self and faith development
An understanding of educational and counseling processes
Knowledge in her/her particular field of endeavor
Competence in the application of professional expertise
Knowledge of the role and function of related professionals
Course of Study: Full or Part-Time
Students are encouraged to attend the Graduate School on a full-time basis in order to complete their studies in the most expedious manner. Financial aid is available through student loans and graduate assistantships to help offset the cost of full-time graduate attendance. For information on loans, see the Financial Aids Office. For information on graduate assistantships, see the Graduate School Administration.
Students attending part-time need to give careful thought to the timing and sequencing of courses. This should be done in close consultation with their Faculty Advisor. Students have a maximum of nine years to complete a master’s degree. It is especially important to note course prerequisites and when courses are traditionally offered.
A full course load is normally 9-15 credit hours, including audit. Students who are employed should reduce their academic load proportionately. Students on graduate assistantships are limited to a minimum of 9 credit hours or a maximum of 15 credit hours per semester of appointment.