AdventHealth University’s Online Master of Science in Spiritual Care (MSSC) program has recently received official approval from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) and the Adventist Accrediting Association (AAA). In celebrating the significance of these endorsements, Orlando Jay Perez, AdventHealth Vice President for Mission and Ministry, remarked, “These accreditations authorize our MS in Spiritual Care with the required credentials needed to provide professional training for Chaplaincy ministry. Our students will be able to receive quality spiritual care education that upon completion will make them eligible to apply for the necessary professional certifications.”
With SACSCOC accreditation, students can be assured that their finished degree will be fully recognized in the workplace and by other academic institutions if they desire to embark on a higher field of study. As AHU Provost, Dr. Sandra Dunbar-Smalley recognizes, “This accomplishment provides a tremendous opportunity for students from a variety of backgrounds to meet the societal needs for spiritual care, including chaplaincy.”
The AAA accreditation is authorized by the Seventh-day Adventist Church and serves to confirm that the program embodies the Christ centered values of Adventist educational institutions across the globe. Although accredited by AAA, the MSSC program is open to individuals from all faith traditions and promises a learning environment where every student’s contributions and worth are highly valued. As it relates to the comprehensive mission of AdventHealth, Daryl Tol, President/CEO of AdventHealth Central Florida Region and chairman of the AHU board states, “The Masters preparation in Spiritual Care brings an aspect of focused ministry training that will change lives and elevate whole-person care. I’m proud of this team and of the affirmation provided by the accreditors.”
With the accreditations in place, the first cohort will commence classes in January 2021. AHU is now accepting applications for the summer trimester, which begins in May 2021.
