This is the preliminary (or launch) version of the 2024-2025 VCU Bulletin. We may add courses that expose our students to cutting-edge content and transformative learning. We may also add content to the general education program that focuses on racial literacy and a racial literacy graduation requirement, and may receive notification of additional program approvals after the launch. The final edition and full PDF version will include these updates and will be available in August prior to the beginning of the fall semester.

Program accreditation
Association for Clinical Pastoral Education

Program goal

To provide clinical education for pastoral care professionals as well as other health care providers in the spiritual care of patients and families within an interdisciplinary context

Student learning outcomes

  1. Utilize behavioral sciences to examine one’s narrative history and its intersection with the provision of spiritual care [ACPE Category A]
  2. Deliver spiritual care with intercultural and interreligious humility [ACPE Category B]
  3. Provide spiritual care with a trauma-informed lens [ACPE Category B]
  4. Address one’s implicit biases in their spiritual care [ACPE Category B]
  5. Assess group dynamics as related to the provision of spiritual care [ACPE Category C]
  6. Maintain professional boundaries and evaluate one’s boundaries as related to spiritual care encounters [ACPE Category C]
  7. Utilize evidence-based spiritual care interventions and diverse spiritual care resources [ACPE Category D]
  8. Evaluate the influence of organizational dynamics and organizational well-being in spiritual care [ACPE Category D]
  9. Maximize the clinical method of learning to expand self-awareness and clinical skills [ACPE Category E]
  10. Evaluate ethical decision-making and interdisciplinary teamwork in complex clinical situations [ACPE Category E]
  11. Establish an ongoing plan for professional consultation and continued learning [ACPE Category E]
  12. Integrate relevant research in one’s practice of spiritual care [ACPE Category E]
  13. Integrate relevant philosophical, psychological, sociological and theological theories into spiritual care practice.

VCU Graduate Bulletin, VCU Graduate School and general academic policies and regulations for all graduate students in all graduate programs

The VCU Graduate Bulletin website documents the official admission and academic rules and regulations that govern graduate education for all graduate programs at the university. These policies are established by the graduate faculty of the university through their elected representatives to the University Graduate Council.

It is the responsibility of all graduate students, both on- and off-campus, to be familiar with the VCU Graduate Bulletin as well as the Graduate School website and academic regulations in individual school and department publications and on program websites. However, in all cases, the official policies and procedures of the University Graduate Council, as published on the VCU Graduate Bulletin and Graduate School websites, take precedence over individual program policies and guidelines.

Visit the academic regulations section for additional information on academic regulations for graduate students.

Degree candidacy requirements

A graduate student admitted to a program or concentration requiring a final research project, work of art, thesis or dissertation, must qualify for continuing master’s or doctoral status according to the degree candidacy requirements of the student’s graduate program. Admission to degree candidacy, if applicable, is a formal statement by the graduate student’s faculty regarding the student’s academic achievements and the student’s readiness to proceed to the final research phase of the degree program.

Graduate students and program directors should refer to the following degree candidacy policy as published in the VCU Graduate Bulletin for complete information and instructions.

Visit the academic regulations section for additional information on degree candidacy requirements.

Graduation requirements

As graduate students approach the end of their academic programs and the final semester of matriculation, they must make formal application to graduate. No degrees will be conferred until the application to graduate has been finalized.

Graduate students and program directors should refer to the following graduation requirements as published in the Graduate Bulletin for a complete list of instructions and a graduation checklist.

Visit the academic regulations section for additional information on graduation requirements.

Other information

Students receive a Department of Patient Counseling student handbook during orientation.