Submitted by admin on Sat, 06/05/2010 - 17:30
As a multifaith teaching seminary, the primary goal is to provide students with access to a wide-range of courses and degrees that support each individual’s personal spiritual identity and their professional religious one. To meet this need, Ocean Seminary College:
1. Has five main academic departments: The Department of Shamanic Studies; The Department of Neopagan Studies; The Department of Traditional Religious Studies; The Department of Ecology & Environmental Religious Studies; and The Department of Ecopsychology & Pastoral Counseling.
2. Offers four advanced degrees depending upon a student’s undergraduate education experience: Masters of Divinity (M.Div) for students holding an undergraduate degree from an accredited institution; Seminarian of Divinity (S.Div) for students who do not hold an undergraduate degree; Doctorate of Ministry (D.Min) for students who have a masters degree within their religious field of expertise; and a Diplomate of Ministry (Dipl.Min) for students who do not hold an undergraduate degree or masters degree, but who have extensive experience in direct ministerial leadership OR who have obtained their S.Div degree at Ocean Seminary college.
3. Provides three main tracts based on career goals of: (a) university teaching/research, (b) community/ministerial work; and (c) combined teacher preparation/ministerial work. These paths are the scholarship path, the ordination tract, and a combined tract of study. Ordination tracts require supervised internships; while scholarship tracts typically require engagement in research. The combined tract is typically longer to achieve and requires both internship and research.
4. Allows students to take an active role in the creation of their major for those students whose religious and spiritual life is more eclectic in nature. Through faculty advising, students create a comprehensive degree program that fulfills the intellectual standards set for Ocean Seminary Graduates, while also meeting personal needs.
5. Allows students to pursue degrees within the following majors (which also may be adjusted to meet student needs and professional goals per permission from the Dean of College; students adjusting their degrees will be awarded a degree either as “Interreligious” or based on a dominance of courses in a set department):
a. Department of Shamanic Studies: 9 Sacred Trees initiatory path; Pillar Seiðr initiatory path for women; World Shamanism (ministerial, academic, artistic tracts [*MFA]); .
b. Department of Neopagan Studies: Neopagan Theology; (+) Goddess Thealogy; (+) Wiccan Philosophy.
c. Department of Traditional Religious Studies: (+) Interreligious Studies & Ministry; Christian Studies & Ministry, Juadiac Studies; Islamic Studies; Taoist Philosophy; Buddhist Philosophy; Hindu Studies; Feminist Theology; (*) Religious Philosophy; and (*) Contemplative Studies.
d. Department of Ecology & Environmental Religious Studies: (-) Ecotheology; (-) Religious Naturalism; (*) Ecosophy & Environmental Ethics
e. Department of (*) Ecopsychology & Pastoral Counseling: Ecopsychology; Pastoral Counseling
(*) denotes new for Fall 2010
(+) denotes renamed for Fall 2010
(-) denotes significantly restructured for Fall 2010
