Master's for Non-Initiates

Seminary Master's And Doctoral Programs

MISSION STATEMENT AND PURPOSE

Our Mission is:
To educate, according to the Teachings of the Path of Soul Transcendence, Souls to love God; live in Grace; and to understand and live in the Spirit They are and to provide a Loving, Caring and Nurturing environment for the Soul's Growth and Progression.

To fulfill this Mission, the Seminary has Classes; Workshops, Independent Projects; Informal Gatherings; Service Projects; and Focus and Direction with the Dean to help all students understand and live by the Spiritual Realities that govern their lives and to re-commit to and re-invigorate their lives.

Our focus is the Student's learning by experience AND the loving discipline of scholarship using the Self as the Key Resource.

DEGREE AND NON-DEGREE PROGRAMS

Students may enroll in either the Degree-granting or Audit programs offered by the Seminary. All Students are required to follow the LEARNING SEQUENCES as outlined in the Section.

Students can choose to enroll in the Master of Art in Spiritual Studies or in individual Classes in a non-Degree Program.

All those who have received Master's degrees may apply to the Ph.D. Program in The Science of Spirit or to the Doctor of Divinity (D.D) Program. Those who gain conditional admission may be required to take Master's level Course at the Seminary before continuing with the Doctoral Program.

Please note that application to the Seminary is not a guarantee of Admission; all applications are handled on an individual basis and, even when admission is granted, admission to the Seminary may be conditional upon the successful completion of the prerequisite work.

APPLICATION AND REGISTRATION

Please print and complete the application form here. Please be sure to complete every item so that your application can be processed; please be sure to include a check for $50 made out to Center for Religion and Advanced Spiritual Studies and marked "Application" on memo line. All applications need to be accompanied by an official transcript from the college or university from which the degree below the one being sought was granted. Students who wish to apply to the Doctoral Program of the Seminary and who have received their Master's from the Seminary do not need a transcript.

Applications are due four weeks before the start of each semester; those received after that date will be processed for the following semester.

A Student in the Degree Program is considered registered as long as the Student is making progress towards a Degree; a Student needs to re-apply if he or she chooses not to attend for a Semester.

A Student may attend the Seminary as an Audit Student to partake of the Offerings in the Sequence as set forth in this catalog.

If an Audit Student wishes to transfer to one of the Degree Programs, the Student must notify the Office of the Dean in writing no later than the midpoint of completion of the Third Sequence. There is a nominal fee of $25 to re-register as a Student in a Degree Program.

REQUIREMENTS FOR A MASTER'S DEGREE

Please see the following sections with the details of each of the following requirements to receive an M.A. in Spiritual Studies:

1. LEARNING SEQUENCE;

2. SERVICE SEQUENCE;

3. MASTER'S THESIS;

4. ATTENDANCE;

5. FEES;

6. QUALIFYING EVALUATION AND INTERVIEW WITH THE DEAN.

Learning and Service Project Sequence for M.A. Degree Spiritual Studies

All Courses, Workshops and Service Projects need to be taken in the order outlined below so as to maximize the Learning Experience and the ability of the Student to successfully integrate the learning and understanding of the Teachings. Before moving on to subsequent Learning Sequences, it is the responsibility of the Student to ensure that all requirements for Classes, Workshops and Service Projects have been completed and all financial responsibilities, discharged. Students do not receive credit for any work completed out of sequence.

LEARNING SEQUENCE 1: Foundation for Spiritual Studies I; Communications Class; Relationship Class; Money Workshop®I.

LEARNING SEQUENCE 2: Everyday Evolution I (Class or Workshop, depending upon offering); Foundation For Spiritual Studies II; "Understanding The Spiritual You Are - Part I"

LEARNING SEQUENCE 3: The Money Workbook Class; Dream Class; Tools For Living Free Class I.

LEARNING SEQUENCE 4: Fear, Hurt, Pain and Other Attachments; Tools For Living Free Class II.

LEARNING SEQUENCE 5: Everyday Evolution II; The Teachings Class.

MAY BE TAKEN AT ANY TIME: Survey of Religions East and West.

SERVICE PROJECT I: Must be started at the same time as LEARNING SEQUENCE 3 and finished by the fifth Class of LEARNING SEQUENCE 4.

SERVICE PROJECT 2: Must be started by the ninth week of LEARNING SEQUENCE 4 and be finished by the end of LEARNING SEQUENCE 5.

To see COURSE AND SERVICE DESCRIPTIONSclick here.

MASTER'S THESIS

The Student meets with his/her advisor at the beginning of LEARNING SEQUENCE 3 to discuss and to focus the Thesis. The Student must start the Thesis by the midpoint of this Sequence and complete by the end of LEARNING SEQUENCE 5.
All Students must demonstrate an understanding of the Teachings; a successful integration and application in the Student's daily life of the Teachings; and scholarship.

ATTENDANCE
Attendance is a vital component of the educational experience at the Seminary as the focus is on both Scholarship and Experiential Learning. Accordingly, Students are required to attend Satsangs (Spiritual Instructions) and Video Showings on a monthly basis and Meditations semi-monthly (twice a month); in addition, the Student also has the option to attend the monthly Sunday Program of Reading and Discussing Tools For Living Free. Students are expected to actively use the Library for Audio and Video TAPES and issues of educational publications such as Tools for Living Free.

QUALIFYING EVALUATION AND INTERVIEW WITH THE DEAN

By the end of the fifth class of the last Sequence before being eligible for Graduation, each Student needs to contact the Office of the Dean and arrange a time, upon completion of ALL work, to sit for the Qualifying Evaluation and Interview with the Dean.

During this time together, the Student and the Dean evaluate the Student's mastery of the work and learning and the integration of the Teachings into his/her daily life; the continued commitment to same and to the Perfection of Spirit that the Student is and to the Teachings as the foundation of his/her life. Areas that need greater fulfillment are identified as are the Student's strength.

A determination based upon the above and a Grade Point Average in ALL work of 3.2 on a scale of 4.0 is also made as to the Student's eligibility to graduate as per the Student's schedule, with a minimum grade of B- (2.7) in a course.

FEES
The Seminary believes that meeting fiscal responsibilities is an invaluable part of the Student's education. Accordingly, all fees at the Seminary are modest and must be paid according to the commitment agreements for each Class, Workshops or Service Project as well as those for the Qualifying Evaluation and Interview with the Dean and for Graduation.

Failure to adhere to the above will result in an Inc. being given. If not paid by the end of the Sequence in which fees accrued, the Student will receive a Failure for the Course(s), Workshops(s) and Projects(s) and Thesis work involved. No further work can be done at the Seminary until such Failure is removed by payment of the fees owed and repeating all failed work, which involves fees for all work repeated.

All requests for scholarship money must be received by the Office of the Dean four weeks before the beginning of the LEARNING or SERVICE PROJECT SEQUENCE for which you wish to use the funds. All requests must include the reason why you wish to apply, the amount for which you are applying and the work involved and what Services you are willing to provide for the Seminary, if awarded. Please note that only those requests which contain the above will be considered and that the amount of monies offered is based upon amount available; the Student's commitment to the experience and the integration into daily life of the Teachings; and adherence to the Standards of the Seminary.

To see Fee Schedule click here.