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Merrimack College’s interfaith spirituality certificate offers an affordable, practical starting point for graduate religious studies. Designed for students of all faiths and academic backgrounds, the graduate certificate program yields insights and a philosophical framework that can enrich your professional life, your personal relationships and your own spirituality.
Merrimack gave rise to the pioneering Center for the Study of Christian-Jewish-Muslim Relations, a nationally acclaimed model of interfaith harmony. All of our graduate programs in religious studies celebrate the broad diversity of human spiritual expression while exploring connections that bind together the world’s religions and link ancient philosophies with modern thought.
The interfaith spirituality graduate certificate gives you the opportunity to learn from some of the nation’s leading scholars in religious and theological studies. Merrimack’s faculty includes authorities on subjects such as Augustinian thought, Jewish-Christian-Muslim relations, and the interplay of psychology and religion.
Although the graduate certificate in interfaith spirituality is a stand-alone credential, you can apply the credits toward a master’s degree. Should you choose to continue your studies, the 16 credits from the interfaith certificate can count as the first half of a master’s degree in spirituality.
The interfaith spirituality certificate has a wide range of applications, both professional and personal. In addition to honing academic skills in research, writing, communication and critical thought, you’ll gain new understandings of yourself and your community, increasing your impact upon those around you.
You’ll gain practice in self-reflection and contemplation while exploring spirituality’s influence on human motivation, discipline and social behavior. These insights have value in a broad array of contexts. Many of them transfer directly to the professional world, equipping you to function more effectively in roles such as:
The graduate certificate in interfaith spirituality offers a flexible curriculum that you can tailor to fit your interests. Course offerings enable you to explore topics such as Christian spirituality, social justice, religious diversity, contemporary spiritual experience or religious texts.
You’ll also complete an in-depth, independent research project on a subject of your choosing. Students are encouraged to focus their research either on a single religion outside their own faith, or a multi-faith survey of spiritual practices related to a particular dimension of life (such as grief, gender, aging or social ethics).
In this episode, we have two special guests – Katherine Gundersen who is an alum of the Spiritual Direction program, and Laura O’Connor who is an alum of the Spirituality program. During the episode the pair dives into the inspiring journey of going back to school, assuring everyone that age is just a number and fear is unnecessary in Merrimack’s warm and supportive community. The discussion unfolds the significance of exploring diverse religions and perspectives, emphasizing the unique insights shared by our guests. Throughout the conversation, they emphasize the hybrid model’s benefits! You can choose from online (synchronous), on-campus or a combination. If you’re curious about Merrimack’s Spirituality master’s programs, this episode is a must-listen!
Contact the Merrimack College Office of Graduate Admission at [email protected].
Create your account to get started. Apply to start your Graduate Certificate in Interfaith Spirituality today.
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Khanyisa Manzini M’25 splits her time studying remotely at Merrimack College and working as a community liaison manager for the Nelson Mandela University.
