Master of Arts in Health Care Mission (MAHCM)

Catholic health care in the 21st century faces a myriad of challenges. Among the most significant is the need for leaders who understand what it means to be part of the healing ministry of the Church – leaders who can work to ensure the vitality and integrity of the ministry into the future. Meeting this challenge requires Catholic health care leaders who not only grasp the complexities of health care but also have a sound knowledge of the Church’s theological tradition. They must be able to communicate that tradition and influence the future of faith-based health care.

The Master of Arts in Health Care mission exists to prepare current and future leaders for this critical task.

The program offers graduate-level education developing:

• A strong foundation in the Catholic theological tradition particularly as it relates to the Church’s mission of healing;
• The ability to identify and implement organizational activities that sustain and nurture Catholic identity while working to bring about systemic change;
• The ability to help Catholic health ministry think theologically about its future;
• The ability to grapple with complex ethical, legal, organizational and policy issues in light of the Catholic theological tradition;
• The personal and spiritual maturity needed to serve as an effective ministry leader in Catholic health care.

The non-residential, internet-enhanced approach enables students to remain employed for the duration of the program. Periods of on-line study and conversation are accompanied by “intensive weekends” in St. Louis mid-way through each course that bring students and faculty together for dialogue, coursework, attention to spiritual formation and community building.

How do I apply?
Applicants must possess at least a bachelor’s degree, some experience in health care and a desire to advance the ministry of Catholic Health Care.

Complete and submit the Application for Admission to the Master of Arts in Health Care Mission Program (816Kb)as an email attachment to admissions@ai.edu.

Miller Analogies Test
All students applying for graduate degree programs at Aquinas Institute of Theology must submit scores of the Miller Analogies Test (MAT). You are responsible for scheduling a test date and having an official copy of your scores sent to the Aquinas Institute Registrar. Most major universities offer the Miller Analogies Test. Call (800) 622-3231 to find a testing center near you, or click on the following links for information:

• General Information
• Information Booklet
• Testing Centers (by State)
• Online
  Practice Test Site (available for a nominal fee). For your information, a free practice test is included in the information booklet.

For more information about the MA in Health Care Mission, please contact:

• Sr. Jean deBlois, C.S.J., Ph.D., program director
  314.256.8874
  deblois@ai.edu

or

• Office of Admissions
  314.256.8806
  admissions@ai.edu

MAHCM 2009 Cohort Schedule

4 units of Spiritual Formation

The Formative Spirituality Seminar meets for prayer, reflection and study for five hours at the beginning of each intensive weekend. The focus is on growth in both personal spirituality as well as spirituality for ministry leadership. Program participants are strongly encouraged to engage in regular spiritual direction, to make an annual retreat and to work with the program’s formation directors to set goals related to personal and leadership spirituality and to receive feedback on progress toward those goals over the course of the program.

Program Format
The Master of Arts in Health Care Mission program is a cohort model program. That is, adult learners enroll together and proceed through the entire program as a community, both online and during intensive weekend sessions in St. Louis.

Students complete three courses per calendar year, allowing completion of the degree within 3½ years.

Technology Requirement
Regular access to a high-end multimedia computer and internet access through a dedicated phone line or other high-speed connection is necessary, because the on-line component of the program is provided via Blackboard’s Course Info software (www.blackboard.com). All students must have adequate computer proficiency to participate fully in the on-line portion of each class.

Aquinas automatically enrolls each student in Fisher’s Net Campus, an online learning community for theology and ministry students. Further information is available at www.fishersnet.net.

“What sets apart the Health Care Mission program at Aquinas Institute is how it integrates the intellectual and spiritual. Catholic health care is unique because it is rooted in the Judeo-Christian tradition yet relevant to present-day social needs. The mission program engages the mind through materials that reflect that. It also engages the spirit through reflection, spiritual direction and opportunities for personal growth.”

- Sr. Mary Roch Rocklage, RSM

Salus & Sofia
As a resource for members of the Christian health care community, Aquinas Institute of Theology sponsors Salus & Sofia, an online wisdom community which includes Radical Imaging, a quarterly journal for health care leaders.

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