How to Apply
Submit Online
Complete the online application:
- Academic history
- Official transcripts from all postsecondary studies. (If you’re currently enrolled in a degree program, you may submit an unofficial transcript. An official transcript will be needed to enroll. All Master’s applicants must have completed, or be on track to complete, a bachelor’s degree by the term for which you are applying.)
- Resume
- Two letters of recommendation
- Essay Supplements
Complete an Admission Interview with a member of our faculty.
Application Deadlines
Applications for the MA program are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis after the priority deadline. Please see below for specific application deadline information.
| TERM | APPLICATION DEADLINES | NOTIFICATION OF ADMISSION STATUS FROM JTS |
|---|---|---|
| Fall start | March 1 | April 30, rolling after |
| Spring start | November 1 | December 1, rolling after Spring applications close January 2 |
Recommendations
We encourage you to contact your recommenders before submitting your application, as they receive notice of your request immediately upon submission of the online application.
We also recommend informing your recommenders whether you have waived your right to view the recommendations should you enroll. Applicants should seek out recommenders who can address their academic qualifications, creative capacities, and personal or professional character.
Essay Supplements
Essay Supplements
Applicants to the MA Spiritual Care & Counseling program are required to submit essay responses to the prompts below. Note: Prompts differ based on whether or not a candidate has prior experience in a supervised CPE internship.
Candidates with no prior CPE experience:
Your impressions of Spiritual Care and Counseling education (250-500 words):
Tell us about your hopes for your time in the Spiritual Care and Counseling program. Indicate how this program is important to you at this time and how you believe this course of study and training may be able to help you achieve your professional and developmental goals.
An account of a “caring incident” in which you were the person providing care (500 – 1,000 words):
Include the nature and extent of a request you received or situation you encountered, and your assessment of the situation or issue(s). Describe how you came to be involved and how you responded. Give a brief, evaluative commentary on what you did and how you believe you were able to help.
Candidates with prior CPE experience:
Your impressions of Spiritual Care and Counseling education (250-500 words):
Tell us about your hopes for your time in the Spiritual Care and Counseling program, and indicate the most significant learning experience you had during CPE. State how you have applied what you learned in previous CPE. Indicate strengths and weaknesses that you have as they relate to your spiritual care practice and your identity as a professional person.
An account of a “caring incident” in which you were the person providing care (500 – 1,000 words):
Please attach a copy of a recent verbatim from prior CPE as your “caring incident.” Add to the verbatim your own reflection on how and what you learned from sharing this verbatim with your CPE educator and/or peers. If your CPE was more than two years ago, include a recent account of a caring incident, written up in a verbatim format. If possible, include feedback from current spiritual care colleagues and/or administrative supervisors.
Required Exams and Score Reports
GRE and/or MAT results are encouraged but not required for admission to the MA Spiritual Care & Counseling program.
If you have completed testing, we encourage submission of your scores as this information can be a valuable addition in our review. JTS has always practiced a holistic, individualized approach to reviewing our applicants and selecting individuals who are the best fit for our unique graduate programs. Consideration of an applicant includes many factors beyond test scores; we are confident our applicants will continue to demonstrate those qualities to us through their applications again this year.
- All applicants who have completed testing must submit official scores on the general test of the GRE (JTS GRE code is 2339) or Miller Analogies Test (MAT). Please note the above update to JTS’s testing policy.
- Official scores of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the Duolingo English Test for applicants whose native language is other than English and who have not been educated at a college where English is the language of instruction. These test scores are valid for two years from the date taken.
Testing may be waived for one of the following reasons and is at the discretion of the admissions director or dean:
- Applicant is a graduate of List College at JTS with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
- Applicant holds a relevant graduate degree from an accredited university and can provide an official transcript that indicates successful completion of all required course work.
- Applicant has completed non-degree courses at JTS with a GPA of 3.3 or higher (excluding courses in Hebrew language and the summer Nishma program).
