Seminary of the Southwest’s reputation for academic excellence amid a community built on a foundation of trust is core to the seminary’s unique identity and offerings. Whether graduates become priests, counselors, or spiritual leaders — all will be formed with the intention and preparation needed for them to thrive in vocations of service and healing.
The programs at Southwest focus on three areas of formation: being, knowing, and doing. The seminary’s foundational attention to academic excellence (knowing) is complemented by attention to dispositions (being) and skills (doing). Each program seeks to produce well-rounded, thoughtful graduates who have become not only proficient in a field of study but wise and charitable practitioners.
As part of its mission to form leaders in vocations of healing, Seminary of the Southwest offers a CACREP accredited Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (MHC) degree designed to form students for vocations as licensed professional counselors. The program prepares students to pass the Texas state LPC qualifying exam while providing an opportunity to integrate professional counseling competencies with spiritual, religious, and ethical values.
The MHC program at Southwest is distinct in its emphasis on social justice, LGBTQ+ affirmation, and spiritual integration across the curriculum. Home to an award winning chapter of the Counselors for Social Justice and a unique Latinx Cultural Concentration — as well as being CACREP accredited — Southwest’s MHC program offers a powerful formational environment for the next generation of licensed counselors.
Also at Southwest, Theological Formation for ministry is one of our core missional components. With degree programs that allow for the pursuit of ordination, or for those following a calling to lay ministries of spiritual direction, personal enrichment, or further advanced studies.
For Episcopal students seeking a Master of Divinity, Seminary of the Southwest collaborates with diocesan authorities and follows canonical requirements in the processes of discernment and formation for ordained ministry. For those who completed a Master of Divinity in a non-Episcopal school or for clergy coming from another tradition, the Diploma in Anglican Studies is designed to prepare students for ordination in the Episcopal Church.
For those seeking formation in vocations of spiritual direction and lay ministry, Southwest offers a Master of Arts in Spiritual Direction designed for those who seek to explore, develop, or innovate spiritual direction ministries.
For those seeking lay ministry roles, further advanced study, or personal enrichment, the Master of Arts in Religion offers a foundational theological education with sufficient flexibility to allow students to pursue particular or specific interests.
Want to learn more? One of our recruiting officers is standing by to answer your questions. Reach out to admissions@ssw.edu or 512.472.4133.