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Core Practicum Objectives and Learning Outcomes

Seattle Pacific Seminary features within its MDiv and MA curriculum a required practicum to be taken, when possible, in the first year of enrollment. This course is listed in the catalogue thusly:

THEO 6930 Graduate Core Practicum (1-2 cr.):

This course (“GCP”) is an integral part of the graduate core curriculum and is distinct from, but still closely related to the three triads of “academic” core courses (i.e., Bible I, II, III; Global Christian Heritage I, II, III; and Theology/Ethics I, II, III). Under normal circumstances, each student will take two credits of GCP in each of the three quarters of his/her first academic year, for a total of six credits. GCP is intended to help students make connections between the “academic” work they are doing in their core courses and the “abbey” and “apostolate” dimensions of their theological formation. Each student will work out an individualized learning contract with the designated Practicum Coordinator that will address vital areas of character, spiritual formation and missional competence. Ordinarily, this contract will require the student to design and execute a project that will integrate what he or she is learning in the “academic” core courses his/her personal spiritual growth and professional development as a minister of the gospel.

The practicum is, in short, the primary integrative curricular component in the initial year of the SOT graduate programs. The practicum is meant to integrate content learned in the classroom (the “academy” component of the program), vocational development (the “apostolate” component) and spiritual formation (the “abbey” component). Understood in classical terms, the practicum is meant to wed the student’s efforts toward orthodoxy, orthopraxy, and orthopathy, sometimes abbreviated as the realms of “head,” “hands,” and “heart.” The necessity of all three might be illustrated by noting what happens when they are separated:

• Orthodoxy without orthopraxy is dead “faith without works.”
• Orthodoxy without orthopathy is religious formalism.
• Orthopraxy without orthodoxy is directionless pragmatism.
• Orthopraxy without orthopathy is Pharisaic legalism.
• Orthopathy without orthodoxy is shallow emotionalism.
• Orthopathy without orthopraxy is empty sentimentalism.

Without integration, students will lack the education, training and formation (each of which ought to be implicitly included in the other two) needed as they prepare for the vocation of ministry, whatever that ministry might be – in the church, in higher education or public service, in the business world or in the arts, in a para-church or non-profit organization, as a chaplain or teacher, etc. The academy, apostolate and abbey are all needed to help develop within the student a vibrant and grounded faith that risks changing the world for the Kingdom of God.

Objectives and Outcomes

These objectives and outcomes are meant to help SPU School of Theology administration and faculty understand how practica function within the overall graduate curriculum.

Objective #1: Integration through Interpersonal Interaction

Integration of academy, apostolate and abbey

• The student will practice integration of academic subject matter, practical ministry and spiritual formation through one-on-one and group interactions.
• In these interactions, the student will practice answering the question: How does each of these three realms of study affect the others?

Outcomes

• Through weekly reflections, the student will discuss and discover connections among his or her education, training and formation.

Objective #2: Integration through Application

Integration of theory and practice

• The student will practice applying the subject matter learned in the particular classes taken toward ministerial vocation, spiritual formation and/or Christian life.
• In this application, the student will practice asking the question: How does academic content inform the practice of ministry, the formation of spirituality and the living out of faith?

Outcomes

• Through the production of a final project under the direction of the practicum coordinator, the student will demonstrate an application of academic subject matter for the practice of ministry, spiritual formation and/or Christian life.
• A project proposal will be presented to the practicum coordinator for approval, at which time the coordinator will help refine the parameters of the project.
• The project may use any medium, but it must be accompanied by written explanation that details how the subject matter from the quarter’s core classes informed the production of the project. In short, the student must show how the project applies class material to the practice of ministry, spiritual formation and/or Christian life.

Objective #3: Integration through Vocational Discernment

Integration of education and identity; integration of individual and community

• In light of his or her education and formation, the student will practice reflecting upon the role of vocation and Christian community in the development of Christian identity.
• In this discernment, the student will practice asking the questions: What particular shape is my vocation taking? How is this related to the church? How am I being prepared to carry out my calling to bring about the fullness of the Kingdom of God? How might my vocation participate in the mission of Jesus Christ in acts of faith, love, hope, service, justice and mercy?

Outcomes

• Through the writing of a one-page paper on the self-understanding of Christian vocation, the student will better understand how his or her education, training and formation prepares him or her for a particular practice of ministry, and how that ministry relates to the church.
• The class meetings and practicum project are expected to contribute to this understanding.

Policy for THEO 6980 Cross-Cultural Immersion Experience

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Seattle Pacific University is committed to providing a safe learning and working environment on campus. As part of this, university employees are generally required to report information they receive about threats, crimes, and sexual misconduct involving students to the Office of Safety and Security or the university’s Title IX Coordinator. Information that must be reported includes both verbal and written statements (e.g., spoken in class or submitted in a written assignment), whether by a victim or by a third-party. Types of incidents that must be reported include physical assault (including domestic or dating violence), sex offenses (e.g., rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment), stalking, robbery, burglary, motor vehicle theft, arson, hate crimes, and arrests for weapon, drug, or liquor law violations. If you are a victim of any of the offenses listed above, you are strongly encouraged to report the matter promptly to a professor, the Office of Safety and Security, or the university’s Title IX Coordinator so that the university can offer you support and notify you of available resources. If you are a victim and would like to speak with someone confidentially, you can arrange to speak with a counselor at the Student Counseling Center or you can make an appointment outside of class with a pastoral counselor.

SPS Policies on Student Behavioral Competencies

As a community of people (students, staff, and faculty) who are committed to faithful service of Jesus Christ, all members of this community enter into an agreement concerning their behavior in the classroom and in relation to one another. These competencies are drawn from professional ethics in ministerial vocations. All students are expected to adhere to university policies, including the “Behavioral Expectations” outlined in the SPU Graduate Student Handbook. Violation of university policies may be considered evidence of unsatisfactory behaviors in one or more Student Behavioral Competencies. Consistent failure to demonstrate these competencies may result in a behavioral review with either the Seminary Dean, Associate Dean, or Director. Definitions of each of the six behavioral competency areas and examples of unsatisfactory performance likely to result in behavioral review include, but are not limited to, the following:

Area 1 - Conscientiousness & Commitment to academic and ministerial responsibilities

· Expected behaviors: Reliable attendance and timeliness; advance preparation for assignments and absences; effective management of appointments and schedule; follow-through on tasks; and adherence to appropriate self-presentation and conduct in class/work settings.

· Unsatisfactory behaviors: Frequently late or misses class without notification; poorly organized presentations or papers or research products; insufficient preparation for contextual education site responsibilities or classes; persistent unprofessional behaviors after receiving feedback from a faculty member or contextual education supervisor; refusal to meet with faculty, staff, or contextual education supervisor.

Area 2 - Interpersonal Skills

· Expected behaviors: Displays warmth, respect, positive affect, and empathy when interacting with peers, professors, and supervisors; contributes effectively to groups; supports the growth of others by providing feedback and encouragement; exercises good listening skills with both faculty and fellow students.

· Unsatisfactory behaviors: Interacts in an aloof, negative, or harsh manner; displays difficulty when collaborating on group projects or when discussing difficult topics; feedback to instructors/other students violates professional boundaries; frequently takes over class conversations or interrupts others.

Area 3 - Self-Care

· Expected behaviors: Maintains personal and professional wellness, energy and focus by practicing healthy habits, setting boundaries, managing health issues, and seeking professional help when needed.

· Unsatisfactory behaviors: Over-scheduling leads to mistakes, missed appointments, or decreased quality of work; repeatedly cannot stay awake in class; loses focus due to continuous multitasking; displays of stress and tension impede relationship building; does not seek medical or therapeutic support necessary to meet academic and professional expectations; does not exercise healthy personal/professional boundaries.

Area 4 - Self-Awareness & Flexibility

· Expected behaviors: Demonstrates the ability to identify strengths, biases, and areas of growth; responsive to feedback and uses the information to grow as a person and as a professional; open to new perspectives; demonstrates the ability to adapt to changing circumstances and unexpected events.

· Unsatisfactory behaviors: Difficulty identifying and acknowledging personal or professional strengths; defensive when given constructive criticism; unresponsive to peer or supervisor feedback; displays rigidity when discussing alternative ways of seeing, knowing, or behaving; demonstrates defensiveness for a subject that can become domineering, shutting down other opinions, and becoming argumentative rather than engaging in civil discourse.

Area 5 – Self-management and Emotional regulation

· Expected behaviors: Acts professionally when experiencing strong emotions; uses active listening skills and mutual problem solving to manage conflict situations; expresses feelings and uses humor that is appropriate to the setting.

· Unsatisfactory behaviors: Displays poor impulse control in interactions (such as verbal outbursts, sarcasm, swearing, physical aggression, or inappropriate humor); blames others rather than seeking to take responsibility in a conflict; actively avoids discussion of conflict; draws others into interpersonal conflicts inappropriately.

Area 6 – Ethical Behaviors

· Expected behaviors: Demonstrates honesty, fairness, integrity, and responsibility in interactions with peers, faculty, and supervisors; participates in structures of accountability to assist with ministerial development; avoids unprofessional conduct as a student and minister.

· Unsatisfactory behaviors: Acts in a dishonest or irresponsible manner; violates confidentiality; plagiarizes written work; displays poor boundaries with colleagues, faculty, or staff members; violates university or contextual education site policies.

We believe that professional behaviors, like skills and knowledge, can be strengthened when students are given regular feedback and support. Our goal is to have every student who is recommended for graduation demonstrate these behaviors on a consistent basis.

SPU Emergency Response Information:

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