Program Overview

The SCM is relevant, professional and biblical
Links:  Application          Courses Offered                Class Schedule Scholarships Faculty  Program Handbook         FAQs	Distinctives Course content and readings include current information and practices of the National Institute of Corrections. Assignments are practical and can easily be tailored to your current ministry needs. The SCM is served by an incredible team of professional faculty who are leaders in the field and have extensive practical experience. The faculty have published numerous articles, obtained thousands of dollars in funded grants, and are recognized regionally and nationally as experts in their field. SCM collaborates with the following minstries: Prison Fellowship, Good News Jail & Prison Ministries, Christian Association for Prisoner Aftercare and Crossroad Bible Institute. The American Chaplaincy Training School (ACTS) was merged into SCM.   The credential program promotes faith and learning through the integration of biblical principles and a Christian worldview.  Structure The Correctional Ministries Credential program is a set of seven (7) college accredited, undergraduate/graduate, courses (21 credits) carefully designed to meet competencies identified by professionals for quality correctional ministry. The bulk of the program is online coursework, bookended at the beginning and the end by summer residential courses. All Students will take three (3) core courses followed by focus area required courses. The first core course is offered as a 5-day residential class in June on the campus of Wheaton College. The following five (5) courses are offered online through the Summer, Fall and Spring sessions. The program concludes with a final 5-day residential course on the campus of Wheaton College in June.  Focus Areas -  (Click onto Heading for Downloadable Program Information)                   Correctional Chaplaincy                             Reentry Leadership  Correctional Ministry  Program Length The program is purposefully and intentionally structured to accommodate for working students to complete the program in one year of part-time study. To benefit the most from our program, we encourage students to enroll for the entire year. Students, however, may sign up for individual courses. Our program also offers a two-year sequence, which provides the same coursework over a longer period of time.  What is a Credential? A credential indicates students have met competencies established by the issuing agency. Completion of the credential program signals to all concerned that the individual has completed a set course of study that prepares them for ministry within a correctional setting (in-prison, reentry, or other correctional ministry setting). Students who complete the credential program will receive a certificate from the Institute for Prison Ministries indicating the completion of the credential program.  This is a non-degree program.  The certificate does not guarantee employment nor entrance in a correctional institution.  It is up to each institution or agency to determine hiring and entrance criteria.  It does demonstrate the specific correctional ministry preparedness of the individual seeking employment or entrance. All credential courses are accredited through Wheaton College, which is fully accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools as well as by several other accrediting agencies (see Wheaton College website for complete information.) Accreditation means that all courses taken at Wheaton College meet the standards set forth by the accrediting agency.

Academic Calendar 

Semester	Correctional Chaplaincy	Reentry Leadership	Correctional Ministry Focus
Summer Residential	Introduction to Correctional Ministry Overview of ministry to offenders and their families and the role of the Church
Summer Online	Dynamics of Working with Offenders Examines common characteristics offenders and approaches to ministry to them
Fall Quad A Online	Leadership and Spiritual Formation of Offenders Provides personal development and strategy for discipleship
Fall Quad B Online	Foundations of Correctional Chaplaincy Overview of correctional chaplaincy	Foundations of Offender Reentry Explores the foundations of offender reentry and its potential challenges	Elective
Spring Quad A Online	Correctional Ministry Program Development and Evaluation Addresses planning and administration for correctional ministry	Organizational Administration for Nonprofit Correctional Ministries A study of management principles and practices for nonprofit organizations	Elective
Spring	Capstone or Practicum Either action research, curriculum development, or a program initative
Summer Residential	Care and Counseling for Offenders Addresses the challenge of appropriate care and counseling in prison ministry	Case Management and Mentoring for Exoffenders Examines theories and practices in case management and mentoring for successful reentry	Course of Choice: Care & Counseling for Offenders -or- Case Management & Mentoring Exoffenders