Courses

Winter 2026 Courses

CSL 509IS Independent Study - Social & Cultural Diversities

1 credit
Prerequisites: IDS 501, IDS 521
In this course, students will be introduced to theories and models of multicultural counseling, cultural identity development, and social justice and advocacy. By gaining a deeper understanding of power, privilege, and oppression, students will examine their own experiences and develop strategies for identifying and eliminating barriers, prejudices, and processes of intentional and unintentional oppression and discrimination in mental health counseling. Through deeply engaging a central theme related to counseling in diverse contexts, the course provides a framework for thinking about the effects of power and privilege for counselors and clients in ways that can be applied to topics such as aging, culture disability, ethnicity, race, religion/spirituality, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status/partnership, language preference, and socioeconomic status.

CSL 509R Social & Cultural Diversities

3 credits
Prerequisites: IDS 501, IDS 521
In this course, students will be introduced to theories and models of multicultural counseling, cultural identity development, and social justice and advocacy. By gaining a deeper understanding of power, privilege, and oppression, students will examine their own experiences and develop strategies for identifying and eliminating barriers, prejudices, and processes of intentional and unintentional oppression and discrimination in mental health counseling. Through deeply engaging a central theme related to counseling in diverse contexts, the course provides a framework for thinking about the effects of power and privilege for counselors and clients in ways that can be applied to topics such as aging, culture disability, ethnicity, race, religion/spirituality, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status/partnership, language preference, and socioeconomic status.

CSL 509S Social & Cultural Diversities

3 credits
Prerequisites: IDS 501, IDS 521
In this course, students will be introduced to theories and models of multicultural counseling, cultural identity development, and social justice and advocacy. By gaining a deeper understanding of power, privilege, and oppression, students will examine their own experiences and develop strategies for identifying and eliminating barriers, prejudices, and processes of intentional and unintentional oppression and discrimination in mental health counseling. Through deeply engaging a central theme related to counseling in diverse contexts, the course provides a framework for thinking about the effects of power and privilege for counselors and clients in ways that can be applied to topics such as aging, culture disability, ethnicity, race, religion/spirituality, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status/partnership, language preference, and socioeconomic status.

CSL 510R Human Growth and Development

3 credits
Recommended Prerequisite: CSL 502
This course provides an overview of major developmental theories that include cognitive, moral/spiritual, psychological, interpersonal, and social perspectives across the lifespan from conception to death. It is understood that development does not take place in isolation. Human development is deeply embedded within and is inseparable from the context of family, social networks/traditions, race/ethnicity, and culture. Particular emphasis is placed upon the integrative and interactive functions of the self-in-relation. Formation of the self is dynamic as it is being formed, informed, and transformed within the complexities of personal and systemic influences.

CSL 510S Human Growth and Development

3 credits
Recommended Prerequisite: CSL 502
This course provides an overview of major developmental theories that include cognitive, moral/spiritual, psychological, interpersonal, and social perspectives across the lifespan from conception to death. It is understood that development does not take place in isolation. Human development is deeply embedded within and is inseparable from the context of family, social networks/traditions, race/ethnicity, and culture. Particular emphasis is placed upon the integrative and interactive functions of the self-in-relation. Formation of the self is dynamic as it is being formed, informed, and transformed within the complexities of personal and systemic influences.

CSL 518O Group Therapy: The Healing Context of Community

3 Credits
Prerequisites: CSL 544; CSL 553
The Group Counseling course is designed to provide students preparing to enter a helping profession with an understanding of the theory and practice of group counseling. In the course students will explore different theoretical approaches to counseling groups; basic principles of group dynamics, which include leadership tasks, group developmental stages, and member roles; and basic group counseling skills including establishing, leading, and evaluating various types of counseling groups. Consideration will be given to ethical, legal, and professional issues, and each student will have the experience of being a member in a peer-led practice group.

CSL 518S Group Therapy: The Healing Context of Community

3 Credits
Prerequisites: CSL 544; CSL 553
The Group Counseling course is designed to provide students preparing to enter a helping profession with an understanding of the theory and practice of group counseling. In the course students will explore different theoretical approaches to counseling groups; basic principles of group dynamics, which include leadership tasks, group developmental stages, and member roles; and basic group counseling skills including establishing, leading, and evaluating various types of counseling groups. Consideration will be given to ethical, legal, and professional issues, and each student will have the experience of being a member in a peer-led practice group.

CSL 531O Internship II

Prerequisites: CSL 530

The purpose of the counseling Internship is to provide a professional setting for interns to gather experience and to receive supervision regarding their clinical work. This setting will provide the intern with supervised experiences in preparation for professional practice as a counselor. The Intern will have an opportunity to develop and practice these skills in a variety of clinical settings under the guidance of an on-site supervisor.

Concurrent with a student’s Internship experience, the Internship I & II courses provides a setting for students to observe, explore and learn from their clinical experiences, specifically, what arises within the clinical hour, including pre-session and post-session. This setting allows each student the opportunity to discuss and learn from their Internship experiences.

CSL 531S Internship II

Prerequisites: CSL 530

The purpose of the counseling Internship is to provide a professional setting for interns to gather experience and to receive supervision regarding their clinical work. This setting will provide the intern with supervised experiences in preparation for professional practice as a counselor. The Intern will have an opportunity to develop and practice these skills in a variety of clinical settings under the guidance of an on-site supervisor.

Concurrent with a student’s Internship experience, the Internship I & II courses provides a setting for students to observe, explore and learn from their clinical experiences, specifically, what arises within the clinical hour, including pre-session and post-session. This setting allows each student the opportunity to discuss and learn from their Internship experiences.

CSL 542O Helping Relationships I

3 Credits
Prerequisites: CSL 502, CSL 544, CSL 553, IDS 520/521

This course is the first in a two-part series that builds on the competencies, deep listening skills, and self-reflection practices introduced in the common curriculum and Pre-Internship CSL 553. The course continues to cultivate students’ grasp of therapeutic processes, skills, and techniques crucial for effective psychotherapy treatments across the lifespan from a relational posture. The course helps students apply their clinical knowledge and theory as they begin to inhabit the role of therapist. Students will engage course content through a combination of supervised role-play experiences, reflections, and didactic teaching methods as they prepare for their internship experience.

CSL 542S Helping Relationships I

3 Credits
Prerequisites: CSL 502, CSL 544, CSL 553, IDS 520/521

This course is the first in a two-part series that builds on the competencies, deep listening skills, and self-reflection practices introduced in the common curriculum and Pre-Internship CSL 553. The course continues to cultivate students’ grasp of therapeutic processes, skills, and techniques crucial for effective psychotherapy treatments across the lifespan from a relational posture. The course helps students apply their clinical knowledge and theory as they begin to inhabit the role of therapist. Students will engage course content through a combination of supervised role-play experiences, reflections, and didactic teaching methods as they prepare for their internship experience.

CSL 545O Psychopathology

3 Credits
Prerequisite: CSL 544

This course is part of a two-course sequence that covers Assessment, Appraisal, and Diagnosis and Psychopathology. The CSL 544 course focuses on an introductory overview of the process of assessment, appraisal, diagnosis, and treatment, while the CSL 545 course focuses on the application of assessment and diagnosis of personality disorders/disorders of self and co-occurring disorders with an emphasis on psychological development. The goal of the CSL 545 course is for the student to gain an understanding of the nomenclature and application of diagnosis of character disorders/personality disorders, assessment, evaluation, and treatment modalities. Both courses include the following, with different respective emphases.

PART A: Assessment, Appraisal: This part continues to focus on the principles of assessment, appraisal, and diagnosis, specifically psychopathology, in a multicultural society as related to diagnosis of clinical syndromes and personality disorders. The course utilizes the most current DSM and various assessment instruments.

Part B: Diagnosis: This part focuses on the clinical syndromes and personality disorders as defined by the current DSM: an introduction to the etiology, diagnosis, treatment, appropriate psychopharmacological interventions, biological bases of behavior, and spiritual dimensions of these disorders. Here students explore the impacts of culture and emerging technologies on the treatment of individuals and groups.

CSL 545S Psychopathology

3 Credits
Prerequisite: CSL 544

This course is part of a two-course sequence that covers Assessment, Appraisal, and Diagnosis and Psychopathology. The CSL 544 course focuses on an introductory overview of the process of assessment, appraisal, diagnosis, and treatment, while the CSL 545 course focuses on the application of assessment and diagnosis of personality disorders/disorders of self and co-occurring disorders with an emphasis on psychological development. The goal of the CSL 545 course is for the student to gain an understanding of the nomenclature and application of diagnosis of character disorders/personality disorders, assessment, evaluation, and treatment modalities. Both courses include the following, with different respective emphases.

PART A: Assessment, Appraisal: This part continues to focus on the principles of assessment, appraisal, and diagnosis, specifically psychopathology, in a multicultural society as related to diagnosis of clinical syndromes and personality disorders. The course utilizes the most current DSM and various assessment instruments.

Part B: Diagnosis: This part focuses on the clinical syndromes and personality disorders as defined by the current DSM: an introduction to the etiology, diagnosis, treatment, appropriate psychopharmacological interventions, biological bases of behavior, and spiritual dimensions of these disorders. Here students explore the impacts of culture and emerging technologies on the treatment of individuals and groups.

CSL 571O Infant Observation II

1 credit

This course introduces the experience of early formation, development in the infant, and the infant in relationship to their mothering figure, other primary caretakers, as well as ultimately to the birthing of the infant’s mind. Infant observation focuses on the primary relationships, primitive anxieties, defenses, which later inform clinical work with children, adolescents, and adult patients in psychotherapy. This in vivo learning experience takes place through a weekly observation of the infant with their mothering figure, primary caregiver in their home environment.

CSL 574S Elements of British Object Relations II

1 credit

This course continues the examination of British Object Relations theory from BOR I with particular focus on the application of fundamental concepts to clinical practice. This course builds as well from the experiences in Infant Observation; i.e. the experience of early formation, development in the infant, and the infant in relationship to their mothering figure, other primary caretakers, as well as ultimately to the birthing of the infant’s mind.

CSL 575BO Special Topics: Somatics - Nervous System Regulation

2 Credits
Prerequisite: IDS 521 Listening Lab Part II

A full course description is available on individual course syllabi and is particular to each course.

CSL 580B Individualized Research

EXT 602B Listening Lab Externship II

The Listening Lab Externship is designed for graduates of The Seattle School degree programs to gain professional development experience under the supervision and mentorship of the Listening Lab Director and assigned Listening Lab Leaders. Students are expected to attend their assigned section of Listening Lab as a student facilitator and engage in research and self-reflective learning. A minimum of 30 hours per term will be required and will include research and practice experiences.

IDS 502O Intersections: Biblical Traditions & Theological Formations

2 credits
Prerequisites: IDS 501, IDS 504
Corequisite: IDS 505
This course introduces students to the realm of interdisciplinary inquiry with Christian theology as the primary lens. It will attend to the ways cultural contexts influence interpretive traditions and theological formations. Real-world implications of the doctrine of God, the incarnation of God in Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit will be engaged from an interdisciplinary framework of theology, psychology, and biblical studies. Additionally, the course emphasizes the development of skills necessary for constructing well-organized, coherent, and scholarly written works, while adhering to Chicago Turabian style guidelines.

IDS 505O Contextual Learning Lab

1 credit
Prerequisite: IDS 501, IDS 504
Corequisite: IDS 502
This course grounds interdisciplinary inquiry within the reality of students’ everyday lives. It equips students to listen as storied, located, and bodied creatures, providing skills for ways of loving God and neighbor within their place’s ecosystem unto the common good.

IDS 505S Contextual Learning Lab

1 credit
Prerequisite: IDS 501, IDS 504
Corequisite: IDS 502
This course grounds interdisciplinary inquiry within the reality of students’ everyday lives. It equips students to listen as storied, located, and bodied creatures, providing skills for ways of loving God and neighbor within their place’s ecosystem unto the common good.

IDS 520O Listening Lab: Part I

2 credits total ; taught over 2 terms
This lab provides opportunities for students to engage with interdisciplinary theory and praxis related to deep listening. By tending to the data of experience at three levels (intrapsychic, interpersonal, and group as a whole), students will cultivate a relational stance marked by observation, openness, and curiosity. The frame of Listening Lab is designed to foster a getting-to-know posture rather than a knowing posture, working within the frame of the lab to explore and express one’s own realities, internal and external, past and present, personal and collective.

IDS 520O Listening Lab: Part I

2 credits total ; taught over 2 terms
This lab provides opportunities for students to engage with interdisciplinary theory and praxis related to deep listening. By tending to the data of experience at three levels (intrapsychic, interpersonal, and group as a whole), students will cultivate a relational stance marked by observation, openness, and curiosity. The frame of Listening Lab is designed to foster a getting-to-know posture rather than a knowing posture, working within the frame of the lab to explore and express one’s own realities, internal and external, past and present, personal and collective.

IDS 521R Listening Lab: Part II

2 credits total ; taught over 2 terms
This lab provides opportunities for students to engage with interdisciplinary theory and praxis related to deep listening. By tending to the data of experience at three levels (intrapsychic, interpersonal, and group as a whole), students will cultivate a relational stance marked by observation, openness, and curiosity. The frame of Listening Lab is designed to foster a getting-to-know posture rather than a knowing posture, working within the frame of the lab to explore and express one’s own realities, internal and external, past and present, personal and collective.

IDS 521S Listening Lab: Part II

2 credits total ; taught over 2 terms
This lab provides opportunities for students to engage with interdisciplinary theory and praxis related to deep listening. By tending to the data of experience at three levels (intrapsychic, interpersonal, and group as a whole), students will cultivate a relational stance marked by observation, openness, and curiosity. The frame of Listening Lab is designed to foster a getting-to-know posture rather than a knowing posture, working within the frame of the lab to explore and express one’s own realities, internal and external, past and present, personal and collective.

Please note: This course will meet during the Winter Residency (see syllabus for details).

RES Residency

This course will house materials related to the residency for the current term. A specific schedule will be provided in advance of the residency.

Please visit https://theseattleschool.edu/residencies/ for more information.

SFD 528O Practicing Pilgrimage

1 credit

Pilgrimage has historically been understood as sacred travel that integrates body, mind, and soul. How might pilgrimage also provide a formative model for our everyday lives and the lives of those whom we serve? The practice of pilgrimage invites us as seekers to become agents of change on our journeys of transformation. In this course, students will learn about pilgrimage through study, reflection, local practice, and shared experience and develop an understanding of how the archetypes of pilgrimage - whether to distant lands or right outside the student's door - can be applied in everyday life.

TCE 537O Christology in Historical Context

3 credits

This course will explore the implications of particular Christologies on the global church, mission, and culture, with special reference to Church history. This course will cover the early development of trinitarian theology, the debates about the identity of Jesus Christ, and creeds. This course will also include explorations of more contemporary critiques about how Christology is formed and practiced in the church and world, engaging diverse theological perspectives. The goal of this class is to understand the historical formations and critiques of Christology, Soteriology, and Ecclesiology, so that the student might be able to design and construct life-giving theologies within the context of their vocational call and the communities in which they will serve.

TCE 537O Christology in Historical Context

3 credits

This course will explore the implications of particular Christologies on the global church, mission, and culture, with special reference to Church history. This course will cover the early development of trinitarian theology, the debates about the identity of Jesus Christ, and creeds. This course will also include explorations of more contemporary critiques about how Christology is formed and practiced in the church and world, engaging diverse theological perspectives. The goal of this class is to understand the historical formations and critiques of Christology, Soteriology, and Ecclesiology, so that the student might be able to design and construct life-giving theologies within the context of their vocational call and the communities in which they will serve.

TCE 541O Spirit & Trauma

2 credits
This course explores the intersection of theology trauma studies/traumatology. In this class, we will read and compare theologies of the cross and theologies of the Holy Spirit to investigate how different theological approaches impact one's view on trauma, suffering, healing, redemption, witness, resilience, community, etc. This class is primarily focused on theological questions, but will purposefully seek out ways to bring together and find various modes of integrating theology and psychology (i.e., traumatology) throughout the class. Though the disciplines of theology and psychology utilize different vocabularies and methodologies, both seek out the wholeness and well-being of the human person, particularly in the wake of suffering, abuse, and trauma. Theology in this frame, should lead persons toward liberation and shalom, especially when life and death are closely experienced and related.

TCE 551O Special Topics in Social Engagement & the Arts

3 credits
Prerequisite: TCE 534O
This course explores the intersection of Christian theologies and artistic practice by asking how theological thinking informs acts of creation and the life of the artist. Students will explore the capacities of art as revelatory, transformational, and liberative. The course guides students in the articulation of their theological understanding of aesthetics in the practice of their vocation with art, while attending to the multifaceted ways art functions in the world.

Open to MATC students only.

TCE 553O Collaborative Community Development: Foundations and Methods for Community Change

3 credits

This course prepares students to engage in the practices of community development, and helps them to define theological and ethical foundations for the promotion of well-being in the communities they are called to love. Through practices of deep listening, participants will gain the skills and character qualities necessary to work in partnership with community members to foster organic, contextualized community change.

TCE 555O Gathering & Becoming: Convening Communities of Faith & Practice

3 credits

What does it mean to gather? The history of the local church is a story of people convening in the Way of Jesus unto liberation, belonging, and service within particular contexts. The Greek word for church – ekklisia – means “gathering”; the reimagination of gathering is vital for communities of faith emerging in the wake of Christendom’s collusion of religion with political and economic powers. This course prepares leaders to convene groups as prophetic witness, formative community, and missional service unto becoming faithful communal expressions of love of God, neighbor, creation, and self. Students will be prepared as leaders to adaptively reimagine Christian gathering practices to serve the current and future needs of their particular place and all its inhabitants.

TCE 575BO Special Topics

Please Note: There are two different Special Topics courses offered this term. Please ensure that you are registering for the correct section!
- Section 1: Lost at Sea
- Section 2: Narrative, Identity & Asian American Experiences

2 credits
A full course description is available on individual course syllabi and is particular to each course.

Spring 2026 Courses

CSL 503O Professional Ethics & Law

3 credits
Prerequisites: CSL 544; CSL 553
Corequisite: CSL 543

This course provides an overview of professional ethics and Washington State law in the practice of counseling. Students will become familiar with professional ethical norms as well as common legal regulations. Additional topics include professionalism, licensure, moral responsibility in responding to the violation of human dignity, and issues of power and privilege. Students examine the impact of their cultural locatedness on the ethical decision-making processes in light of the difficult decisions facing the professional counselor.

CSL 503S Professional Ethics & Law

3 credits
Prerequisites: CSL 544; CSL 553
Corequisite: CSL 543

This course provides an overview of professional ethics and Washington State law in the practice of counseling. Students will become familiar with professional ethical norms as well as common legal regulations. Additional topics include professionalism, licensure, moral responsibility in responding to the violation of human dignity, and issues of power and privilege. Students examine the impact of their cultural locatedness on the ethical decision-making processes in light of the difficult decisions facing the professional counselor.

CSL 512O Substance Use Disorders

3 credits
Prerequisites: CSL 544
Recommended Prerequisite: CSL 517
This course is designed to provide an introduction to foundational theories of addictive processes, principles of prevention, diagnosis and assessment, and evidenced-based treatments. Attention will be given to the full continuum of care (including: prevention, assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and recovery), as well as how sociocultural context impacts the development and implementation of treatment for substance use disorders in diverse populations and communities.

This course meets as an intensive May 29-30 and June 5-6.

CSL 516O Research & Statistics

3 credits
This course provides a conceptual framework for understanding common psychological research methodologies, including various types of both quantitative and qualitative methods. Students will be equipped to formulate research questions and interpret and apply psychological research to their counseling practice.

PLEASE NOTE: In addition to this course's weekly scheduled time, this class will also meet one Friday (date TBD) from 10am-1pm (PDT) online for our Joint Research Symposium. This is a required part of this course and will be part of fulfilling one of the major assignments for this course. Please plan accordingly.

CSL 516S Research & Statistics

3 credits
This course provides a conceptual framework for understanding common psychological research methodologies, including various types of both quantitative and qualitative methods. Students will be equipped to formulate research questions and interpret and apply psychological research to their counseling practice.

PLEASE NOTE: In addition to this course's weekly scheduled time, this class will also meet one Friday (date TBD) from 10am-1pm (PDT) online for our Joint Research Symposium. This is a required part of this course and will be part of fulfilling one of the major assignments for this course. Please plan accordingly.

CSL 517O Family Systems

3 credits

This course utilizes a didactic and experiential format in which to explore therapeutic work with family and other systems. Theoretical foundations and developments of systems theory will be explored to introduce the student to the field of couples and family therapy. Clinical work with couples and families will be considered from an ecological/systemic perspective with specific emphasis on the following family factors and dynamics: life cycle, development, attachment, and systemic issues as relevant to contemporary family cultures.

CSL 517S Family Systems

3 credits

This course utilizes a didactic and experiential format in which to explore therapeutic work with family and other systems. Theoretical foundations and developments of systems theory will be explored to introduce the student to the field of couples and family therapy. Clinical work with couples and families will be considered from an ecological/systemic perspective with specific emphasis on the following family factors and dynamics: life cycle, development, attachment, and systemic issues as relevant to contemporary family cultures.

CSL 532A Internship III

1 credit
Prerequisites: CSL 530, CSL 531
Students who have not completed their required hours of internship may register for internship until the hours are completed. Note that internship credits beyond the required Internship I and II do not count toward the total credits required within the degree.

CSL 543O Helping Relationships II

3 Credits
Prerequisites: CSL 502, CSL 544, CSL 545, CSL 553, IDS 520/521, CSL 542

This course is the second in a two-part series that builds on the competencies, deep listening skills, and self-reflection practices introduced in the common curriculum and Pre-Internship CSL 553. The course continues to cultivate students’ grasp of therapeutic processes, skills, and techniques crucial for effective psychotherapy treatments across the lifespan from a relational posture. The course helps students apply their clinical knowledge and theory as they begin to inhabit the role of therapist. Students will engage course content through a combination of supervised role-play experiences, reflections, and didactic teaching methods as they prepare for their internship experience.

CSL 543S Helping Relationships II

3 Credits
Prerequisites: CSL 502, CSL 544, CSL 545, CSL 553, IDS 520/521, CSL 542

This course is the second in a two-part series that builds on the competencies, deep listening skills, and self-reflection practices introduced in the common curriculum and Pre-Internship CSL 553. The course continues to cultivate students’ grasp of therapeutic processes, skills, and techniques crucial for effective psychotherapy treatments across the lifespan from a relational posture. The course helps students apply their clinical knowledge and theory as they begin to inhabit the role of therapist. Students will engage course content through a combination of supervised role-play experiences, reflections, and didactic teaching methods as they prepare for their internship experience.

CSL 564O Assessment & Treatment of Trauma & Abuse

2 Credits
Prerequisites: CSL 544

The purpose of this class is to discuss topics related to the treatment of victims/survivors of interpersonal violence (e.g., childhood sexual abuse, sexual assault, intimate partner/domestic violence). This class provides a foundation for understanding complex trauma, and trauma recovery, with a focus on trauma-informed treatment with various populations. Also included in this class, is the exploration of the professional’s response to trauma, vicarious traumatization, grief, and crisis intervention. Finally, students have the chance to review evidence-based practices in the trauma field.

This course is offered for either 2 credits OR 3 credits. If you would like to take it for 2 credits, register for CSL 564O. If you would like to take it for 3 credits, register for CSL 564CO.

CSL 564O Assessment & Treatment of Trauma & Abuse

2 Credits
Prerequisites: CSL 544

The purpose of this class is to discuss topics related to the treatment of victims/survivors of interpersonal violence (e.g., childhood sexual abuse, sexual assault, intimate partner/domestic violence). This class provides a foundation for understanding complex trauma, and trauma recovery, with a focus on trauma-informed treatment with various populations. Also included in this class, is the exploration of the professional’s response to trauma, vicarious traumatization, grief, and crisis intervention. Finally, students have the chance to review evidence-based practices in the trauma field.

This course is offered for either 2 credits OR 3 credits. If you would like to take it for 2 credits, register for CSL 564O. If you would like to take it for 3 credits, register for CSL 564CO.

CSL 572O Infant Observation III

1 credit

This course introduces the experience of early formation, development in the infant, and the infant in relationship to their mothering figure, other primary caretakers, as well as ultimately to the birthing of the infant’s mind. Infant observation focuses on the primary relationships, primitive anxieties, defenses, which later inform clinical work with children, adolescents, and adult patients in psychotherapy. This in vivo learning experience takes place through a weekly observation of the infant with their mothering figure, primary caregiver in their home environment.

CSL 575AO Special Topics: Spirituality & Counseling

1 credit
A full course description is available on individual course syllabi and is particular to each course.

CSL 575BO Special Topics: The Stranger Within—Psychoanalytic Theory and the Songs of Billy Joel

2 Credits
A full course description is available on individual course syllabi and is particular to each course.

This course employs the modality of song—specifically the music of Billy Joel—as an entry point for exploring foundational concepts in psychoanalytic theory, including the unconscious, desire, repression, and fantasy. Students will engage with key psychoanalytic schools of thought, such as Freudian theory, Ego Psychology, Object Relations, Self Psychology, Relational approaches, and the French School. Through critical listening, theoretical analysis, and reflective practice, students will examine how these concepts inform both personal relationships to art and their relevance within clinical contexts. The course encourages the integration of psychoanalytic frameworks into students’ current or future therapeutic work, fostering a deeper understanding of the intersections between creativity, the psyche, and clinical practice.

This course description is pending review and is subject to change

IDS 503O Intersections: Textual Integrations

1 credit
Prerequisites: IDS 501, IDS 502, IDS 504, IDS 505
This third Intersections course guides students in the synthesis of the first two Intersections courses. With faculty advising, students will develop a working draft of a theological and psychological anthropology (spanning issues such as economics, politics, culture, etc.) that will serve as an important contribution to the portfolio particular to the student’s program of study and as a basis for their vocation.

IDS 503S Intersections: Textual Integrations

1 credit
Prerequisites: IDS 501, IDS 502, IDS 504, IDS 505
This third Intersections course guides students in the synthesis of the first two Intersections courses. With faculty advising, students will develop a working draft of a theological and psychological anthropology (spanning issues such as economics, politics, culture, etc.) that will serve as an important contribution to the portfolio particular to the student’s program of study and as a basis for their vocation.

IDS 521N Listening Lab: Part II

Non-credit certificate students only. This is one class taught over two terms.

This lab provides opportunities for students to engage with interdisciplinary theory and praxis related to deep listening. By tending to the data of experience at three levels (intrapsychic, interpersonal, and group as a whole), students will cultivate a relational stance marked by observation, openness, and curiosity. The frame of Listening Lab is designed to foster a getting-to-know posture rather than a knowing posture, working within the frame of the lab to explore and express one’s own realities, internal and external, past and present, personal and collective.

SFD 520T Engaging Local Partnerships: Northwest Native American History, Spirituality, and Culture

2 credits
This course is part of the Engaging Global Partnership series (Engaging Global Partnerships: Creating Conversations with Grassroots’ Leaders in their Context). It will focus on the spiritual formation and leadership development of Mending Wings, a Native American Youth Organization in Toppenish Washington. Students will participate in pre-trip readings focused on Native American, spirituality, theology, history and culture and a one weekend intensive hosted by Corey Greaves and the Mending Wings staff on the Yakama Reservation.

This course will meet as an intensive April 15-18,2026. It will be charged an additional fee to cover the associated travel costs.

SFD 521T The Artist's Way

2 credits

This course is about discovering and recovering your creative self. It is for anyone interested in practicing the art of creative living. It is about both being creative and putting that creativity into practice. We will explore what it means to be an artist and a spiritual being and how the practice of creativity unblocks spirituality in our lives and can inspire and transform humanity's relationship to God, community and culture. We will also discover how creativity can enliven our academic study and vocational practice.

This course begins with an artist’s retreat; students then continue coursework asynchronously throughout the term, including regular engagement with previously established reading groups.

This course will meet as an intensive at the Grunewald Guild in Leavenworth, WA. April 9-12, 2026. Because this is a travel course there is an additional fee of $575.

TCE 533O Theories of Change: Community Leadership

3 credits

This course will explore how business for the common good and innovation are used in creative ways of service to communities in a variety of contexts. Students will examine how innovative practices, philanthropy, and entrepreneurial leadership can be used to heal the heart of a community. A field research component will allow the student to begin to identify and construct the competencies and dimensions of their MATC apprenticeship.

TCE 538O Mission & Faithful Presence

3 credits
This course surveys the ongoing evolution of the theology and practice of mission. The course explores the history of theologies, frameworks, social constructs, and critiques of Christian mission, better enabling students to engage in mission without colonizing or harming. This course equips learners to personally participate, and guide others into joining the Triune God in God’s liberative mission within the particularity of their context. Students are invited to explore the implications of Emmanuel (God is with us), as the heart of missional presence and practice.

TCE 538O Mission & Faithful Presence

3 credits
This course surveys the ongoing evolution of the theology and practice of mission. The course explores the history of theologies, frameworks, social constructs, and critiques of Christian mission, better enabling students to engage in mission without colonizing or harming. This course equips learners to personally participate, and guide others into joining the Triune God in God’s liberative mission within the particularity of their context. Students are invited to explore the implications of Emmanuel (God is with us), as the heart of missional presence and practice.

TCE 540O God & Persons

2 credits
This course explores the theological concept of persons, both divine and human. The goal of this class is to survey, compare and contrast, and evaluate various perspectives on personhood from the depth and breadth of the Christian tradition. This class will start with the doctrine of God, engage with the doctrine of creation (and eco theology), and end with theological anthropology (including the imago Dei and the imago Christi). This is a more doctrinally oriented class, but with an eye to the reality that all theology is contextual.

TCE 542O Christ & Hospitality

2 credits
This course looks at the relationship between the Christian Church (ecclesiology) and Jesus Christ (Christology). At stake in this conversation is how our doctrines about the person and the work of Christ impacts how persons are formed in the practice of the Church and its liturgy. Doctrine, in this context, is not just an abstract exploration of proper belief about sin, atonement, soteriology, or ecclesiology, but, instead, the location of questioning, and sometimes reforming, how theory (theoria) and practice (praxis) are related to one another in the daily life of the body of Christ. The aim of this class is to show that all study of theology should lead to doxology (worship) and all doxology should lead to the fullness of life in Jesus Christ.

TCE 552O Studio & Seminar: The Arts

3 credits
Prerequisite: TCE 551
This studio course creates opportunities for students to engage in artistic practice integrated with theological thinking. Students will employ experimentation and adaptive approaches toward creative practices and explore an understanding of the artist’s role within society and Christian community. The course culminates in a project in which students demonstrate their integration of theology and art.

TCE 554O Contextual Conversations for Community Transformation

3 credits

These cross cultural courses hosted by local Subject Matter Experts will explore the hurt, hope and heart of the communities in which they serve. This hurt, hope, and heart methodology shapes a credible and collaborative approach to community development. Listening deeply to the context as a collective learning community while making application to participants' own place of ministry. Pre-trip readings and film study will establish foundational knowledge regarding the places, spirituality, theology, history and culture.

For particular context description, please see the course syllabus.

TCE 556O Listening & Leading: The Spiritual Care of Christian Communities

3 credits
Prerequisite: TCE 555R

How does a leader, through their presence, convene groups serving the common good as a faithful expression of personal and collective love of God? This course equips spiritual leaders with tools for attending deeply to the invitation of God’s Shalom, to the particularity of their groups, to the complexity of their places, to their personal journeys, and to the systems of oppression warring against liberation and flourishing for all and everything. Students will be prepared as leaders with the practical knowledge, skills, and tools necessary for convening followers of Christ to serve the common good as a faithful expression of their love of God, love of neighbor, love of creation, and love of self.

2026-2027: Fall 2026 Courses