A PROGRAM OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY AND SCHOOL OF BUSINESS & SOCIETY, POWERED BY THE SCHOOL OF CONTINUING STUDIES.
Our Certificate in Spiritual Entrepreneurship blends the tools of spirituality with 21st century business skills. Apply the rigor of graduate business education to your vocational calling—whether your ministry is inside or outside a traditional religious institution.
We offer a unique and highly integrated business + theology curriculum, designed to create a thriving non-profit or for-profit organization in a variety of spiritual fields. This is a four-course, 12-credit program which helps students develop their theological and spiritual offerings, products, and services as well as develop an entrepreneurial mindset. Test the viability of a business idea, or if you already have a business idea in production, assess and improve your implementation plan toward success.
WHO IS THIS CERTIFICATE FOR?
This program is for would-be and current startup founders who seek to serve an aspect of spiritual need within or outside of religious institutions to advance their entrepreneurial ideas, test viability, and learn mindset and skillsets for success.
CERTIFICATE LEARNING OUTCOMES
1. Foundational Theology Course –“Practices and Pilgrimages: Event Design and Pedagogy for Spiritual Entrepreneurs”
This course offers an exploration of the role of events (retreats, webinars, courses, community gatherings, conferences, travel expeditions, live, online–a wide variety of formats for various purposes) in the entrepreneurial businesses of those serving the spiritual needs of persons and communities. Special attention will be paid to pedagogy and design concepts in the communication of a theme and message as well as skills and business acumen to carry that out successfully. Readings and case-studies accompany student project development. This course is required for the certificate and offers the chance for the building of a cohort experience, a grounding in the principles of spiritual entrepreneurship as explored in the program, and the honing of a spiritual entrepreneurial project to be explored in the rest of the certificate courses. This course is eligible for transfer to master’s level credit if a student moves on to a master’s level degree program within San Francisco Theological Seminary (SFTS).
2. Theology Elective Course Relevant to Your Vocation
Students will determine a field of theological/spiritual study within the SFTS/Graduate School of Theology offerings that can address Learning Outcome #2: “Apply knowledge from theological study and spiritual disciplines related to the business venture being explored.” In conversation with the Certificate Advisor (a member of the SFTS/GST faculty) and Sponsoring Faculty for the desired course, the Individualized Study Application/Contract will be filled out for approval. Beyond the approved requirements of the course, a Spiritual Entrepreneurship Certificate cohort presentation of the final project may be scheduled.
3 (and 4). Choose 2 of these School of Business & Society Entrepreneurship courses:
If you are interested in learning more, please feel free to reach out to Dr. Marcia McFee, Ford Fellow, Center for Innovation In Ministry, Visiting Professor in Worship.
CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS (CEs)
Students taking these courses may also be eligible for Continuing Education Units (CEs) through our partner Spiritual Competency Academy. SCA is an approved CE provider for the following accreditation agencies: