School of Professional Studies

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Distinguished Professor Emeritus

Martha E. MacCullough, EdD, Teacher Education

Professor Emeritus

Dianne K. Alexander, EdD, Teacher Education
Jeffrey S. Black, PhD, Counseling

Professor

Lynelle J. Buchanan, PhD, Counseling
Bryan N. Maier, PsyD, Counseling
A. Scott Watson, DMA, Music
Debbie Lynn Wolf, PhD, Program Chair, Music Education

Associate Professor

Kenneth R. Borrmann, MMus, Department Chair, Music
John A. Covone, MBA, Department Chair, Business and Technology
Matthew A. Reese, PsyD, Program Chair, Counseling

Assistant Professor

Rebecca Cella, MEd, Teacher Education
Barbara J. Cooper, MEd, Teacher Education
Elizabeth A. Evangelous, MEd, Teacher Education
Gregory J. Fanus, MA, Teacher Education
Phillip K. Feather, MEd, Business and Technology
Charlotte Gleason, MLS, Department Chair, Teacher Education
Brandon Petcaugh, MS, Program Chair, Technology

Part-time Faculty

Stephen P. Dill, EdD, Program Chair, Doctor of Education
O. Kenneth McClellan, MBA, Business and Technology
Sheryl A. Vasso, EdD, Teacher Education

Adjunct Faculty

James J. Adams, EdD, Teacher Education
Andrew J. Allers, MBA, Business and Technology
Jillian Bair, MS, Teacher Education
Rebecca Benjamin, MEd, Teacher Education
Juliet J. Campbell-Farrell, PhD, Business and Technology
Charles Candy, MEd, Teacher Education
Juliana Duprey, MA, Teacher Education
Carolyn Eckert, MS, Teacher Education
​Heather Fornes, PhD, Counseling
John M. Furrow, PhD, Teacher Education
Nancy Halliday, PhD, Teacher Education
Lisa M. Houseworth, JD, Teacher Education
Timothy K. Hui, JD, Business and Technology
Ryan S. King, MS, Counseling
Robert B. Kramer, DMin, Business and Technology
Deborah L. Krause, EdD, Teacher Education
James Liebler, JD, Business and Technology
Jennifer Logan, MEd, Teacher Education
Shawn E. Mark, EdD, Teacher Education
David Marks, MS, Business and Technology
Megan McInnis, MEd, Business and Technology
John Mesher, JD, Business and Technology
James C. Meyer, EdD, Counseling
Matthew J. Miller, PsyD, Counseling
Michael Nelson, MA, Music
Sharon M. Noble, MA, Teacher Education
Stacie C. Norman, PhD, Counseling
Deion N. Payton, BA, Music
Hannah A. Porcella, MA, Counseling
Danny W. Qian, MEd, Teacher Education
Rebeccah A. Roman, MMus, Music
Emir Ruiz Esparza, EdD, Business and Technology
Ephraim Schafli, MMus, Music
Wayne C. Shaw, DSL, Business and Technology
Rebekah E. Stiles, DMA, Music
Graham Thorpe, MBA, Business and Technology
David Tideman, JD, Business and Technology
Thomas T. Turner, MA, Business and Technology
Laura Ward, MS, Teacher Education
Virginia M. Whitney, MMus, Music
David J. Wiedis, JD, Counseling

The School

The School of Professional Studies at Cairn University exists to prepare highly qualified, biblically minded men and women of character in a wide range of professional fields. Through rigorous academic programs grounded in a biblical worldview, the School equips graduates to lead and serve in educational, business, clinical, and public service contexts.

The School is committed to developing professionals who demonstrate competence in their disciplines, integrity in character, and a commitment to lifelong learning. Faculty seek to cultivate intellectual growth, professional excellence, and spiritual maturity, preparing students to contribute meaningfully in their vocations and communities.

The Programs

Business and Technology

The University offers the following graduate programs in Business and Technology:

• Business Administration (MBA)
• Data Analytics (MBA)
• Marketing (MBA)
• Accounting and Data Analytics (MS)
• Strategic Management and Leadership (MS)

While these programs are complementary, they are different in their focus, purpose, and curriculum. The Strategic Management and Leadership program combines the human side of the enterprise with the operations, while the focus of the MBA programs is on the functional (business) side of the enterprise. 

Business Administration, Data Analytics, and Marketing

The purpose of the MBA programs is to ensure graduates will understand the multicultural, political, legal, and regulatory business environments and comprehend critical functional business areas.

The MBA programs offers courses in:

• Effective Organizations
• Decision Analytics
• Finance
• Marketing
• Operations
• Global Business
• The Legal Environment of Business
• Strategy

The MBA degree can be customized by using the elective courses for concentrations in organizational development, organizational culture, nonprofit management, human resources, innovation, leadership, entrepreneurship (on campus time required), or strategic planning and management (on campus time required).

MBA Program Objectives

Business Competence
Students will demonstrate understanding of core business subjects such as operations, finance, strategy, marketing, and leadership.

Leadership and Teamwork
Students will gain the skills needed to succeed as leaders and managers of diverse teams, and apply biblical and ethical values.

Biblical Foundation
Students will apply biblical principles as the foundational core for their business decisions and actions.

Decisive Action
Students will demonstrate the ability to evaluate and apply appropriate and relevant decision-making tools and principles, and then follow through on their decisions with action.

Effective Communication
Students will demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively in business interactions of various types.

Accounting and Data Analytics

The Accounting and Data Analytics (MS) program is designed to equip graduates with a deep understanding of how data analytics is transforming the accounting profession. Tailored for current and aspiring accounting professionals, the program blends advanced accounting knowledge with state-of-the-art analytical tools and techniques. Students develop the skills needed to interpret complex data, generate strategic insights, and support high-stakes decisions in public accounting, corporate finance, and advisory services. Graduates will be well-prepared to lead in a dynamic, technology-driven global business environment.

The program offers courses in:

• Advanced Strategic Cost and Management Systems
• Advanced Financial Accounting and Reporting
• Advanced Data Analytics
• Predictive Analytics
• Database Design Concepts
• Machine Learning
• Foundation of Federal Income Tax

Accounting and Data Analytics Program Objectives

Advanced Accounting Proficiency
Students will demonstrate a thorough understanding of advanced accounting principles and practices, enabling the application of this knowledge to complex financial scenarios.

Data Analytics Application
Students will utilize data analytics tools and methodologies to interpret financial data, identify trends, and support strategic decision-making processes.

Biblical Foundation
Students will employ biblical principles as the foundational core for their accounting/analytics decisions and actions.

Regulatory Knowledge
Student will understand and apply relevant laws, regulations, and standards governing accounting practices and data management, ensuring compliance in various financial contexts.

Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving
Students will analyze complex financial issues critically and develop effective solutions using data-driven approaches.

Communication Skills
Students will articulate complex accounting and data analysis concepts clearly and concisely to diverse audiences, both in written reports and oral presentations.

Strategic Management and Leadership

Churches, schools, parachurch organizations, social service agencies, businesses, and hospitals meet people’s needs by providing a variety of services and products. While each organization has a specialized function, unique culture, and diverse resources, there are also a significant number of similarities, including complex human and political dynamics, diverse values and goals, and specialized technologies and skills. Christians in positions of leadership need to develop the skills required to work in collaboration with diverse groups of people, create a healthy and productive environment, and cultivate transformational change that leads to long-term viability and effectiveness.

This program is designed for professionals who desire a better understanding of organizational dynamics and who value collaboration with and insight from experienced peers. The educational approach of this program recognizes that all adult students possess insight and experience which, when shared with others, is a valuable contribution to the overall learning process. Students are provided with an environment that encourages reflection, innovation, dialogue, interdependency, and skill development.

The purpose of the Strategic Management and Leadership (MS) program is to contribute to the development of professionally effective and relationally healthy Christian leaders locally, regionally, and internationally.

The program offers courses in:

• Effective Organizations
• Leading in Complex Environments
• Organizational Culture and Change
• Systems Thinking
• Strategy
• Action Research
• Leadership Capstone

Strategic Management and Leadership Program Objectives

Human Dignity and Diversity
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the critical importance of human beings, human dignity, and human values, as bearers of God’s image, and the richness that human diversity brings to organizations.

Personal Character and Credibility
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the critical nature of strong personal character and credibility in exemplifying good leadership. Students will demonstrate an integration of a biblical worldview of organizational leadership into life and practice.

Effective Communication
Students will be able to demonstrate effective communication and presentation skills in an organizational setting, as well as the ability to apply facilitation and consultation skills in appropriate situations.

Organizational Assessment and Intervention
Students will be able to employ organizational strategy, systems thinking, and intervention skills, as well as critical assessment, critical thinking, diagnostic and research skills, and reflective practice skills to their decision-making and leadership development.

Decisive Action
Students will demonstrate the ability to evaluate and apply appropriate and relevant decision-making tools and principles, conduct research and analyze results, and follow through on their decisions with action.

Managerial Competence
Students will demonstrate understanding of core business subjects such as operations, strategy, and leadership.

Related Program Information

Delivery Methods

The graduate programs in the School of Business are designed to accommodate working professionals by providing various program delivery options. Classes are held on Cairn’s Langhorne campus and are conducted in hybrid online/onsite sessions and seven-week modules. Seven-week modules meet one night a week for three hours during the fall and spring semesters.

Incorporating state-of-the-art technology, all graduate courses are web-enabled and designed to incorporate Cairn’s online course management site, eLearning. This site is used for online learning collaborative activities, for posting learning materials, and for course work submissions. Students will research pertinent topics and/or discussion questions, post results to forums, and engage each other in meaningful dialogue. Additionally, students are placed in learning teams and use the eLearning site to collaborate on project activities, presentations, and participate in group discussions.

Student Profile

One of the enriching elements of the programs is the diversity within the student body. Such diversity provides the opportunity for exposure to unique experiences and perceptions, as well as valuable interaction which benefits all participants.

Career diversity: Students work in varied leadership roles in churches, businesses, nonprofit organizations, government, and education.

Ethnic diversity: In a typical class, ethnic diversity is Asian, 8%; Black or African-American, 42%; White, 26%; International, 9%;  Other, 7%; Two or more races, 8%.

Age diversity: The average age of students in the programs is 31. Students’ ages range from the mid-twenties to the late fifties.

Gender diversity: The average class is approximately 39% female and 61% male.

Church diversity: Students in the programs are evangelical in their doctrine and come from diverse church backgrounds, including Baptist, Assemblies of God, Bible Fellowship, Calvary Chapel, and Presbyterian.

Counseling

Helping People Find Answers

Human beings struggle in profound ways: broken marriage relationships, divorce, single-parent households; addiction, depression and suicide, anxiety disorders, and problems controlling eating, sexuality, and anger; ADHD and autism. How do broken lives change? Where do problems of living begin, and how does personal responsibility factor into human suffering? Where does brain functioning fit into understanding problems of living? Most importantly, how does a Christian understand and solve these struggles within the context of a relationship with Jesus Christ and the Christian community?

These questions and many more are the focus of the degree programs in counseling. Since its inception, the Counseling Department has trained men and women to be biblically-minded, professionally competent counselors who offer professional help in a variety of counseling settings. Graduates of the MS in Counseling programs serve in inpatient and outpatient counseling agencies, addiction recovery treatment centers, crisis counseling programs, and as residential care mental health providers and private practitioners. Graduates of the MA programs serve in the church, as pastoral counselors in paraministry organizations, and as lay counselors and disciple makers.

Departmental Distinctives

1. Personal Attention and Respect 
   The faculty and staff are committed to giving students the same personal attention and respect they will one day give their counselees. From assistance with the application process and advice on registering for courses to classroom interaction and one-on-one small group supervision, faculty and staff make it a priority to focus on each student as a unique individual. This is essential to helping each student realize his or her full potential.
2. Development of the Whole Person
   Although helping students achieve academic excellence is important, the faculty believe that effective counselors are those who mature spiritually, relationally, and psychologically as they grow professionally. Inside and outside the classrooms and laboratories, students are challenged and assisted in developing and maintaining health in their spiritual, family, and private lives as they grow in professional competence as counselors.
3. Nurturing Community 
   The faculty believe people mature and serve others more effectively when their training takes place in a safe, supportive, and nurturing community. As a result, students are immersed in small group training environments throughout their counselor training.
4. Balanced and Relevant Curriculum
   By constructing and refining the curriculum, the faculty are vigilant to assure that all coursework is current, relevant, and practical for counselors who will soon be working with the most troubled people. The curriculum emphasizes contemporary scholarship and professional standards integrated with biblical truth.
5. Approachable and Involved Faculty
   The faculty are committed to teaching counseling by example. This requires personal involvement with students both inside and outside the classroom. The counseling faculty is involved with students as people immersed in professional life and ministry.
6. Real-to-life Laboratory Experiences
   The counseling faculty teach counseling as an art that must be practiced in order to be mastered. From the first day to the last day in the program, students participate in laboratories and/or practical field experiences that serve as realistic training environments. Students learn through hands-on, trial-and-error rehearsals under the watchful eyes and artful supervision of the faculty.
7. Dependency on the Spirit of God
   The faculty believe that counseling people when they are most vulnerable and talking to them about the most intimate and difficult struggles in their lives is a serious and sacred calling. Counseling must always be approached with humility. Even with the most advanced training and experience, no one is truly adequate for this task without help from God’s Spirit. The faculty are committed to helping students learn how to depend on the wisdom and power of God’s Spirit in their attempts to help others.

Core Values

Understanding people and their problems and helping them change are challenging tasks. Students in the counseling programs are equipped for this task by an experienced and diverse faculty who base every aspect of counselor training on the following core values:

1. The centrality of Christ in psychological health
   Christ is the ultimate source of life and health. People cannot truly experience wholeness-psychologically or spiritually-without knowing Christ intimately and obeying Him unconditionally. As our Creator and Lord, He alone can give us the power and freedom to change, live, and love as healthy people.
2. The authority of the Bible for guiding people
   The Bible, God’s written Word, is the only reliable and sufficient source of knowledge for providing an authoritative and comprehensive framework for fully understanding the complex nature of human beings, their problems, and the ways they change. The Bible provides counselors with the conceptual and ethical foundation essential for choosing and implementing counseling interventions. Whether one counsels in a formal therapeutic setting or in an informal discipleship or ministry context, the same biblical guidelines remain relevant and applicable.
3. The importance of relationships in human growth and healing
   Created in the image of God, people need relationships to grow and stay healthy. The relational environments in which people exist play an important role in either contributing to their difficulties or promoting their health and growth. Helping people find or build honest and loving communities of relationships is an essential part of counseling people and promoting their well-being.
4. The indispensable role of suffering in people’s lives
   Although suffering is an inescapable part of human existence, difficult circumstances are not the source of people’s psychological problems. The key is how people choose to respond when suffering. The primary focus of Christian counseling is not to help people escape problems, but rather to help them understand and find healthy, godly ways of responding to adversity that enable them to discover and enjoy otherwise untapped spiritual truths and resources.
5. The significance of character development in effective counseling and discipleship
   For counseling to be effective, its ultimate goal should not be to just remove emotional pain, but also to help them acquire and display the character of Jesus Christ in the midst of whatever problems or pain they are experiencing. Modeling the character of Jesus Christ in what is said and done to those who are counseled is the first and foremost responsibility that Christian counselors have. Effective character-directed counseling requires the spiritual resources of faith, prayer, and worship.
6. The necessity of multicultural competence
   Christian counselors are first and foremost committed to viewing persons as image bearers who uniquely reflect the Creator God in a specific cultural context. Effective counselors value diversity and demonstrate cultural awareness, sensitivity, and competence in practice.

The University offers the following graduate programs in Counseling:

Counseling Ministry (MA)

The Master of Arts degree in Counseling Ministry is a non-licensable degree that has been designed for individuals who wish to engage in counseling ministry. Potential applicants include pastors, missionaries, church ministry staff, parachurch organization staff, lay counselors, and disciple-makers.

Mission of the Program

The Master of Arts degree in Counseling Ministry is designed to provide training for persons pursuing ministry in counseling. Cairn’s structure of core lecture courses paired with cohort lab experiences gives students the opportunity to develop counseling skills while building deep relationships in a biblical community and undergoing the personal transformation and growth as a whole person essential to effective professional practice as a counselor. 

Program Objectives

Christian counseling is first and foremost the application of a biblical-theological understanding of people and their problems.  Students receive two years of instruction designed to first deepen their own understanding and personal application of a biblical view of life, growth, suffering, and change and second in the enlargement of their ability to apply the same perspective to persons in their care.

Knowledge

1. Knowledge and application of Christian psychology to the practice of counseling individuals.
2. Knowledge and application of Christian psychology to couple and family counseling.
3. Knowledge of the application of Christian psychology to the development of small group counseling and ministry.
4. Knowledge of the practice of Christian counseling in a diverse, pluralistic, multi-cultural society.
5. Knowledge of the ethical and legal standards of practice that apply to Christian counseling.

Counselor competence involves effective use of a variety of evaluative and interpersonal skills. The second area of emphasis in the Master of Arts degree in Counseling program is the development of these essential skills: 

Skills

1. Interpersonal relationship counseling skills.
2. Self-evaluation skills.
3. Design and implementation of spiritual formation practices in the counseling process for individuals, marriages and families.
4. Group ministry development skills.

These skills are developed in a manner similar to skills development in the MSC.  Students develop their counseling skills under supervision of counseling faculty while participating in year-long small group cohorts where they receive practical skills and techniques training.

The ministry of counseling is built on a foundation of the scripture, applied in the lives of people.  The application of scripture accounts for much of the personal growth and demonstration of character in the professional life of a Christian counselor. For this reason, students receive instruction, feedback, and personal growth projects in the development of Christian character, particularly as it informs counseling practice. The focus on maturity in the MAC includes:

Maturity

1. Application of biblical wisdom in the development and the capacity for self-evaluation and change.
2. Multicultural awareness and sensitivity.
3. Flexibility and adaptability.
4. Relational maturity.
5. Boundaries and self-care.

Community Counseling (MA)

Cairn University’s 48-credit Master of Arts degree in Community Counseling provides biblically grounded, rigorous training for those pursuing advanced education in counseling without licensure. This two-year program emphasizes academic, spiritual, and personal growth through lectures, practical counseling labs, and collaborative fellowship, equipping students to support churches and communities effectively.

Mission of the Program

The MA degree in Community Counseling is designed to provide training for biblically minded Christians who wish to provide counseling services in a variety of contexts. The core courses and counseling laboratories provide a deep learning environment where counseling skills are taught along with character development and the interpersonal growth that is essential for effective counseling.

Program Objectives

The MA in Community Counseling aims to teach students biblical principles involved in understanding human behavior, their problems, and process of change. Over two years of full-time study, students develop counseling skills applicable across diverse contexts, grounded in biblical standards. Graduates will gain comprehensive knowledge of the counseling profession’s role in mental health care and a biblically informed approach to fostering meaningful change.

Knowledge

1. Knowledge of the history of psychology and counseling and its role in the development of current practice trends
2. Knowledge of the counseling profession
3. Knowledge of counseling theory
4. Knowledge of the standards of ethical and professional practice
5. Knowledge of the taxonomy of psychopathology, development of maladaptive behavior and current approaches to treatment
6. Knowledge of marriage and family process and the skills necessary for couples and family counseling
7. Knowledge of group processes, and procedures for effectively leading support and treatment groups
8. Knowledge of mental health and counseling challenges as they appear across diverse cultural contexts
9. Knowledge of career assessment and counseling

Skills

Students are expected to develop a degree of mastery in the use of foundational counseling skills as well as in the assessment of client problems. Students are equipped with a number of specific skills necessary to provide high-quality, ethically sound counseling and include:

1. Biblically centered case conceptualization of psychopathology
2. Navigating and resolving interpersonal conflict
3. Individual assessment skills
4. Self-assessment and reflective skills
5. Academic research and writing skills
6. Application of professional ethics standards
7. Assessing group dynamics
8. Group counseling procedures
9. Assessment of couples and family processes
10. Couples and family counseling methods

Maturity

Students are expected to demonstrate growth in the following areas evidence in routine faculty assessment:

1. Application of biblical wisdom in the development and the capacity for self-evaluation and change
2. Awareness and sensitivity to the presentation of psychopathology and counseling issues across diverse, pluralistic contexts and ability to use discretion in the evaluation of culturally normative behavior
3. Flexibility and adaptability
4. Relational maturity with fellow students, faculty and staff
5. Healthy boundaries and self-care
6. Exercising biblical wisdom in prioritizing competing life responsibilities

Counseling (MS in Counseling)

The Master of Science in Counseling degree at Cairn University is designed to provide academic and professional training to persons pursuing a career or ministry in counseling. The counseling curriculum is organized around the premise that Christian counselors must be knowledgeable and competent in all areas of professional practice and in their ability to operate from a biblical worldview in their understanding of people, their problems, and models of helping. Students who complete the program are academically prepared to complete the requirements for professional licensure in Pennsylvania and other states.

Cairn’s structure of core lecture courses paired with cohort lab experiences gives students the opportunity to develop counseling skills while building deep relationships in a biblical community and undergoing the personal transformation and growth as a whole person essential to effective professional practice as a counselor. Students in the MSC program receive various modalities of instruction including: face-to-face instruction, group discussion, online instruction and forums, student presentations, case studies and role plays.

Students in the MSC degree program take 60 credit hours over the course of 3 years in core areas that focus on basic counseling theory, a biblical-theological view of persons and their problems, fundamental skills in counseling and psychological assessment, as well as training in marriage and family counseling and group counseling. All students participate in intensive training groups (labs) that provide a guided learning environment designed to develop essential skills and the personal and professional character needed to counsel effectively. After two years and 48 credits of coursework, this intensive training culminates into active engagement in the field of counseling through participation in a practicum and internship under regular supervision by a licensed professional.

Mission of the Program

The curriculum and training of the MSC degree program is designed to flow logically and strategically from the mission statement of the University. The University mission statement is: Cairn University exists to educate students to serve Christ in the church, society, and the world as biblically minded, well-educated, and professionally competent men and women of character. The program objectives of the MSC embody these themes. The mission statement of the graduate counseling program is to equip women and men to be biblically minded, professionally competent persons of character as professional counselors. Cairn’s MSC degree program provides an emphasis in clinical mental health counseling as it pursues this mission.

Program Objectives

The mission statement of the graduate counseling program is to equip women and men to be biblically-minded, professionally competent persons of character as professional counselors. These three goals are summarized as the pursuit of knowledge, skills and mature character.  Each individual course in the counseling curriculum is designed to develop one or more of these qualities in Cairn’s counseling graduate students. 

Knowledge

Counselors must acquire a broad understanding of persons and the context in which they live. This goal is achieved by first considering knowledge about persons and their problems from a distinctively Christian worldview.  Second, while these categories are summarized in general terms of knowledge, skills, and maturity; the content of counseling courses mirrors the eight common core curriculum areas identified by CACREP as the essential foundation of counselor education.  

Cairn’s goal as counselor educators is to assist students in achieving the following knowledge goals:

1. Knowledge of Christian psychology.
2. Knowledge of the counseling profession.
3. Knowledge of counseling theory.
4. Knowledge of the standards of ethical and professional practice.
5. Knowledge of empirical research and theory in counseling and academic psychology including life span development and developmental psychopathology, personality theory, theories of learning, neuropsychology and psychopharmacology.
6. Knowledge of models of psychopathology and treatment models of psychological disorders.
7. Knowledge of marriage and family processes and the practice of couple and family counseling.
8. Knowledge of group processes and the practice and procedures of various forms of support and treatment groups.
9. Knowledge of counseling in a diverse, pluralistic, multi-cultural society.
10. Knowledge of practices and methodology in empirical research applied to the practice of counseling.
11. Knowledge of career assessment and counseling.

Knowledge of Christian Psychology. Christian psychology as a principal knowledge goal refers to a theoretical orientation for examining models of counseling. Beginning with the assumption that knowledge or the means of knowing things consists of competing and incommensurable worldviews or epistemologies, Christian psychology evaluates all knowledge, but particularly knowledge about persons and their problems from a biblical-theological perspective. Students in the program acquire an understanding of Christian worldview thinking, and an ability to think critically about the role of presuppositions in developing counseling models and conducting empirical research.

Cairn also views Christian psychology as a separate type of counseling model.  The goal of a Christian counseling model is to create a robust view of human functioning that is framed by a distinctively biblical starting point.  Beginning with the idea that knowledge is something that humans create, not simply find; the goal of a Christian counseling model is the creation of a coherent view of human functioning that is grounded in the belief that God has much to say about what people are like, why they behave in certain ways; how their inner and outer world can go awry and how change within and without takes place.

In other words, Cairn’s goal is not only to teach students how to critically sift through and apply many of the theoretical constructs, methods and findings of counseling and psychology, but to create theoretical models of human behavior grounded in a robust view of persons from biblical-theological vantage point.

Other knowledge goals correspond with the knowledge goals articulated in the CACREP standards. Some of these goals are met mainly in courses associated with specific topics.  Other goals are met in numerous courses throughout the curriculum, over the course of the three years it takes to complete the program.

Skills

Effective performance as a professional counselor requires acquiring a certain degree of mastery or competence of a wide array of methodologies counselors use in professional practice. The second major objective of the program is to equip counselors-in-training with these essential skills.  Cairn focuses on the development of the following skills:

1. Interpersonal relationship counseling skills
2. Self-assessment skills
3. Case conceptualization skills
4. Academic research and writing skills
5. Psychological assessment and appraisal skills
6. Professional practice skills
7. Group counseling skills

Skills are developed in a variety of ways in a variety of venues or contexts. The counseling program is committed to a hands-on, practiced based competency model of training. Much of this training occurs in year-long small group cohorts that we refer to as training labs.  Students participate in weekly three-hour training labs for the first two years of the program.  Students must demonstrate mastery of the skills associated with the corresponding lecture before they can proceed to the next lecture-lab training module. This small group instructional environment is designed to provide students with a safe context in which to develop their skills - first counseling their peers, then role players, and finally persons in the community who are committed to assisting students in skill development.  

Maturity

The presence of certain professional and personal dispositions or the role of professional character and personal maturity are essential for successful professional practice. In fact, Cairn views the development of these attributes as so necessary that students who do not demonstrate satisfactory progress in professional character are required to repeat their last lab until they demonstrate sufficient development in all areas of personal and professional maturity evaluated by the MSC faculty.  

Training and mentoring in professional disposition are incorporated into the counseling curriculum as a whole and is a primary focus of each lab training experience.

Professional and personal maturity are measured at the end of each lab, reviewed by MSC faculty in an ongoing fashion during the semester, and at a formal review at the end of each semester.  Students who fall short in the assessment rubric meet with the MSC faculty and collaborate in the development of a remediation plan that guides their continued participation in the counseling program.

Students are evaluated for:

Ethical Conduct and Decision Making
Professional Conduct
Multicultural Awareness and Sensitivity
Emotional Stability and Self-control
Commitment to Professional and Personal Growth
Flexibility and Adaptability
Emotional Intelligence
Boundaries and Self-care
Interpersonal Self-awareness
Relational Maturity
Capacity for Effective Collaborative
Spiritual Maturity

Graduate Counseling Professional Year

This program supports individuals who already hold a graduate degree in counseling, whether from Cairn or elsewhere, but need additonial coursework or credits to meet specific state licensure requirements.The length of the program is dependent on the number of credits needed to adhere to PA licensure education requirements. It allows Cairn alumni and some other counseling program graduates to compete the necessary elements without pursuing a full new degree. The graduate degree in counseling previously earned must have included 48 credits or more in order to enter this program.

Related Program Information

Profile of the Counseling Student Body

One of the most enriching elements of the Master of Science in Counseling degree program is the diversity of the student body. Such diversity provides opportunities to learn and grow from multiple perspectives.

Age and Career Diversity:
A number of students enter the program in mid-life, already having a wealth of life experiences. Most are employed full-time in professions ranging from mental health counseling and therapy, church or parachurch ministries to medicine, law, social work, corrections, and human resources.

Gender and Cultural Diversity:
The student body in the program is 74% female and 26% male. Fifty-nine percent of the students are white, 15% are Black or African-American, 3% are Hispanic, 5% are Asian, 12% are other, and 6% are of more than one ethnicity.

Church Diversity:
Students in the program come from a variety of church backgrounds. They are evangelical in their doctrine and committed to integrating their faith into their professions.

Music

The Department of Music exists to educate and prepare students to be musicians of excellence and integrity who glorify God by serving in the church, society, and the world.

Goals

Implicit in the mission of the Department of Music are specific goals relevant to music majors, other University students, faculty, the Christian church, constituency, and the community. The four primary goals are:

1. To educate and prepare music students to integrate musical and artistic excellence, professional skills, personal integrity, and biblical truth.
2. To awaken students to the performing arts as an expressive gift of God’s creation, and engage them in participation, understanding, and enjoyment.
3. To support the faculty’s ongoing artistic growth, scholarly research, and educational aspirations.
4. To serve the student body, the University as a whole, and the local and global community as a resource for worship, education, and musical enrichment.

Accreditation

Cairn University achieved accreditation by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) in 1979. The program had achieved associate membership in NASM in 1972. The curriculum requirements that follow are designed to meet the NASM standards required for the Master of Arts degree. (National Association of Schools of Music, 11250 Roger Bacon Drive, Suite 21, Reston, VA 20190; Telephone: 703-437-0700; Web Site: nasm.arts-accredit.org)

Worship and Music (MA)

Purpose

1. Enrich the worship and music experience in the local, evangelical church
2. Be a resource to local churches around the world through an online offering
3. Broaden perspectives in both music and worship styles that are experienced around the world in an evangelical context

Since the Department of Music’s beginning, the commitment to train church musicians and worship leaders has been present. A degree in church music was the first degree offered through the Department of Music. This degree program will further the University’s commitment and mission to train students to serve Christ in the church, society, and the world.

The purpose of this graduate program in the Department of Music at Cairn University is to further Cairn’s mission across the globe in students’ lives who are involved in worship ministry. The curriculum is designed to reflect the relationship between serious scholarship and professional outcomes. Emphasis is placed on the characteristics of an effective worship leader in the context of an evangelical congregation. The course of study includes a diversity of subjects. First, students will be enriched in their study of theology through a general theology course and a practical theology course related to the ministry of worship in the local church. Second, students will gain a more in-depth knowledge of worship in other cultures and acquire skills that are applicable in their specific cultural context. Third, students will explore the development of musical skills related to worship ministry. They will delve into the practice of conducting, developing worship music around a theological plan, applying technology to these plans, and strengthening their understanding of practical application. Fourth, the students will culminate their experience in projects that reflect the job market within the field of worship ministry. The job market within the worship ministry field requires a breadth of skill in many areas and a deep understanding of how theology impacts the practice of worship.

The purposes of this graduate program align with the content offered. First, in the core of general studies in the music portion, a rich and comprehensive foundation is laid for students attending this program from around the world from diverse backgrounds. Each student’s experience is valued as the content within this section of study is foundational and global in perspective. The content carries out the University and School of Music’s mission. This section of the curriculum defines common worship and music terms and a graduate-level understanding of those terms, and the skills of research and inquiry will also be advanced. Knowledge of the global history of Christian worship will be explored.

Second, in the other studies in the music section of the curriculum, students will apply many of the former category’s key concepts. With skill advancement being the focus, students will have the opportunity to work on the application of worship ministry in a local congregation context. These courses include a commitment to diversity in the application of learning. With African American music being sought worldwide in evangelical contexts, the music curriculum is designed to bring deeper awareness, appreciation, and understanding of this music born in the United States.

Third, in the outside fields and electives section, the content allows students to delve into interpersonal dynamics and leadership essential for a thriving career in music ministry. Deeper philosophical explorations are possible in these courses, and students can gain a nuanced perspective on their philosophies.

The program’s requirements hold the content together with its purpose, yet there is the opportunity for students to pursue interdisciplinary work around their daily schedule due to the coursework’s asynchronous nature. The music unit anticipates this program’s market to be working professionals within a variety of worship contexts. Therefore, the students will be able to apply their learning in their situations.

The requirements also allow for depth and breadth of competency within the field of worship ministry. As research, music skills, scholarly inquiry, and practical application are combined with a focused purpose, the program will enable students to excel in their place of worship leadership. The balance between leadership, philosophy, technology, and academics is achieved in this program because it is wed together with purpose, content, and structure.

Objectives

1. To demonstrate advanced knowledge through research and coursework related to the historical, practical, theological, and biblical understanding of worship in the Christian church.
2. To construct, plan, organize, and write on original research on topics related to worship ministry in the evangelical church.
3. To demonstrate an ability to manage and lead with character a complex music ministry within an evangelical context.
4. To present, arrange, compose, and record music using current music technology that is related to a modern music ministry context in the evangelical church.
5. To appraise what makes a quality, gospel-centered, culturally, and historically informed worship service in a Christian and evangelical context.
6. To formulate a comprehensive philosophy of worship, life, and ministry.

Related Program Information

Audition Requirements

Applicants should prepare a two pieces of contrasting types from the list below that they are comfortable with and displays their instrumental or vocal proficiency and their overall musicianship. It can be in any style and should be approximately three to five minutes in length.

• A tune from a well-known artist or band; this can be a worship song
• A standard or jazz tune (which may include blues and rhythm changes) with the applicant’s own improvisation
• A composition from the classical instrumental/voice repertoire; this could be a movement of a sonata, concerto, or etude
• A transcription of a well-known artist’s solo

Drum Set Auditions 

Play examples from the following list of grooves/techniques:

• 4/4 Swing
• 3/4 Swing
• Rock
• Funk
• Shuffle
• Bossa Nova
• Samba
• Trading fours and eights in 4/4 Swing, Shuffle, and Rock grooves
• Brush technique

Teacher Education

The Teacher Education graduate programs began in 1992 with the distinct purpose of providing a quality education for teachers and administrators in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the nation, and the world. The core curriculum integrates a biblical worldview into professional areas of study, promotes academic excellence, celebrates wise and innovative practices, and champions a global perspective and human diversity.

The University offers the following graduate programs in Teacher Education:

MS in Education

The MS in Education program is designed to prepare educators to create quality learning experiences for students in an environment that fosters the development of the whole person. Graduate students form a community of learners who challenge and encourage one another and draw from one another’s experiences and perspectives. Students take advantage of their current employment to apply what they learn in practical settings.

Competencies

The curriculum is designed to assist the student in meeting specific competencies. The goal is that the graduate is able to:

1. Design, implement, and modify instruction for students based upon human nature and learning, as well as their individual developmental levels, exceptionalities, and needs.
2. Select and implement models of teaching based on human nature and learning, desired learner outcomes, and curriculum objectives.
3. Apply theories of learning in designing and developing an overall approach to teaching, learning strategies, and modifications.
4. Apply a personal educational philosophy to the educational setting and integrated biblical worldview to curriculum design, instructional methodology, assessment, and educational decision-making.
5. Assess and design curriculum based on outcomes, ongoing learning assessment, differentiated learning, and authentic learning experiences.
6. Identify, critique, and use specific trends in education, including instructional technologies, to enable effective student learning.
7. Synthesize and evaluate educational research in order to improve teaching and learning.

MS in Educational Leadership and Administration

The MS in Educational Leadership and Administration program provides a biblical model of leadership that enables graduates to face the challenges of today’s educational settings with a strong knowledge base and professional skills. As a community of learners, students in the program draw from one another’s experiences and perspectives, creating an environment that makes learning applicable both in and out of the classroom. Students immediately put what they learn in classes into practice in their employment and involvement outside of Cairn.

Competencies

The curriculum is designed to assist the student in meeting specific competencies. The goal is that the graduate is able to:

1. Apply theories of educational leadership, including systems theory, data-driven decision making models, and cultivation of a school culture which promotes holistic learning through best practices and action research in a school environment.
2. Effectively communicate and personally interact with organizations in the social and political environment including school boards, community organizations, state boards, accrediting agencies, special interest groups, and other professional organizations.
3. Understand and apply historical and contemporary issues of school law to employment, discipline, privacy, safe schools, crisis planning, drug-free schools, sexual/physical/emotional abuse and harassment, and due process.
4. Retain and apply fiscal operations, including facilities management, strategic planning, long-range planning, the budget process, technology implementation, and resource allocation.
5. Apply a personal, educational philosophy and integrated biblical worldview in curriculum design, instructional methodology, assessment, and educational decision making based on the individual needs of students and supported by professional development.
6. Assess and design curriculum based on outcomes, ongoing learning assessment, differentiated learning, authentic learning experiences, and PA Academic Standards.
7. Design, conduct, and evaluate best practices and procedures in educational research to improve instruction and learning.

MS in Special Education (Instruction)

The Instruction program leading to an MS in Special Education degree equips professionals with expert knowledge and best practices to competently engage students with special needs in enriched and meaningful skill development and growth in all areas of life. Professionals with special education certification are in high demand in both inclusive and more restrictive classrooms.

Competencies

The curriculum is designed to develop the following competencies in students. The goal is that the graduate is able to:

1. Describe and identify the special education system in the United States.
2. Summarize, identify, and implement processes and services for individuals with disabilities.
3. Design, implement, and modify instruction for individuals with disabilities that is based on their cognition, development, academic and functional performance, and Individual Education Program and aligned with state academic standards.
4. Design and implement data collection systems and tools to assess, monitor progress, adjust and plan instruction, and refer and place individuals with disabilities in special education based on their unique abilities and needs.
5. Identify, design, and implement evidence-based instructional models and specially designed instruction in math, literacy, content areas, social, behavioral, communication, language, and secondary transition domains in inclusive and more restrictive environments.
6. Identify and apply biblical, professional, and ethical practice and law.
7. Synthesize, evaluate, and conduct educational research and apply technology integration to enhance instruction and learning.
8. Apply a personal special education philosophy based on an integrated biblical worldview.

Graduate Certificate in Autism

The Graduate Certificate in Autism prepares students to work with those diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum. Individuals who hold or concurrently complete a Level I or Level II certificate, including but not limited to regular and special education, school psychologist, principal, guidance counselor, speech and language clinician, occupational and physical therapist, reading specialist, and home and school visitor may also apply for the PA Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) endorsement.

Graduate Certificate in Instructional Technology

The Graduate Certificate in Instructional Technology enhances an educator’s knowledge and skills in using current technology to improve teaching and learning in K-12 education. Students who complete the program will be prepared to design and implement innovative instructional strategies to engage students through technology.

Related Program Information

Certification

Principal Certification

Qualified students in the Master of Science in Educational Leadership and Administration degree program may also work toward PA PK-12 principal certification and ACSI K-12 principal certification. An internship in Pennsylvania is required.

Additional Certifications

Educators holding current PA Instructional I certification may work toward PA add-on certification in ESL (through coursework in the Graduate Certificate in TESOL). Educators holding current ACSI teaching certification may work toward ACSI certification in ESL (through coursework in the Graduate Certificate in TESOL). Candidates completing the MS in Special Education program may work toward PA Instructional I certification and/or ACSI certification in Special Education. In addition, those completing the necessary coursework may apply for an Autism Spectrum Disorders Endorsement.

Comprehensive Exam

Students in the MS in Special Education (Instruction) program are required to sit for and pass the SPE 794 Special Education Comprehensive Exam. This capstone course serves to enhance academic rigor and critical thinking as well as demonstrate student mastery of the knowledge and skills achieved through the program. Students are expected to dedicate a significant amount of quality time and effort to prepare for and pass their comprehensive exam.

Independent Research

The Action Research Project (ARP) (for MS in Educational Leadership and Administration candidates) and Instructional Design Project (IDP) (for MS in Education candidates) are culminating projects in which research is conducted and completed by students under the guidance of a faculty advisor. These are highly practical action research projects and provide the capstone of the professional experience at Cairn.

Internships

In the MS in Educational Leadership and Administration degree program, students interested in pursuing principal certification must complete internship requirements. These requirements are met through the completion of a 3-credit administrative internship (EDL 784), under the supervision of a certified administrative mentor in Pennsylvania. In addition, students will take EDL 785 Educational Leadership Internship II, which replaces EDL 791 Action Research Project.

Online Learning

Students may pursue a graduate degree with Cairn University without commuting to the main campus in Langhorne.  The MS in Education, MS in Educational Leadership and Administration, MS in Special Education, Graduate Certificate in Autism, Graduate Certificate in TESOL, Special Education certification, and ASD Endorsement programs are offered in fully online formats.

EdD in Educational Leadership

The Doctorate in Educational Leadership equips Christian educators serving in institutions and organizations in the USA and around the world to become influential educational leaders who passionately live out the principles of Micah 6:8 (justice, kindness, and humility). Graduates will be well-versed in leadership theories and effective strategies that will help them navigate various contexts in education, collaborate with educational communities, model ethical leadership with integrity, and critically engage with research. They will apply their knowledge and research in the field of educational leadership to make a difference for Christ in the world.

Competencies

The curriculum is designed to assist the student in meeting specific competencies. The goal is that the graduate is able to:

1. Articulate and apply leadership theories and models across a wide range of diverse educational settings at local, state, national, and international levels.
2. Collaborate with the educational community by employing effective team building and conflict resolution strategies.
3. Model Christ-like leadership through personal integrity, fairness, accountability, cultural responsiveness, and ethical/legal decision-making.
4. Navigate challenging cultural and situational contexts as an educational leader firmly rooted in biblical truths and a biblical worldview.
5. Utilize research-based strategies to lead systematic change initiatives in educational settings.
6. Critically read, analyze, and synthesize educational research.
7. Design and conduct high-quality research that contributes new knowledge to the field of leadershp, culminating in the writing of a doctoral dissertation.

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