UU Ministerial Credentialing

The Master of Divinity program at Meadville Lombard is designed to integrate seamlessly with the requirements to become a fully credentialed minister within the Unitarian Universalist Association. For those seeking credentialing or ordination in other traditions, our Senior Director of Contextual Ministry will work with you and with your credentialing body to make sure you know what you will need to do to meet ordination requirements and how those requirements will fit with your degree program.

For those interested in Unitarian Universalist ordination, the path to credentialing is as follows. Please note the timing of each point on this path can change depending on full-time or part-time enrollment status. The UUA’s resources on becoming a Unitarian Universalist minister provide further details.

1. Contact the UUA Ministerial Credentialing Office. You should do this as soon as possible after being accepted into Meadville Lombard’s MDiv program to gain Applicant Status.
2. Review the two additional required courses that students seeking Unitarian Universalist ordination must complete as part of their curriculum (as two of your seven electives): Unitarian Universalist History and Polity, and Tools for Parish and Nonprofit Administration. Make sure to take those courses as part of your MDiv program. Meadville staff will also help you remember to include those courses in your curriculum.
3. Apply for Aspirant Status. Attaining Aspirant Status requires some paperwork, an interview with a UU minister, and the sponsorship of a congregation. You will also have to sign a Criminal Offense Disclosure Form.
4. Join the UU Ministers Association and the Ministerial Formation Network (MFN). The Ministerial Formation Network is a program created for support and networking. All aspirants are eligible, and membership extends through candidacy.
5. Complete a unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE). Before the end of the summer between the first and second year (for full-time students), you will complete a basic unit of CPE. This is a 10-week full-time program in a hospital or other setting, offered at sites in locations across the map.
6. Complete a Career Assessment. Completing a career assessment is required before you begin the Vocational Studies Signature Course and Internship. This is a comprehensive personal, emotional, psychological, and vocational evaluation. The UUA offers grants to offset the costs related to the career assessment for aspirants with financial need.
7. Internship and Signature Courses. During your Vocational Studies and Leadership Studies Signature Courses (second and third year for full-time students), you will serve as an intern minister at a congregation or community site for a minimum of 1000 hours across two years (approximately 13-14 hours per week). This internship is integrated into our MDiv curriculum. Our Senior Director of Contextual Ministry will work with you to find the best congregation or community site and internship supervisor for your ministerial formation.
8. Meet the requirements for Candidate status. This requirement may be completed during the first year of internship (Vocational Studies year). See the UUA website for complete details.
   1. Send the completed career assessment to the Ministerial Credentialing Office.
   2. Submit self and supervisor final evaluations from CPE unit to Ministerial Credentialing Office.
9. Complete the MFC packet. This extensive “packet” includes CPE evaluations, internship evaluations, career assessment, competencies, resource list, and letters of recommendation, all of which are submitted to the Ministerial Fellowship Committee, the credentialing body of the UUA. Detailed information is found on the Preparatory Stages of Becoming a Minister page on the UUA website.
10. Make an appointment with the Ministerial Fellowship Committee for an interview. The interview with the MFC requires preparation: reading, writing, practicing, putting together a packet, and formational readiness. The MFC will determine whether or not you will be granted a Preliminary Fellowship. Because Meadville Lombard is affiliated with the UUA, the Ministerial Credentialing Director visits us on a regular basis and is available for consultation concerning the requirements for fellowship.

 

Below is a recommended timeline for UUA Credentialing milestones for full-time students.

And here is a sequence of UUA Credentialing milestones for part-time students.

Please contact Sr. Director of Contextual Ministry with any questions about the credentialing process.