Program Overview
For over 100 years, Unity Worldwide Spiritual Institute (UWSI) has been offering educational opportunities for those seeking spiritual growth as well as those building a career in ministry. From your first spiritual enrichment class through your entire career in ministry, UWSI has something for you.
See our UWSI Brochure for more information.
Spiritual Education and Enrichment (SEE)
SEE courses are for adult learners of all kinds who are seeking individual spiritual growth or a deeper understanding of Unity teachings. Live, interactive online courses allow you to build relationships with students from around the world.
Licensed Unity Teacher Program
This program is designed to deepen your understanding of Unity principles and enhance your leadership skills. The required Spiritual Education and Enrichment (SEE) courses provide you with the knowlege and skills necessary to be a valuable asset to your church community. The use of the title of Licensed Unity Teacher is granted only to those who are affiliated with a ministry recognized by Unity Worldwide Ministries (UWM). See UWM's Licensed Unity Teacher Studies webpage for details on this program.
Ministry and Religious Studies Graduate Program (M&RS)
The first step in the M&RS program is the Spiritual Development component of SEE. The next step in your ministerial educational journey is the M&RS program.
The M&RS program is designed to build your skills in all aspects of ministry. The online program includes internships where you are mentored by professionals in ministry. This rich learning environment gives you an opportunity to develop relationships that will support you throughout your career. Periodic intensives allow you to hone specific talents in speaking, counseling, prayer and meditation, family systems and youth and adult education. Courses are designed with current content and instructed by ministers with particular expertise in the presented subjects.
Dig in and complete your M&RS education in three years, or opt for a more “leisurely” pace and finish in as many as seven years. Find more information on UWSI M&RS Program webpage.
Continuing Education
After completion of the M&RS program, UWSI offers continuing education to that will feed you and your ministry. Sometimes credentialed leaders feel isolated or desire to continue their learning—possibly even obtaining a master’s in divinity. With the evolving curriculum at UWSI, you will gain the advantage of current research and interaction with your peers assisting you in confidently leading your ministry. See how you can take your leadership skills to a new level on UWSI's Continuing Education webpage.
Spiritual Direction Certificate Program (SDCP)
Spiritual Direction is a vocation dedicated exclusively to companioning others in their ongoing expansion of a spiritual experience of life. Spiritual directors support others as they fulfill their longing for deep spiritual meaning in their lives. Unity’s Spiritual Direction Certification program is open to anyone with a desire to journey with others on their spiritual path. It is not limited to those with other credentials or degrees. Certified spiritual directors can serve in a variety of settings and weave contemplative tenets into a ministry or church, study group, classroom, workplace environment, individual/group therapy, healthcare centers, or other settings. The program is consecutive and consists of two online classes per quarter for two years. In addition to classes, there are one-on-one online meetups with designated mentors and supervised spiritual direction practice with cohorts. New cohort groups begin every fall. Find more information here.
Integral Ministry Certificate Program (IMCP)
This year-long online program is open to New Thought ministers, board/council members, LUTs, practitioners, and lay ministry leaders. The purpose of this program is to equip ministry leaders and individuals with an understanding of ministry as a living system and the capacity to facilitate an integral approach to cultural evolution. This program offers a new paradigm of ministry practice that is centered upon the fulfillment of purpose in people’s lives. It is a departure from our current ministry practice and its tithing-based funding model to a spiritual cooperative that focuses on the value of ownership, partnership, self-responsibility, and personal integrity. These values form the context for the Integral Ministry Practice.