Introduction Nondiscrimination Policy General Admission Procedures Acceptance of Admission Categories of Admission International Students Credit By Examination Application for Re-Admission Transfer Credit and Exemption Course Exemption Clinical Pastoral Education Transfer Credits Advanced Standing Master's Degree
Faith Evangelical College & Seminary admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate with regards to any of the above mentioned categories in the administration of its educational and admissions policies, scholarships, financial assistance, and academic programs.
Undergraduate program applicants must possess a high school diploma or equivalent. Equivalency is defined as a state approved Equivalency Diploma or Entrance Examination, a G.E.D., or an approved home-school certificate. The aforementioned is not required if the applicant has completed an Associate's Degree or holds a minimum of 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours or from an institution recognized by the institution.
Home-school students must provide academic records that include a signature of the home-school parent or administrator. Transfer students must have previous college transcripts sent directly to the Office of Admissions for evaluation.
Since the undergraduate program may be taken online, applicants who wish to use this format must be computer literate and have access to a computer and an email account. Admission decisions are based upon the applicant's complete application file.
Prospective freshmen, age 21 or younger, may be required to submit official copies of test results from either the Scholastic Aptitude Test I (SAT I) or the American College Testing (ACT) Examination. Applicants who fail to meet the minimum required scores (1040 SAT, 22 ACT), or who have not taken the examinations will be evaluated on other indicators of ability to perform satisfactorily at the undergraduate level and may be admitted on a probationary basis.
Graduate program applicants normally must have a baccalaureate degree or equivalent from an institution accredited by a recognized regional or national accrediting body. Graduate applicants should have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.7 on a 4.0 scale and are expected to possess a basic understanding of the Bible and the essentials of the Christian faith so as to be able to engage in meaningful graduate study. Admission decisions are based upon the applicant's complete application file. For post-graduate admission please refer to the Doctor of Ministry section of the catalog.
Note: Admission depends on factors beyond the applicant's previous academic history. Acceptance to study for ministries of the church involves qualities of the whole person. Therefore, the institution seeks students who are committed to Christ and who desire to live lives consistent with the teachings of Scripture. It is expected that such students will be emotionally suited for Christian service, intellectually capable of rigorous academic discipline, sensitive to the needs of the total community, able to demonstrate personal integrity, and willing to grow spiritually.
The institution reserves the right to draw conclusions regarding the Christian profession of all applicants. The institution also reserves the right to deny admission to any individual with a theological position or personal life-style not in accordance with biblical and ethical standards established and determined by the Word of God. The final authority for the definition of biblical and ethical matters lies with the Governing Board of the institution.
Applications are accepted no earlier than one year in advance of the expected date of matriculation and must be completed at least one month prior to the beginning of the quarter for which admission is sought. The application and recommendation forms can be found online at www.faithseminary.edu. Applications for each program vary, but all include the following items:
Applications will be considered when the following items have been received:
Fall - July 30
Winter - October 30
Spring - January 30
Summer - April 30
When the complete application file is received, the application is reviewed by the Admissions Committee and a decision is communicated to the applicant normally within three weeks. Once applicants have been admitted they need to confirm enrollment through the Office of the Registrar to be officially matriculated.
The following categories of admission exist:
Regular Admission:
This category is applied to students who meet normal admission requirements.
Provisional Admission:
This category is applied to applicants who have an incomplete admission file. Applicants are allowed full benefits
of the institution (except financial aid) for one quarter. This status allows an applicant the opportunity to complete
the admission file within the quarter. Provisional admission is not a guarantee of full admission to a degree program.
Probational Admission:
This category is applied to students who wish to enter a graduate or post-graduate program and have a prerequisite
degree or equivalent from an accredited institution with a GPA below normal admission standards, have a prerequisite
degree from an unaccredited institution, or lack normal prerequisite program hours but meet certain age requirements.
This status may be removed after the successful completion of 24 quarter hours of study.
Special Admission:
This category is applied to students who meet all requirements for admission into a standard educational prerequisites.
Students whose experience, training, gifts and calling have been verified by the Church may be considered for admission
to a Master of Arts Interdisciplinary program. Students in this categiory are subject to additional admission requirements
as determined by the Admissions Committee. Federal financial aid is not available for this category of admission.
Unclassified Admission:
This category is applied to students who wish to take courses at the institution but are not intending to enter a degree
program. Students in this category are required to complete a general application form, submit an application fee, and
are limited to enrolling for no more than two courses per quarter (maximum four quarters). Federal financial aid is not
available for this category of admission.
Note: The Admissions Committee, the Doctor of Ministry Committee, and the Academic Affairs Committee of the institution reserve the right to use professional judgment when conducting admission reviews and may request additional documentation to evaluate an applicant's record. In addition, if certain documents are not available or do not meet admission standards the aforementioned committees reserve the right to offer admission to students based on professional judgment.
An international student refers to an applicant who is not a citizen of the United States. International students must meet all of the stated admissions requirements and follow the same application procedures specified in this catalog. In addition, international students must submit the following:
The Test of English as a Foreign Language normally is required of all applicants for whom English is not his or her first language. For the Bachelor of Arts and all master's programs a minimum score of 550 (paper-based), 213 (computer-based), or 79 (Internet-based) is required for acceptance. For the Doctor of Ministry program the following minimum scores are required: 600 (paper-based), 250 (computer-based), or 100 (Internet-based).
The applicant must show evidence of adequate financial resources to live and study in the USA. This includes an official summary statement of available financial support from the student, the student's family or other financial guarantors in the USA or the home country of the applicant. An official bank statement verifying financial resources for a year of study must be submitted.
Faith Evangelical College & Seminary is authorized under Federal law to issue I-20 forms through the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) and to enroll nonimmigrant international students.
In order for the applicant to receive the Certificate of Eligibility (Form I-20) necessary to obtain the visa for non-immigrant students, the following conditions must be satisfied:
The institution provides undergraduate students an opportunity to earn credit by examination in the area of introductory biblical studies. An Undergraduate Bible Examination (UBE), is offered in two areas: Old Testament and New Testament. Each examination passed is worth a minimum of 5 quarter hours and a maximum of 15 quarter hours of academic credit (depending on the score received). The student must follow all rules associated with the examination. Please contact the Office of the Registrar regarding eligibility requirements and further information.
If a student was accepted to the institution and either did not register for courses or withdrew temporarily, officially or unofficially, and more than one year has lapsed since the date of the original acceptance letter, he or she must submit a new Application for Admission along with the current application fee. The student also may be required to submit new application materials. Students who are readmitted are subject to the requirements that are current at the time of re-enrollment.
A student desiring transfer credit from another educational institution and admittance to a degree program at the institution must submit official transcripts of all previous college and/or graduate records. The maximum amount of transfer credit for each program is listed below:
Program Maximum Transfer Credit
BA - 135 quarter hours
MA - 36 quarter hours
MDiv - 88 quarter hours
DMin - 8 quarter hours
Transfer credit may be granted for courses taken at accredited institutions (Council for Higher Education Accreditation approved agencies) when such work parallels courses listed in the institutional academic catalog. Only the courses and credits taken with a grade of C or better are transferable to the institution.
Normally, no transfer credit is granted toward a graduate program for studies completed at an undergraduate level (although exceptions may be made in the area of biblical language requirements). Transfer credit normally cannot be granted for course work if it has been applied previously to another degree or if it is too dated. Transfer credit normally is not granted from institutions that do not possess CHEA recognition. The Admissions Committee reserves the right to evaluate all nonaccredited institutions regarding their academic standards and educational viability to determine if limited transfer credit is allowable.
Grades and grade point averages earned at another institution do not transfer. The credits apply toward graduation, but the previous grade points are not used in calculating the academic average required for graduation. Also, transfer applicants should have left the sending institution in good academic and moral standing.
An applicant desiring a transfer credit evaluation should request such in writing to the Director of Admissions, accompanied by all pertinent transcripts, a list of courses proposed for transfer, and a copy of the academic catalog where the courses were taken. Semester hours from other schools normally will be converted to the institutional quarter hour system. Transfer of credit does not occur automatically, it is handled only when requested. Final decisions on all matters regarding transfer credit rests with the Admissions Committee.
Exemption from certain required courses may be requested on the basis of previous work completed at another school. However, exemption does not equate to transfer credit. Alternative elective courses must be taken to make up the total number of credit hours required for a degree.
Any person desiring exemption should submit such request in written form to the Registrar, accompanied by a transcript, a list of courses proposed for exemption, and a copy of the academic catalog where the courses were taken. Final decisions regarding exemption rest with the Academic Affairs Committee.
Note: Students should be aware that academic institutions are often autonomous in determining policies for transfer of credit. Before beginning their program, students should investigate the policies of other institutions regarding the possibility of credit transfer.
The institution does not offer a Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) program or specific CPE training. However, the institution accepts credits from recognized Clinical Pastoral Education Centers. CPE units are earned through internship-type chaplaincy training positions with hospitals or other institutions offering accredited CPE education.
CPE credits from approved training centers may be transferred into degree programs. The institution is able to apply a maximum total of 12 quarter hours of CPE education (1 unit) in transfer to the 136-hour Master of Divinity program and the Master of Arts in Christian Ministry program (Christian Counseling concentration). One unit of CPE credit is the equivalent of 12 quarter hours.
Advanced standing allows a student to develop a specific area of expertise beyond a previously earned graduate degree. If a student has a previous graduate degree consisting of a minimum of 60 quarter hours in a field related to Christian studies (such as Bible, theology, education, philosophy, history), and if the previous degree and transcript is accepted by the institution, a student may be admitted with advanced standing and enroll in a master's program at a reduced number of hours. The reduction of hours may vary depending upon the nature of the previous graduate degree. In addition to previous education, life experience in Christian ministry also may be included as a determining factor toward advanced standing.
The maximum reduction of hours for the Master of Arts in Christian Ministry degree or the Master of Arts in Theological Studies degree is 12 quarter hours. The maximum reduction of hours for the Master of Divinity degree is 28 quarter hours. Advanced standing is available for master's degrees only.