Advice Needed - Undergrad Level - Theological

Could somone please offer some advice?

I am interested in pursuing a Bachelors degree in theology/biblical studies or possibly pastoral ministry through distance ed. My primary reason for choosing distance ed is family/work commitments.

I am 40 years old and have never attended college at any level. I realize there is a tremendous amount of self discipline and commitment involved in distance ed and am quite prepared in respect to those issues. My primary concern at this point is financial. The RA/ TRACS programs I have looked at are out of my league at this point.

Are far as degree utility is concerned, it is not something I would be using for career advancement. I do however, wish to enter ministry and would want a program that offers quality education.


Two affordable options I have looked at are Bethany Divinty College and Seminary a.k.a. Bethany Bible College and Seminary in Dothan, AL and South Africa Theological Seminary (SATS)

Does anyone have any insight into these institutions or any other recommendations?

Tom

 

Hey Tom,
If you do a search at this web site for the two institutions you mentioned, you will find that they have both been the object of discussion on many occasions.

Now, I know a few people who went through Bethany. Most of them had a favorable view of it, but honestly, I don't think it is the best option. That is my opinion. As to the South African option, I would look at that more seriously. I personally am not presently looking at SA for religious education (I am getting that from Abilene Christian Univ, via internet), but I am pursuing an MA in English at UNIZUL (University of Zululand). The price is unbeatable, and they are serious about education.
There are quite a few people here who have worked through SATS (or are presently doing so) for their degrees. They will be able to give better advice concerning them than I am able to do.

Anyway, I would go check out past threads for a start and see if you get your questions answered there.
Good luck

clint

 

Good Morning, Your home state has a Regents Degree. I am wondering if you could complete this with a emphasis on religion. I would also check the Seminary Extension for courses. They have some level of acceptance and may feed into the potential degree for you. Good Luck with your studies. Hille

 

Check out: www.bakersguide.com

 

Bethany has been evasive at best on accreditation. There is, as another poster mentioned, a long-standing debate about the intentions of the Bethany administration. Dr Shuemake, its president, has complained about ill-treatment by accrediting agencies, but I am far from sure that he has the better of the argument.

SATS is in process of applying for independent accreditation from SAQA (SA government agency); at present SATS is an auxiliary school for University of Zululand UNIZUL. Dr Reuben van Rensburg has been a helpful contact at SATS. He is the VP of the school. Although the rand has strengthened in recent weeks against the dollar, the exchange rate is such that any SA school is a bargain for US DL students.

Another possibility is the University of South Africa UNISA. Many have expressed reservations about its bureaucratism, but it is the mother of us all in DL, completely legitimate, and worth carefully looking through its catalogues and forms.

You might consider American Christian College and Seminary in OKC (TRACS accreditation). I do not know how much undergraduate DL is availiable, but it's worth checking out.

 

Re: Re: Advice Needed - Undergrad Level - Theological

How would you rate Bethany in comparison to TTS, Bill? Seriously.

 

Re: Re: Re: Advice Needed - Undergrad Level - Theological

.........................

Neither are accredited, but Bethany doesn't lie about that lack; or do they? I've not taken anything at Bethany. The TTS classes do require a respectable amount of work. TTS appears to have a stronger faculty. But Bethany is cheaper. Bethany is KJV only, is it not? I don't see how exegesis can be done without lower criticism. But that process is not a function of undergrad work anyway. Were Bethany KJV only then it may carry a stima that TTS does not. Tough question..one choice I'm glad I need not make. Were it not for TTS's deception I'd opt for it as the better school for most. But I cannot easily separate ministry from morality nor teaching honest principles from advertising falsehoods.

 

Thanks to all for the input. Helpful insights one and all. Russell mentioned TTS. Is that Trinity, Newburgh? If so, even I was capable of recognizing that one. Especially since I am STILL getting lower tuition offers from them on an almost daily basis. I will wait until they offer to PAY ME.

How is Liberty U's DL program? Any experiences with that? I talked to them and they suggested a pell grant may be an option.

Tom.

 

Liberty University

"How is Liberty U's DL program? Any experiences with that? I talked to them and they suggested a pell grant may be an option."

Tom,

My opinion is very subjective, as I am a student at Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary. Having said that, I am pleased as can be with their program.

If you have the opportunity to attend a modular class on campus, do so. The experience is very positive and the chance to informally network with your peers and professors should not be passed up. I know finances are an issue, but you can stay in the dorms for $10 a night for summer modulars.

The tuition is now $150 per unit (both seminary and undergrad), but you can indeed get financial aid if you are willing to wade through the federal government's paperwork to do so. I have found the staff extremely helpful in that regard.

Happy hunting,

Dave

 

Have you looked at TESC? They appear to offer a BA in religion.
http://www.tesc.edu/prospective/undergraduate/degree/ba/ba_religion.pdf
You might be able to obtain credit by portfolio plus take other exams.
Good luck (I started my BA in my late 40s and am now finishing up my second masters).

 

Another consideration

Tom,

Just one more point in favor of Liberty University's Associate's and Bachelor's degrees in Religion. Liberty is regionally accredited. While I don't think that regional accreditation is the be-all and end-all, it will definitely make it easier to get into graduate school later if you decide to pursue that goal. After all, you never know where God will lead you in the future (or what financial resources he may make available then).

Dave

 

I second DG1; definitely go with an RA school for undergraduate. Unaccredited or TRACS-accredited graduate degrees are okay at the graduate level if you're sure they'll work for your purposes; RA-level foreign degrees (such as UNIZUL) are of course okay at all levels (though they do complicate matters if you're looking at doing a U.S. master's down the road, since you'd have to go through a credential evaluator); but at the undergraduate level, if you're U.S.-based, you will probably find that a U.S. RA school will meet your future needs best. Unaccredited undergraduate degrees are often worthless for purposes of graduate admission or seminary ordination. Edison and Excelsior (Regents College) are probably your two fastest and cheapest RA options (it's technically possible to go a degree through either for less than $2,500, though $5,000 is probably a better estimate of what you'll actually end up paying); Liberty also has distinct advantages if your theology is in that ballpark, or you may want to do your B.A. at a cheaper school and go back to Liberty for the M.Div.

Good luck!


Cheers,