Southern Christian University

I will be starting a Master of Science in Ministerial Leadership online program at Southern Christian. As I progress through the program, I will post messages from time to time to let you folks know how things are going.

Is there anyone out there currently attending or thinking about attending Southern Christian?

 

Hi Eddie,

Did you complete the M.Div., you were working on at Liberty University?

 

Hi Charles,

Thanks for remembering me. I haven't posted to the discussion board in a long time.

I took 3 classes at Liberty. I got 2 B's and I withdrew from the third class. Liberty is a good school, but their distance learning classes have very little structure so I dropped out. It has nothing to do with Liberty, just the fact that I am not the most disciplined person in the world. I really believe that I can complete a distance ed program that has more structure.

At Liberty, as I am sure you well know, you get your videos and assignments with a completion date by which all tests and assignments must be turned in. Unfortunately, I am a procrastinator so this type of program does not work well for me. There are no weekly quizzes or other assignments due throughout the semester to help keep me on track. At least there weren't in the classes that I took.

The Southern Christian program provides more structure in that I will have weekly quizzes to keep me on track. I won't be able to put my course work aside for weeks at a time to then have an insurmountable amount of work to do in a short period of time.

Southern Christian also provides live internet classes as well as asynchronous instruction. Having to be online for class at a scheduled time will definitely help me be more disciplined. I believe that a combination of synchronous and asynchronous instruction will keep me focused. Also, the SCU MS in Min. Leadership program is entirely online. Even a M.Div. can be completed entirely online. Liberty's programs do have a modest residency requirement.

Southern Christian, however, is a lot more expensive than Liberty. Liberty Baptist Seminary cost me $150.00 per semester hour. SCU is a whopping $440.00 per sem hr (there is also a $400 fee that is required each semester)!

I am willing to do the 36 hour MS in Ministerial Leadership program, but at those prices I will not do the 90 hr M.Div. at SCU.

I will start classes in Jan 04. Lord willing, I will complete the program in two years. I'll keep you posted on how things are going.

What is your opinion of Liberty?

 

Eddie,

I am enjoying my studies at Liberty. One of the reasons I chose Liberty was because it was basically asynchronous. Students were given 16 weeks to complete two or three proctored exams and two or three GLAs (Graded Learning Activities). The format has worked pretty well for me. The MBA format will be changing next year. Beginning in January we will change to a eight week schedule and utilize the online Blackboard software. Weekly interaction with the professors and other students is now part of the program. Proctors will be eliminated, and all testing will be online.

Enrolled students do have the option of using the video format until January 2005. Initially, I was not very enthusiastic about the changes, and I am still deciding which format I will use to complete my program.

On another Liberty front, although I have no interest in attending law school, I enjoy reading the LU School of Law Dean's Blog.

http://www.liberty.edu/Academics/Law/index.cfm?PID=5054

 

Charles,

That's interesting. I wonder if Liberty will be making the same kinds of changes to their seminary programs? If they do I may reconsider attending Liberty in the future.

Thanks for the info and the link to the School of Law Blog.