Certificate in Theology, etc.

Just doing some research and came up with this question:

Are there any certificate programs available that are:

1)Not very expensive. By this I mean, I wouldn't want to pay 270 a credit hour when I could be doing the degree for that much. Something that is very affordable for a layman or minister's wife could very easily afford. I know, I know, the whole education is not cheap thing but for the purpose of this certificate is personal enhancement.

2)Evangelically oriented. Come from an evangelical seminary, Bible college, or Bible Institute.


I know Covenant Seminary has certificate programs but I cannot figure out the exact cost on the certificate.

I know RTS has one also but it is 270 a credit hour-same as degree program.

Any others?

Also, would I be better recommending a masters degree?


Thanks,

Drew

 

Drew,
Prairie Bible Institute offers the following Graduate Certificates:

*Graduate Certificate in Christian Ministry
*Graduate Diploma in Theological Studies

They have associate status with ATS.
$145 per graduate credit (Canadian).

BLD

 

The Southern Baptist Convention has a semnary extension that is accredited by DETC. I got their free course on the Book of John, it was pretty good. Normally they charge about $24/hour plus books. They have several certificates and diplomas.

www.seminaryextension.org

 

Good info If I take a bunch of these classes and then go for a degree either there or at another RA college will these DETC accredited classes be transferable? Those prices are real affordable!

 

Drew-

Moody Bible Institute offers a certificate through independent study. http://mmm.moody.edu/default.asp?SectionID=BF255D5146434BA7B37F7F6301D5AE29

$139 per credit hour and they used to offer a significant discount (~$900) for paying the whole program up front.

 

Drew,
Have you considered an Aussie certificate. Look at http://www.coolamon.org They have several different areas and the certificates can be continued for REAL degrees. Good Luck.

 

thank you

thank you everybody for your help...i am checking into the seminary extension diplomas by Southern Baptist Convention....

For His Glory,

drew

 

Now, I'm not too sure, drewdarnell, exactly what you're after here: undergrad or post grad, but if you want undergad, certs, check out London Bible College (I think it's www.londonbiblecollege.com) and the University of Glouchestershire's Open Theological College (linked from London Bible College's site). Both are totally distance learning

London Bible College offers the Cert of Higher Education--one year's worth of study. This is 120 credits, approx 1200 study hours (10 hours per 1 credit). Additionally, the courses are divided into 10 and 20 credits; the latter being of the same materials as the former but requiring more essay work. 10 credit courses are approximately (in UK money) 75.00, and 20 credit courses approximately 125.00


The UofG's Open Theological College is a consortium of seven colleges (including London Bible College). You can do the first years' Cert of Higher Ed--mixing classes at this level from the several participating colleges, thus giving you more diversity. You can go on to do another's year's study for a Diploma of Theology (I think it is). Finally, you can do a third year the University for a fully accredited BA (Honors) in Theology. All of the first year's (Level 1 of 3) courses from London Bible College are available through the Open Theological College.

The fees at this first level with the UofG are the same as the individual colleges; as a matter of fact, you go though the colleges of your choice for the first year, even if you have signed on with the U instead of directly with the colleges. (At levels 2 & 3 at the UofG, courses are done directly through them.) The fees for Level 1, therefore, are the same as if you were working with the colleges directly.

London Bible College is the UK's largest non-demoninational college. The UofG established the Open Theological College to offer the equivelant BA for theology through distance learning which they have for liberal arts and other areas of study for some time now.

Hope this helps,

Keith

 

Jason Baker lists some certificate programs on his site:

http://www.bakersguide.com

Also check out http://www.sats.edu.za
I believe they have some reasonably priced ($90 per course) distance learning certificate programs.

North

 

Geez, thanks

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

I would like to thank everyone for helping out. I had originally thought that a certificate would suffice. What I am looking for (after much prayer and debate) is a program for my wife. She has looked at doing a Masters in History or Education or something. But our desire is for me to finish college and head to seminary. In the meantime, she wants to study the Bible more in-depth and systamatically. I was thinking a certificate would be the best way for her to go...since it would be guided study. Guided study is her best bet. We had even looked at her doing a M.Th. but really think guided study would be better.

With that, my two picks are:

1)The Seminary Extension through Southern Baptist Convention....we are Southern Baptist so that would work out really good and the classes are generally around 120 a course.

2)South Africa Theological Seminary-well, this seems to have a wider variety of classes to take and are actually cheaper and come on CD Rom so that sounds simpler. PLUS, she would be able to actually go for a B.Th. and get more indepth.

We are leaning towards SATS but what do you guys think?

For HIS Glory,

drew

 

Hi North Is SATS recognized by the RA schools here in the States? If so they sound like a real nice choice. I can get my degree there, not just a certificate. Thanks for the help and info

 

I do not know the answer to that. SATS is legit. Until recently, SATS was an accredited college of the University of Zululand and could either award its own degrees or you could study through SATS for a UNIZUL degree (common arrangement in Britian etc). Recently, SATS decided to move out on its own and had to drop its doctoral programs in order to be accredited & registered by the SAQA (South African Qualifications Authority). What all this means in terms of its recognition on its own I do not know.

The University it was partnered with (UNIZUL) is a recognized state University in South Africa (very legit). Cost wise UNIZUL is a bargain, you can earn a research doctorate through UNIZUL in theology for less than 2000 US dollars.

Several members here have had dealings with both SATS & UNIZUL and found both (as I did) to be extremely helpful, up front, and just down right customer service friendly (one of the best I have encountered). Someone here said that Rueben Van Rensburg of SATS should be nominated for Sainthood.

Maybe *Oxpecker* or some other South African could help out with defining the new recognition of SATS. The other thing is to contact a foreign credential evaluator and ask how they determine recognition of private universities in South Africa.

Mind you probably could do your BTh through SATS, your Mth through Unizul and your DTh through UNIZUL at a fraction of the cost of a US degree. UNIZUL certainly should be considered the equivalent of RA based on its status within the SA education system and the SA education system is well respected.

Not much help but good luck!

North

 

SAQA is the equivalent in SA of RA in the States. SATS did in fact get accreditation from SAQA, which I believe is the first time that a free-standing seminary has received it. Most SA theological seminaries are either affiliated to a university (like SATS used to be) or are integral parts of a university (like any number of Faculties of Theology, or the GKSA TS which is part of PUCHO, for example). I doubt (but do not know) if SATS will be part of SAUVCA, a major source for comparative statistics, since SAUVCA is an organization for universities.

My amateur opinion is that SATS with independent recognition by SAQA should be regarded as on par with an ATS-accredited school in North America. Will it be? Time will tell.

 

Good information Janko. SATS is then a very affordable option for those wishing to pursue a BTh and later a Mth. For the equivalent of accredited you probably cannot beat their affordablity and certainly their customer service.

North

 

I don't know anything about this area, but it's possibly of interest that SATS is not the only institution accredited by Unizul. There are others such as Baptist Theological College of Southern Africa that also have DL programs.

 

Gee whiz, Starkman, at first I thought it was a typo, but then a question, uh, possessed me: just exactly what is "non-demoninational", and how can you tell?

 

SATS accepting non-RA credits?!

As I was searching SATS site I found out they accept non-RA credits.... For a price. I pasted their info on this below:


"CREDITS FOR PRIOR LEARNING

Credits awarded for prior learning at accredited, registered institutions - FREE. Credits awarded for prior learning at non-accredited institutions or for life experience - R10 per credit hour.


RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

If you have already studied somewhere else and/or if you have appropriate ministry experience, we will award you equivalent credits, up to certain prescribed limits. Such credits will of course reduce the total cost and duration of your SATS educational programme.

As soon as we receive your Application form, we will evaluate your existing qualifications and experience and advise you of the credits we are provisionally prepared to grant. We will then also advise you as to what steps you need to take to formalise these credits.

CASE STUDY

Pastor Lucas Dumiso has been a pastor for the last 17 years and is 52 years old. He is very experienced in evangelism and church-planting.
He has a two-year Diploma in Christian Service, which he obtained in 1975 studying full time at a non-accredited Bible College. He does not have a matric certificate.

When he applied to enter our Diploma in Biblical Studies, we awarded him 126 credits for his previous studies and 24 credits for his extensive life experience. This meant that he only needed to complete a further 90 credits in order to obtain the Diploma."

This seems really awesome. I just wanted to share this because I'm sure there's others besides my self who have non-RA credits we'd like to turn around for good. Note that SATS is "South African Theological Seminary." In other words, this only works if you're going to get a Bachelors in Theology.

 

Sies, Kevin! "For a price." Do you know what R10 is in US$? $1.19

 

Uncle, Uncle, Uncle!!!

Gee whiz, Starkman, at first I thought it was a typo, but then a question, uh, possessed me: just exactly what is "non-demoninational", and how can you tell?

Well, first, the Prospectus says so (so there!). Second, There's a big sign right in front of the college that says the following:

"We aren't of any denomination; however, over time, 'non-demoninational' tends to turn into a demonination in and of itself--kind of like how alternative music has turned into non-alternative. Please be advised that this hasn't happened to London Bible College. We aren't of any demonination, and we stay in a change of flux in order to preserve this status: the minute London Bible College could possibly be associated with a particular denomination, or even become a denomination in and of itself, we change something, anything to thwart this from happening."

Isn't that, Uncle Janko, enough to accredit the "non-denominational' status as legit? How ever could you question the issue?

Starkman!

 

Hi uncle janko!
Thanks for the conversion. I wasn't sure what it amounted to. However, I knew it wasn't too bad. I just stressed "for a price" to designate that there was a cost involved Still, that's a good bit of information for me because I have four years of non-RA college that I would love to salvage(at least a good chunk of). This way, Lord willing, I may be fairly close to my BTh. I just hope others in the same boat as me find this out. This is extreemly rare. Mostly, the only colleges that accept non-RA credits are other non-RA colleges.