Administrative Information

Degrees and Program Outline

Christ Theological Seminary, which is solely dedicated to providing theological education, offers and has the power to grant three degrees: the Masters of Divinity (M.Div.), the Masters of Arts in Christian Studies (M.A.C.S.), and the Masters of Arts in Philosophy and Apologetics (M.A.P.A.) Both programs are designed to be completed in four years for full-time students. By full-time we mean two (2) fifteen (15) week semesters in which the ministerial student works between 8-10 hours daily. A student can complete the program sooner if he elects to utilize the summer months for study.

Part-time students will have up to one year to complete each class. Student application for admission on a part-time basis must be clearly delineated on their application and approved by CTS. All students must have a declared status: full or part-time, active or inactive.

This is primarily a distance learning program. All of the classes may be completed via assigned reading, tapes, and tutorial oversight. In instances where a ministerial student lives in proximity to the instructor assigned to the class he is taking, more personal interaction is suggested and encouraged. Modular and in-house classes will be offered biannually, and we encourage our students to take advantage of these as their circumstances permit.

Classes are designed to be taken in the recommended sequence, though exceptions can be granted at the discretion of the program administrator(s). Students transferring in from another institution will begin their studies in the appropriate section, after due consideration has been given to their prior credits and level of study. Each class can be completed within fifteen weeks if the student works two to two and one-half hours daily toward its completion. Permission must be obtained from the instructor and the appropriate CTS governing board in order to extend the completion period for a class beyond fifteen weeks.

The classes are under the immediate supervision of CTS approved instructors. All class work, tutoring, and grading will be performed by the class instructor. Students will have between two and four, one-hour tutorial sessions with the class instructor; these shall be arranged promptly and as conveniently as possible for the student through the CTS registrar and instructor. At the completion of each class, the student will receive a course grade sheet; a copy will be kept on file with the registrar. The registrar is responsible to keep a file for each enrolled student, monitor his progress, and ensure that deadlines are met.

Enrollment Policy

To enroll in a CTS degree program or for individual classes, students should complete the application form accompanying this handbook. Students may also obtain an application by visiting the CTS website or calling the offices of Christ College. Completed applications should be accompanied by the following: (1) a letter of recommendation from the student’s overseeing church body or local pastor (the letter should contain a statement of the student’s character, his purpose for pursuing a theological degree, and an attestation to his faithfulness in a local congregation of believers); (2) a non-refundable administration fee of $50.

Students will be accepted into the M.Div. or M.A.C.S. degree programs only if they possess an undergraduate degree. If a student lacks an undergraduate degree but desires to enroll in a CTS academic program, they should consult with the Academic Dean of Christ College and make arrangements to complete a Bachelors of Divinity Degree (B.Div.).

As the M.Div. program is designed for the training of pastors and teachers in the church, women may not be admitted to this program. Allowance will be made for women to enroll in individual courses.

Accreditation

In order to guarantee academic and theological freedom, Christ Theological Seminary is not accredited by any independent or state accrediting agency, nor will it seek such accreditation in the future. According to the Charter of Christ College, it is exempt from SCHEV certification. CTS is committed to providing high-quality, biblically consistent, and ecclesiastically accountable academic and theological training in conformity with our doctrinal standards and our pledge to serve the church of the Lord Jesus Christ by providing the very highest standards in training for its present and future pastors and teachers.

Transfer Students

Christ Theological Seminary will accept transfer students from other seminary programs. The aforementioned procedure for application and enrollment should be followed by students seeking to transfer. Once the transfer student’s transcript has been received, the governing body of CTS will notify the student of his standing at CTS. Every effort will be made to accommodate transferring students and to give credit for courses completed in other institutions. In some cases, students may be required to demonstrate mastery in certain subject areas before beginning the CTS program. Such testing will in most cases be written.

Grading System

Grading for a typical class will be determined according to the following criteria: instructor tutorials (25%), essays (25%), final paper (25%), and final examination (if applicable) (25%). Not every class will include each of these components; this serves as a guideline only. In general, the CTS grading policy endeavors to be realistic, taking into consideration each student’s different strengths and avoiding extremes of laxity and rigor. Assigning an “A” for a class would indicate that the student has thoroughly mastered the material, performed superlatively on tests, and produced cogent, well-developed, and articulate essays. A “B” would indicate good, solid work, with areas of weakness still evident in the student’s understanding or quality of work. A “C” is acceptable but is an indication of significant areas of weakness perhaps requiring additional study or assistance in developing writing skills. Grading is admittedly subjective, but instructors are encouraged to be fair and consistent.

Examinations

The successful completion of all CTS classes requires the student to pass a final examination. The purpose of these examinations is for the student to demonstrate mastery of critical class concepts and his ability to articulate what he has learned cogently and concisely. All final exams are due to the instructor within two weeks of the completion of class material.

Student Conduct

All Christ Theological Seminary students are expected to display Christian conduct consistent with mature, diligent, and sober-minded commitment to Jesus Christ. In their personal lives students should endeavor to study Scripture prayerfully and meditatively, not only as that “milk” that produces Christian growth but also that they might “test all things” and hold fast to what is good and right. Students should give a portion of each day to seeking after the grace of God in Jesus Christ through humble prayer. Every student is expected to be a faithful and active member of a local congregation. It is impossible to be a good student apart from union and communion with Jesus Christ, according to the Word of God, by the empowering grace of the Holy Spirit. Sound doctrine and holy life are inseparable. Should any incident of questionable conduct arise, or should a student be charged with any notorious sin by their governing church body, Christ Theological Seminary will give serious consideration to that student’s ability to continue in this institution. A formal hearing with the student may be required by the governing body of CTS.

Tutorials

As most students will complete the majority of these classes through distance learning, the program’s success depends upon regular interaction between instructor and student. To facilitate communication, each class contains two (2) to four (4) sections. After the completion of each section, students should arrange a tutorial session with the class instructor. Students should submit any reading/tape summaries and written assignments to the instructor at this break and call to schedule a phone or in-person tutorial. The instructor may use the time to answer student-generated questions, enforce special points of interest in the material, and interactively question the student to ascertain his level of understanding and areas that need additional study for mastery of the subject matter. The cost for these calls is the responsibility of the student.

Class Exemptions and Credit Transfers

Students with demonstrable proficiency or prior academic work in a given subject area may obtain credit for a class without completing the assigned class syllabus in the following fashion: (1) send a letter of explanation to the Presbytery Education Committee care of the Stated Clerk of the RPCUS explaining how the material was previously covered, a list of books read, educational institutions at which instruction was received, a catalogue from the previous institution, completed papers, the grade obtained for the material (if relevant), and formal request to receive credit for a specific class; (2) the Presbytery Education Committee will review the letter; (3) if deemed necessary, the student may be required to complete the final examination for the class in question; (4) for language course exemptions (Greek or Hebrew), the student should provide carefully written and researched exegetical papers demonstrating proficiency in the language for which class credit(s) is being sought. The Presbytery Education Committee and ultimately Covenant Presbytery of the RPCUS reserves the right to grant such requests.

Fee Schedule

Ministerial candidates of the Reformed Presbyterian Church in the United States may take all courses from RPCUS instructors free of charge; for non-RPCUS instructors, the per class fee is $300, payable at the time enrollment is granted for a specific class. All non-RPCUS ministerial students will be charged $300 per class. All students are expected to pay a yearly administrative fee of $125, which is due January 15th of each calendar year to the registrar of Christ College.