2015 2016 Catalog

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2 0 1 5 – 2 0 1 6 C ata lo g Columbia Theological Seminary

is educating imaginative, resilient leaders for God’s changing world.


Educating imaginative, resilient leaders for God’s changing world!

Columbia Theological Seminary P. O. Box 520 701 S. Columbia Drive Decatur, Georgia 30031 www.CTSnet.edu Columbia Theological Seminary is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award masters and doctorate degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097 or call 404.679.4500 for questions about the accreditation of Columbia Theological Seminary. Columbia Theological Seminary is also accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada to award the following degrees: Decatur, GA — Master of Art (Theological Studies), Master of Arts in Practical Theology, Master of Divinity, Master of Theology, Doctor of Ministry, Doctor of Educational Ministry, and Doctor of Theology Kingston, Jamaica — Doctor of Ministry Questions regarding Columbia Theological Seminary’s accreditation status or adherence to ATS’s standards should be addressed to the Association of Theological Schools, 10 Summit Park Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15275-1110 or by calling 412.788.6505. The regulations, requirements, and general information included in this catalog are official for the 2015–2016 academic year, but are subject to revision at any time and, therefore, are in no way binding upon the seminary. An electronic update of this catalog will be available on the Columbia Theological Seminary website for the 2015–2016 academic year, and will serve as the official catalog for that year. Please consult the Columbia Theological Seminary website for updates and the most current information.

Printed July 2015


Contents

M i ss i o n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Our Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Our Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Our Mission Is Framed by Commitments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Our Institutional Goals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Our Educational Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

D e g r e e P ro g r a m s

and

3 3 3 5 5

A d m i ss i o n s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Degree Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Master of Divinity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Master of Arts in Practical Theology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Master of Arts (Theological Studies) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Advanced Degrees Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Master of Theology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Doctor of Ministry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Doctor of Educational Ministry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Doctor of Theology in Pastoral Counseling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Application Information for International Students and Exchange Visitors . . 25 Special Students and Auditors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Housing

a n d F i n a n c i a l I n f o r m at i o n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Hospitalization Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Financial Aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Scholarships for Basic Degree Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Tuition, Fees, and Other Charges Effective Summer Term 2014 . . . . . . . 31 Refund Policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

R e s o u rc e s

a n d R e l at e d A c a d e m i c P r o g r a m s . . . . . . . . 35 The John Bulow Campbell Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Related Academic Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Programs in Other Locations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

C olumbia

in

S ervice

to the

C hurch

and

I ts M inistry . . . 38

The Center for Lifelong Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 International Theological Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

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Contents continued

C o m m u n i t y L i f e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Yearly Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Orientation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Community Worship and Convocations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Awards and Prizes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Graduate Fellowships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Placement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Curriculum

a n d C o u r s e s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Courses of Instruction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Biblical Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Historical Doctrinal Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Practical Theology Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Interdisciplinary Courses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Supervised Ministry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 ATA Courses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Academic Notes

and

P o l i c i e s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Basic Degree Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Advanced Degree Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 All Degree Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Withdrawal from Seminary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

C a l e n d a r 2015–2017 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 I n d e x . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 D i r e c t o ry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

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M i ss i o n Our Purpose Columbia Theological Seminary is an educational institution of the Presbyterian Church (USA), and a community of theological inquiry, leadership development and formation for ministry in the service of the Church of Jesus Christ.

Our Mission Columbia Theological Seminary exists to educate and nurture faithful, imaginative, and effective leaders for the sake of the Church and the world.

Our Mission is Framed by Commitments We understand Christian faith to include a growing love for God expressed in daily faithfulness to Jesus Christ, vibrant worship as an essential feature of life together, cultivation of the mind, and the disciplines of the Christian life; a growing love for the Church expressed in authentic community, participation in the life of local churches, and responding to God’s call to and gifting for leadership; a growing love for Christ’s work in the world expressed in ministries of proclamation, nurture, compassion, justice, creativity, and the care of all creation. Because we are a confessional community of the Church, we believe in Christ’s reign over the whole world; articulate a missional understanding of life rooted in the rule of God’s love and justice; celebrate the goodness of God in all creation; live under the authority of Jesus Christ as witnessed in the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, in the Church throughout the ages, and in the Reformed tradition and its confessions; nurture a personal and corporate faith which takes responsibility for our choices amid the political realities, the social institutions, and the global contexts in which we live; commit ourselves to diversity and inclusivity, to ecumenicity, and to discerning the ongoing manifestations of God’s presence in human affairs; listen with openness to voices of hopelessness and hope around and within us; and acknowledge our own brokenness and need for redemption.

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M i ss i o n continued

At Columbia, we seek to witness to God’s creative power—seen in the wonder and beauty of creation; God’s reconciling love—demonstrated in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ; and God’s redemptive action and transforming justice—visible through the Church and in the broad work of the Holy Spirit in a pluralistic and interdependent world. Our special mission in the service of the Church, and especially the Presbyterian Church (USA), is to educate women and men for leadership in ordained and lay ministries by offering graduate degrees, certification programs, and lifelong learning opportunities; to attend diligently to both text and context; to keep learning as a community of scholars and practitioners together; and to provide theological resources through an exceptional faculty, library, and campus facilities. Because we are an educational institution, our calling is to prepare persons to be leaders in worship, witness, teaching, mission, and service; to pursue learning that joins mind and heart—that enlarges intellect and imagination and nurtures passion, compassion and empathy; to develop personal and professional skills for leadership in the Church; to learn from the world-wide church, from other faith traditions, from education, the arts, politics, economics, and science, and from those outside the centers of power and influence; and to consider critically from the perspective of the Christian faith, ideological, technical, and scientific assumptions—including our own—about the human situation. In carrying out our mission, we seek to be faithful to the gospel, and to become a living expression of the Body of Christ in the world.

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Our Institutional Goals Columbia Theological Seminary seeks: 1. T o participate with the church in the formation of students for pastoral vocations in the church and the world by providing preeminent theological education within the Reformed tradition; 2. T o educate men and women for leadership in ministry through its MDiv, MA(TS) and MAPT degree programs; 3. T o enhance the ministries of men and women who are currently engaged in ordained and other forms of leadership by educating them in its ThM, DMin, DEdMin and ThD programs; 4. T o enhance the ministries of the PC(USA), the ecumenical church, and persons with a variety of theological interests through its Lifelong Learning programs; 5. T o provide a learning community in which theological education, scholarship and formation for ministry flourish; 6. To provide a physical environment that contributes to an atmosphere for effective learning; 7. T o be a good steward of its resources in order to provide quality education both in the present and the future; and 8. T o foster and sustain Columbia’s connection to the PC(USA), the ecumenical church, the greater Atlanta, national and global communities.

Our Educational Vision At Columbia Theological Seminary, we seek to: • Prepare persons to be led by God as they lead God’s people in worship, witness, mission, and service; • Cultivate lifelong spiritual practices to sustain and support ministry. • P ursue learning that joins body, mind, and heart, enlarges imagination, engages intellect, nurtures passion, and deepens empathy; • L earn from the world, both local and global, from other faith traditions, and from those outside the centers of power and influence; and • I nterpret the Christian faith as a continuing conversation between the human situation and the gospel.

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D e g r e e P ro g r a m s

and

A d m i ss i o n s

Degree Programs Columbia’s seal carries a motto which consists of the Greek words for pastors and teachers. These words are taken from the letter to the Ephesians: “The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-12 NRSV). Since its inception, Columbia has seen its role as training persons for leadership in the church by offering courses of study leading to both basic and advanced degrees. The Master of Divinity (MDiv) and the Master of Arts in Practical Theology (MAPT) are first professional degrees in theological education. The Master of Arts (Theological Studies) (MA[TS]), a basic theological degree, is academic rather than professional in orientation. Advanced degrees include the Master of Theology (ThM), the Doctor of Ministry (DMin), the Doctor of Educational Ministry (DEdMin), and the Doctor of Theology in Pastoral Counseling (ThD). Women and men from all denominations are eligible to apply for any of Columbia’s degrees.

Master of Divinity Introduction The Master of Divinity degree is offered as a basic theological degree for those who seek to serve as the pastors, prophets, evangelists, teachers, and other leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ. The curriculum offered to MDiv students emerges from the seminary’s identity as a community of memory and hope. Claiming memory, the seminary finds its identity as part of the people of God stretching back thousands of years as it leads students to a fresh and critical appropriation of the Christian tradition for themselves and for the sake of those to and with whom they minister. Claiming hope, Columbia finds its identity in the promises of God, in the world that God will bring about, and in the opportunities still ahead for the work of the church in the midst of the work of God. In all this, the MDiv curriculum draws upon the rich resources of the church’s memory to nurture students’ hope and engage their imaginations for mission in the church and world. The Christian ministry needs persons who are possessed with a deep, informed, and personal faith and who are equipped with skills and imagination to lead the people of God in acts of compassion, proclamation, praise, confession, celebration, justice, reconciliation, and healing. Teaching and learning at Columbia exist for the purpose of equipping and forming the people who equip the saints to engage in the work of ministry. Length of Program The MDiv curriculum is designed so that a full-time student can complete the requirements for the degree in three full years and is comprised of 90 semester hour credits. A student’s program may be lengthened by a variety of factors, such as participation in internships or taking a reduced load in any given semester. All students must complete their work within six years from the date of matriculation. A dv i s i n g In theological education, students integrate their studies with their own lives. Faculty members aid this process of integration by serving as advisers, assisting students in their course selections each term. As a result of conversations with their advisers, students make course selections that take into

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account areas of past experience, identified interests and weaknesses, and the assessments of teachers and ministry supervisors. Early in the first year of studies, students undergo an individual supervised ministry assessment with the director of contextual education who makes a recommendation to the student and his or her adviser about ways to optimize the student’s contextual education experience while at CTS. Calendar and Credit System Academic work for the MDiv is offered throughout the year. Two semester-length terms, in the fall and in the spring, anchor the academic year. Half-term courses are also offered during these terms. The calendar also includes an intensive term after the spring semester (extended spring term) and a summer term designed primarily for language study and supervised ministry experiences. Each semester-length term consists of 6 weeks of classes, a midterm exam and assessment period, another 6 weeks of classes, and a final exam week. The exam days enable students to complete the work for half-term courses. All credit is awarded in standard semester hours. Courses that meet for the whole term are assigned 3 credit hours. Those meeting for half the term are given 1.5 credit hours. The half-term courses allow students to take more subjects in a given term without increasing the number of classes they will carry simultaneously. M i d -C o u r s e A s s e s s m e n t A student’s admission to candidacy for the degree emerges from the Mid-course Assessment (MCA) and must be approved by the faculty. The Mid-course Assessment is a major review of the student’s work in the MDiv degree and the student’s potential for ministry. The MCA occurs after the student has completed at least thirty-nine credit hours of the degree requirements and three hours of a contextual education experience. All MDiv degree students must complete the Mid-course Assessment requirement. In order to be eligible for an assessment, students seeking ordination are required to have an established working relationship with an appropriate ecclesiastical body.

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Degree P ro g r a m s and

At the Mid-course Assessment, questions of personal and professional growth and other issues are addressed. Any recommendations or stipulations that arise from the assessment are reviewed by the faculty before they award the MDiv degree.

A d m i ss i o n s continued

Components

of the

C u r r i c u l u m ( b e g i n n i n g 2014)

R e q u i r e d c o u r s e s (13 c o u r s e s /42 c r e d i t s ) Each of these courses must be successfully completed to earn the MDiv degree. • • • • • • •

Imagination and Resilience in God’s Changing World (1 course/3 credits) Old Testament Interpretation I & II (2 courses/6 credits) New Testament Interpretation I & II (2 courses/6 credits) History and Presence I & II (2 courses/6 credits) Christian Theology I & II (2 courses/6 credits) Biblical Greek or Biblical Hebrew (1 course/3 credits) Explorations (1 course/3 credits)

• Supervised Ministry – year long, congregation based (1 course/6 credits) • Cross/Roads (1 course/3 credits) lease note that students are required to do exegetical work in the chosen Biblical language P through the Old or New Testament Interpretation courses as appropriate. D i s t r i b u t i o n e l e c t i v e s (7 c o u r s e s /24 c r e d i t s ) One course from among a specified set of elective courses in each of the following areas must be successfully completed to earn the MDiv degree: • • • • • • •

Christian ethics (3 credits) Christian education (3 credits) Christian leadership (3 credits) Pastoral Care (3 credits) Preaching (3 credits) Worship (3 credits) Advanced Supervised Ministry or Practica courses (courses with significant practice components) (6 credits)

General electives (24 credits) Total of 90 credits

Requirements for the Master of Divinit y Degree To be eligible for graduation with the Master of Divinity degree, students are required to: • Have on file with the seminary a complete and official transcript of credits showing graduation with a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college of liberal arts and sciences (unless admitted by special action of the faculty), a completed health form, and any required standardized test results; • Be tested for and achieve competency in English writing and speech. Test fees, where applicable, are the responsibility of the student; • Be admitted to degree candidacy through the successful completion of the Mid-course Assessment;

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• S atisfactorily complete all the requirements of the degree with a total of 90 credit hours within six years of the date of matriculation, 48 of which must be completed at Columbia (excluding cross-registration courses); • Maintain a minimum overall grade point average of 2.30; • Lead community worship at least as once after having completed 66 credit hours; • Be in residence for at least four semesters (residency is defined as enrollment as a degree-seeking student and registered for classes); • Demonstrate to the faculty that they have sustained a sound moral and religious character in seminary life and give promise of useful service in the ministry or related vocations; and • Pay all bills to Columbia and give assurance that all open accounts in the community and elsewhere have been satisfied. Students with education loans must agree to make prompt and regular payments. F u rt h e r T h e o l o g i c a l S t u d y b e y o n d t h e B a s i c D e g r e e Although the Master of Divinity program does not equip students with everything they will need for effective and faithful ministry, students are equipped with initial, essential tools for their ministries. Because the search for faithful answers to the challenges of the Christian life today requires an ethic of learning for the faith, many graduates return to this and other places of group learning for regular additional study. Further knowledge, additional insight into the life of faith, and strengthened practice for faithful leadership result when graduates engage in regular, disciplined theological study at various stages in their ministries. A d m i s s i o n to t h e M a s t e r o f D i v i n i t y P ro g r a m Persons seeking admission to the Master of Divinity program may obtain an application from the CTS website. To be considered for admission, prospective students are required to: • H ave completed a baccalaureate degree, or its equivalent, at a university or college accredited by one of the six regional accreditation agencies. Applicants with degrees from educational institutions not accredited by one of the six agencies must submit a written essay response to an academic article provided by the Office of Admissions along with their applications. Applicants without a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution are not eligible to enter the MDiv program at the seminary except by special action of the faculty. When requested to do so by presbyteries of the Presbyterian Church (USA) or other denominations, Columbia may accept applicants without a university or college degree for a special course of study; • F urnish a) a completed application form with autobiographical essay, b) a completed statement of self-disclosure form, c) transcripts, d) three recommendations on forms produced by Columbia, e) a church endorsement from one’s home church or the church in which one serves, and f ) an official criminal background check report. Test scores from the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) General Test are not required; and • C omplete an interview with a member of the Admissions Committee or other faculty as assigned. All applicants for whom English is not their first language must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) before admission and enrollment for credit can be attained. Those seeking admission must score at least 220 (computer format), 550 (written format), or 76 (internet format) with minimum scores in the following areas: Reading 22; Listening 16; Speaking 16; and Writing 22.

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Degree P ro g r a m s and

A d m i ss i o n s continued

Transfer Credit Students in good standing in other accredited seminaries may be admitted after transcripts have been evaluated and their applications approved by the Admissions Committee. Such students must secure a letter from their academic dean indicating that they are students in good standing. Students in the MDiv degree program may receive no more than 45 credit hours for work completed at another Association of Theological Schools (ATS) accredited seminary within the past five years. Transfer credit will only be given for courses passed with a grade of B or higher. A student who has completed a Master of Arts (MA) degree from an ATS accredited seminary may transfer in up to half of the MA degree toward Columbia’s MDiv degree. The determination of whether or not particular courses taken at other institutions may receive credit is made by the Office of Academic Affairs, which also determines whether the credits will fulfill either required or elective credit hours. All petitions for transfer credit and advanced standing must be made by the end of the student’s first academic year.

Master of Arts in Practical Theology The purpose of the Master of Arts in Practical Theology degree is to equip persons for a broad array of ministries through the practice of theological and contextual reflection. The degree program combines a core curriculum of theological studies with the study of particular ministry arts through four areas of concentration: Christian Education, Christian Leadership, Pastoral Care/Pastoral Theology, or Worship. The degree may be appropriate for ordination in those traditions that do not require a three-year Master of Divinity program, or for those lay people who desire a theological education in order to carry out their professional or volunteer ministries in congregational settings or beyond. This degree may also be used to add an area of specialization to a Master of Divinity degree. Components of the Program The Masters of Arts in Practical Theology requires 60 credit hours and can be completed in two years and one summer if pursued on a full-time basis. Typically the summer will be used to complete the contextual education requirement. Over the course of the 60 credit hours in this program, students will complete a core set of general courses in biblical studies, history, and doctrine totaling 21 credit hours. In addition all students will complete the Introduction to Practical Theology and Capstone Course in Practical Theology (6 credit hours) and a contextual education course (6 credit hours). Courses in the area of concentration (Christian Education, Christian Leadership, Pastoral Care/Pastoral Theology or Worship) and general electives will constitute the remaining 27 credit hours. Requirements for the Degree • Have on file with the seminary a complete and official transcript of credits showing graduation with a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college of liberal arts and sciences, a completed health form, and standardized test results; • Be tested for and achieve competency in English writing skills; • Satisfactorily complete all the requirements of the degree with a total of 60 credit hours within five years of the date of matriculation, 30 of which must be completed at Columbia (excluding cross-registration courses); • Maintain a minimum overall grade point average of 2.30; • Be in residence for at least three long terms, unless having already attained a Master of Divinity or Master of Arts degree; • Demonstrate to the faculty that they have sustained a sound moral and religious character in seminary life and give promise of useful service in the ministry or other church vocations; and

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• P ay all bills to the seminary and give assurance that all open accounts in the community and elsewhere have been satisfied. Students with education loans must agree to make prompt and regular payments. A d m i s s i o n t o t h e M a s t e r o f A rt s i n P r a c t i c a l T h e o l o g y P r o g r a m Persons seeking admission to the Master of Arts in Practical Theology program may obtain an application from the CTS website. To be considered for admission, prospective students are required to: • H ave completed a baccalaureate degree, or its equivalent, at a university or college accredited by one of the six regional accreditation agencies; applicants with degrees from educational institutions not accredited by one of the six agencies must submit a written essay response to an academic article provided by the Office of Admissions along with their applications. Under special circumstances some applicants, who are deemed to possess the requisite academic skills and abilities due to their life experience, may be admitted in a provisional status to pursue this degree. Such applicants must also submit a written essay response to an academic article provided by the Office of Admissions. • F urnish a) a completed application form with autobiographical essay, b) completed statement of self-disclosure, c) transcripts, d) three recommendations on forms produced by Columbia, and e) a church endorsement from one’s home church or church in which one serves, –OR- a letter of endorsement from one’s sponsoring Christian organization, and f ) official criminal background check report; test scores from the Graduate Record Examination General Test are not required; and Complete an interview with the director of the MAPT program, a member of the Admissions Committee or other faculty as assigned. All applicants for whom English is not their first language must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) before admission and enrollment for credit can be attained. Those seeking admission must score at least 220 (computer format), 550 (written format), or 76 (internet format) with minimum scores in the following areas: Reading 22; Listening 16; Speaking 16; and Writing 22. T r a n s f e r o f C r e d i t a n d D ua l D e g r e e O p t i o n A student may receive no more than 18 credit hours for work completed at another Association of Theological Schools (ATS) accredited seminary within the past five years. Transfer credit will only be given for courses passed with a grade of B or higher. The determination of whether or not courses taken at other institutions may receive credit is made by the Office of Academic Affairs, which also determines whether the credits will fulfill either required or elective credit hours. All petitions for transfer credit and advanced standing must be made by the end of the student’s first academic year. A student who has completed a Master of Arts (MA) degree from an ATS accredited seminary may transfer in up to half of the MA degree toward Columbia’s MAPT degree, but in no case more than 30 hours. A student who has completed an MDiv at Columbia or at another ATS accredited seminary, may also apply up to 30 hours toward the MAPT degree. Applied credit will only be given for courses passed with a grade of B or higher. The determination of whether or not courses taken at other institutions may receive credit is made by the Office of Academic Affairs, which also determines whether the credits will fulfill either required or elective credit hours. A student may pursue the Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in Practical Theology in a dual degree format. Both degrees are awarded at the same commencement, after the student has earned 120 credits and met the requirements of both degrees.

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Degree P ro g r a m s

Master of Arts (Theological Studies)

and

The Master of Arts (Theological Studies) (MA[TS]) is a two-year flexible degree program that provides theological studies for persons who are exploring career options, preparing for doctoral studies, church leadership positions, or specialized forms of lay ministry. The MA(TS) program is also for those persons who wish to engage theological issues of faith and the modern world in relation to their professions. While this program is not designed to prepare persons for the practice of ordained ministry, it may be useful for those ministers who serve in traditions that do not require a degree in divinity for ordination, but who nevertheless wish to develop their formal knowledge of theology.

A d m i ss i o n s continued

Components of the Program Because students enroll in the MA(TS) program for a wide variety of reasons, they enjoy an extremely flexible schedule. Indeed, the only class they must all take is the MA(TS) Seminar, normally during the spring of their first year at the seminary. Among its primary purposes, this seminar helps them to clarify their plans for the degree, structure their coursework accordingly at the seminary, and choose a faculty advisor within their area of specialization. The seminar will also help students in their exploration of various career options. MA(TS) students must choose one of five disciplines as an area of specialization: Old Testament, New Testament, Theology, Church History, or Ethics. They will each take 15 credit hours in this discipline, three of which are met in B or HD699 MA(TS) Independent Study, which is done under the direction of a faculty member in that discipline. Done near the end of their degree work, MA(TS) Independent Study requires the production of a 25-35 page major research paper and provides students with the opportunity to deeply explore a critical issue in their field, revealing the ability to do in-depth and independent research, to critically engage and analyze that research, to think constructively and do original work, and to write at a masters’ level. Ordinarily, MA(TS) students shall only take one independent study (which is I600). Students specializing in Old Testament must take Hebrew; likewise, students specializing in New Testament must take Greek. The other courses in the discipline may be chosen from among any offered to basic degree students at Columbia. To help round out their education, MA(TS) students must choose a different discipline than their area of specialization and take any 9 credit hours in it. Additionally, they must take at least three hours in yet a third discipline. Beyond these requirements, students are invited to take any course in the curriculum provided that they do not take more than 9 credit hours in the Practical Theology area and courses that are either Interdisciplinary or in Supervised Ministry allowed with the prior approval of the MA(TS) Director. R e q u i r e m e n t s f o r t h e M a s t e r o f A rt s (T h e o l o g i c a l S t u d i e s ) D e g r e e To be eligible for graduation with the MA(TS) degree, students are required to: • Have on file with the seminary a complete and official transcript of credits showing graduation with a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college of liberal arts and sciences, a completed health form, and standardized test results; • Be tested for and achieve competency in English writing skills; • Satisfactorily complete all the requirements of the degree with a total of 48 credit hours within five years of the date of matriculation, 27 of which must be completed at Columbia (excluding cross-registration courses); • Maintain a minimum overall grade point average of 2.30; • Be in residence for at least three long terms (residency is defined as enrollment as a degreeseeking student and registered for classes);

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• D emonstrate to the faculty that they have sustained a sound moral and religious character in seminary life and give promise of useful service in the ministry or other church vocations; and • Pay all bills to the seminary and give assurance that all open accounts in the community and elsewhere have been satisfied. Students with education loans must agree to make prompt and regular payments. Details of the program are available from the director of the Master of Arts (Theological Studies) program. A d m i s s i o n t o t h e M a s t e r o f A rt s (T h e o l o g i c a l S t u d i e s ) P r o g r a m Persons seeking admission to the Master of Arts (Theological Studies) program may obtain an application from the CTS website. To be considered for admission, prospective students are required to: • Have completed a four-year baccalaureate degree, or its equivalent, at a regionally accredited university or college of arts and sciences; • Furnish a) a completed application form with autobiographical essay, b) completed statement of self-disclosure, c) transcripts, d) four references on forms provided by Columbia, and f ) official criminal background check report; test scores from the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) General Test are not required • Complete an interview with the director of the MA(TS) program, a member of the Admissions committee or other faculty as assigned. All applicants for whom English is not their first language must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) before admission and enrollment for credit can be attained. Those seeking admission must score at least 220 (computer format), 550 (written format), or 76 (internet format) with minimum scores in the following areas: Reading 22; Listening 16; Speaking 16; and Writing 22. Transfer Credit A student may transfer no more than 15 credit hours in the five fields of the program from work completed before admission. The credit must be earned from a regionally accredited or ATS accredited institutions. No transfer credit may be obtained for work done more than 36 months before admission. Transfer credit will only be given for courses passed with a grade of B or higher. Occasional students subsequently admitted to the program may receive up to 6 credit hours for previous work taken in the past 36 months. The determination of whether or not courses taken at other institutions may receive credit is made by the Office of Academic Affairs. All petitions for transfer credit and advanced standing must be made by the end of the student’s first academic year.

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Degree P ro g r a m s

Advanced Degrees Introduction

and

Columbia offers four programs leading to an advanced degree. They include the Master of Theology, Doctor of Ministry, Doctor of Educational Ministry, and Doctor of Theology in Pastoral Counseling. Each of these advanced degrees builds on the work completed in the MDiv, MAPT, or MA(TS) degrees. In addition to the resources of the faculty and library on Columbia’s campus, advanced degree students are expected to draw upon the resources of the Atlanta area. The ThD programs are administered by the Graduate Professional Studies Committee of the Atlanta Theological Association (ATA), which coordinates and augments the resources of: Columbia; Candler School of Theology of Emory University, the Interdenominational Theological Center, Erskine Theological Seminary in Due West, South Carolina, and Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary in Columbia, South Carolina. ThM degree students may also include in their program studies at these seminaries. Resources within the Atlanta community are also available to Columbia’s advanced degree students. Accredited programs of clinical pastoral education and pastoral counseling are available in many settings. Numerous national and regional offices of denominational and interdenominational agencies are located in Atlanta. Other educational opportunities are available at Emory University, Georgia State University, and area colleges.

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Master of Theology The Master of Theology (ThM) is designed for persons already holding the MDiv degree or its equivalent who wish to deepen their mastery of one area or discipline of theological study through reflection, research, and writing for the service of the Church. The distinctive element of Columbia’s ThM program is the opportunity to work closely with faculty mentors in research of mutual interest. Students pursue a one-year course of full-time study that includes coursework in relevant curricular areas; a seminar in research methods; close work with a faculty mentor; the production of a publishable research thesis project; and, by application to the faculty, the opportunity to serve as a research or teaching assistant. O v e rv i e w o f R e q u i r e m e n t s Students must earn at least 18 credit hours, in addition to 12 credit hours for the ThM thesis preparation (reading and writing) in the area of specialization. ThM students participate in a one semester Research Seminar in the late summer and fall and a one semester writing colloquium in the spring with other students in the program. The intensive late summer session focuses on research methods, and the fall focuses on research and beginning of thesis writing. During the spring semester, students present and discuss work they are doing on their thesis. Students complete a ThM thesis. The thesis is worth 12 semester hours of credit, 3 credit hours for focused reading and research, 3 credit hours for writing a literature review and 6 credit hours for writing the thesis. The progress of the writing and the provisional and final approval of the thesis are overseen by the student’s advisor and the ThM director in consultation with the Academic Affairs Office. Requirements for the Master of Theology Degree To be eligible for graduation with the ThM degree, students are required to: • Have on file with the seminary a complete and official transcript of credits showing graduation with the MDiv degree (or its equivalent) from an accredited institution, a completed health form, and standardized test results; • Satisfactorily complete all the requirements of the degree with a total of 30 credit hours (at the

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advanced level) within two years of the date of matriculation, 18 of which must be completed at Columbia (excluding cross-registration courses); • Complete a ThM thesis; • Complete the ThM Research Seminar; • Be in residence for at least two long terms (residency is defined as enrollment as a degree-seeking student and registered for classes); • Maintain a minimum overall grade point average of 3.00; • Demonstrate to the faculty that they have sustained a sound moral and religious character in seminary life and give promise of useful service in the ministry or other church vocations; and • Pay all bills to the seminary and give assurance that all open accounts in the community and elsewhere have been satisfied. Students with education loans must agree to make prompt and regular payments. Students in the ThM degree program are assessed an administrative extension fee if they do not finish within the academic year. A d m i s s i o n to t h e M a s t e r o f T h e o lo g y P ro g r a m Persons seeking admission to the Master of Theology program may obtain an application from the CTS web site. To be considered for admission, prospective students are required to: • Have completed the MDiv degree, or its academic equivalent, at an accredited seminary or divinity school. In certain cases a Master of Arts or a Master of Theological Studies degree in the appropriate area may be accepted as a substitute, but additional preparatory work may be required; ordinarily, a B average in an applicant’s college and seminary program is considered a minimum standard for admission. Applicants shall have official transcripts of all work since high school sent directly from the institution; • Have a knowledge of both the Hebrew and Greek languages if they seek to do their ThM in the Biblical Area; • Submit three references (on reference forms provided by Columbia): two academic references from seminary or other graduate school professors and one character reference from a person who is familiar with the applicant’s ministry or professional ministry; • A scholarly writing sample may be requested in addition to the application; • File the application for the ThM degree by January 15 for the following academic year; • Indicate to the admission office within thirty days after receiving notification of admission whether or not they will accept admission; and • Begin their course of study only in the fall semester. All ThM applicants for whom English is not their first language must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Internet-based test (iBT), and the iBT TOEFL score must be from a test date that is two years or less from the date of application to Columbia Theological Seminary. A minimum total iBT TOEFL score of 86 is required, with the following minimum required scores in the areas: Reading 22; Listening 20; Speaking 20; and Writing 24. Transfer of Credit In planning the student’s program with her/his adviser or the ThM program director, a student may request the transfer of limited credit for work done prior to entry or at another institution while enrolled in the ThM program at Columbia. Ordinarily, the number of hours of transfer credit will be limited to three semester hours, or the equivalent of one elective course at Columbia. The work must have been done at a comparable graduate level within the last five years. A grade of B or better must have been earned for the course. The student must be able to show that the work is relevant to the ThM program and that the course work was not credited toward a degree which was received. Final approval regarding transfer of credit resides with the Office of Academic Affairs.

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Degree P ro g r a m s

Doctor of Ministry

and

Aims of the Program The Doctor of Ministry degree program is designed for persons now engaged in ministry, who have completed basic theological studies (the Master of Divinity degree or its equivalent), and at least three years of full-time service in the practice of ministry after their MDiv studies. Persons from other countries may be eligible to apply, and in certain instances, be admitted. The program provides a course of graduate study for ministers of the people of God in the Church of Jesus Christ. It requires disciplined reflection upon, and perhaps further specialization within ministry. The program focuses on the critical engagement between the biblical, historical, theological, and pastoral disciplines of ministry. By helping students integrate ministerial theory and practice with basic faith commitments, the program strengthens ministers to exercise a critical kind of teaching role in the church and to increase their competency and faithfulness in practice. Because the program seeks to help students strengthen a holistic ministry in community, the program is largely generalist in character, involving questions of personal ministerial identity and of the nature of the church and its mission in a postmodern world. A doctoral project requires students to focus this integrated approach in a particular context. Students enter the DMin program through one of three approaches: Church and Ministry, Christian Spirituality, and Gospel, Culture and the Transformation of the Church.

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C h u r c h a n d M i n i s t r y A pp r o a c h The Church and Ministry approach leads ministers in an experience of collegial learning with a primary focus on the ministry and mission of the local congregation. Students examine their ministry settings and describe their present practice of ministry. On the basis of shared readings and critical reflection, students seek to develop a new vision for church service, which becomes the perspective from which elective courses, supervised practice, and the DMin project are undertaken. The Church and Ministry approach offers students the opportunity to reshape ministry for the sake of their leadership in the church. Normally, the introductory seminar for this approach is taught every fall jointly with the Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC) in Atlanta. However, for the fall of 2015, this approach will be offered without ITC participation. G o s p e l , C u lt u r e , a n d t h e T r a n s f o r m at i o n o f t h e C h u r c h A pp r o a c h Designed by a group of Columbia faculty members, the Gospel and Culture approach asks pastors to engage questions about the mission of the Church in contemporary culture. Through the introductory seminar, the various elective classes, the doctoral practicum, and the doctoral project, students work with a faculty group representing a rich blend of diverse, theological and cultural perspectives. Students are challenged to develop their own analyses and directions for the faithful ministry of the Church in a context variously described as post-enlightenment, post-modern, postChristian. In the initial introductory seminar, and then in subsequent studies, students and faculty are engaged with the writings and the analyses of theologians, sociologists, philosophers, cultural anthropologists, and historians. Participants reflect in some depth upon the concrete manifestations of culture—the art and artifacts, the products, technologies, entertainments, institutions, and movements that characterize daily life. They examine the major fault lines within the Church about the meaning of Christian faith and the ways Christians read the theological signs of the time. Finally, students are asked to think through their practice of ministry in the light of their studies and to develop a doctoral project that will both strengthen their own ministry and make a critical and constructive contribution to the faith and practice of the Church.

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A significant part of this approach will include topics and themes related to the issues of church planting and church transformation. These areas will include reflective and analytical investigation of our theological, missiological and ecclesiological assumptions that send the church into the world. It will also reflect on ministerial and public leadership styles in relation to entrepreneurial and transformative congregational ministry. C h r i s t i a n S pi r i t ua li t y A pp r o a c h Equipping leaders to foster spiritual renewal in the lives of individuals and in congregations, focusing on congregational leadership, students will explore God’s relationship to persons, the community of faith and the world, including the ethical and social dimensions of spirituality. The Doctor of Ministry in Christian Spirituality deepens your leadership skills and offers fresh approaches to planning and leading retreats, developing small groups for spiritual discovery and direction, and providing spiritual guidance to those who seek discernment of God’s will in their lives. The Christian Spirituality Concentration engages students in academic and experiential study of spirituality. Students study historical theological scholarship and social ethical research regarding spirituality as an academic field of study in the introductory seminar. In subsequent coursework, students pursue their particular research interests in preparation for completion of the final project. The Practicum provides students the opportunity to do experiential learning in their ministerial contexts or to complete a Certificate in Spiritual Direction in conjunction with the Life Long Learning Program of Columbia Seminary. The introductory seminar for this approach will not be offered in 2015. It will be offered in the fall of 2016. C o u r s e F o r m at s Classes are taught in one of three formats: 1) intensive two-week course at the seminary; 2) hybridformat where students will take classes on campus for one-week and complete the remainder of the course on-line; 3) full on-line course. Classes are offered over a three-to four-year period of the degree, but students will do most of their studies, their practicum, and project in their own ministry setting in consultation with the faculty. DM i n P r o g r a m A d m i n i s t r at i o n The DMin program operates under the supervision of Columbia’s Advanced Degrees Committee and is administered by a faculty member serving as associate dean for advanced professional studies. The program cooperates with the other member schools of the Atlanta Theological Association (ATA). Students may take courses in the DMin programs of other ATA member schools through cross registration. A dv i s i n g Each student is guided by an adviser who is assigned during the introductory seminar. The student is responsible for consulting with the adviser to develop a plan of study. When the student is ready to submit a proposal for his or her project, first and second readers are chosen. The adviser may serve as either the first or second reader for the project, however, the first reader will become the new advisor of record. The first and second readers assist the student in developing a project proposal and evaluate the student’s written project report.

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Degree P ro g r a m s and

A d m i ss i o n s continued

Components of the Program The thirty-six-hour program comprises: • I ntroductory Seminar (6 credit hours), required at the outset of the program. Students take part in an intensive seminar to explore interdisciplinary perspectives around contemporary issues of ministry and professional development. In this seminar students begin interdisciplinary integration and clarify an operative theory of ministry to guide their development of a study plan. • E lective Courses (18 credit hours). The program requires a plan of study involving the integration of three dimensions: the biblical and theological norms of Christian faith; critical attention to the contemporary human situation; and the practices of ministry and church mission. In consultation with an adviser, each student draws up a course of study to achieve the aims of both the student and the doctoral program. • D octor of Ministry Practicum (6 credit hours), a supervised activity in ministry. This practicum can also take place in settings as diverse as business, governmental, community, or church agencies where appropriate supervision and learning opportunities with peers are available. In any case, the practicum takes place outside the student’s ordinary work situation, providing new perspectives on self, theology, profession, and the needs and challenges of other persons and institutions. An unit of Clinical Pastoral Education or the Preaching practicum course may be used to meet this requirement. • P roject Development and Design Workshop (0 credit hours). Toward the end of the program coursework, each student participates in a project development and design seminar to foster integration and to prepare for qualifying examinations and subsequent project proposal development and writing. • D octor of Ministry Project (6 credit hours). Elements of the course of study converge in the Doctor of Ministry Project. The student must complete a project and a written project report that interprets this project to the seminary community and the larger church. So that the project can be an integrating focus for the entire course of study, students should start thinking about the proposal for the project early in the program. Ordinarily, students conduct the project in their usual ministerial setting. January 15 is the deadline for provisional approval of the written draft by the project committee; February 15 is the deadline for final completion of the project. Students enrolled in the Doctor of Ministry degree program are required to request an extension if they have not completed the degree requirements within four years of the date of enrollment. The extension request must be sent to the registrar, indicating in the request an expected graduation date. When the request is approved an extension fee will be charged by the Business Office. R e qu i r e m e n ts f o r t h e D o c to r o f M i n i s t ry D e g r e e To be eligible for graduation with the DMin degree, students are required to: • Have on file with the seminary a complete and official transcript of credits showing graduation with the MDiv degree (or its equivalent) from an ATS accredited institution; • Satisfactorily complete all the requirements of the degree with a total of 36 credit hours within four years of the date of matriculation, 30 of which must be completed at Columbia; • Complete the Project Workshop; • Complete the DMin project; • Maintain a minimum overall grade point average of 3.00; • Demonstrate to the faculty that they have sustained a sound moral and religious character in seminary life and give promise of useful service in the ministry or other church vocations; and • Pay all bills to the seminary and give assurance that all open accounts in the community and elsewhere have been satisfied; students with education loans must agree to make prompt and regular payments.

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A d m i s s i o n to t h e D o c to r o f M i n i s t ry P ro g r a m Persons seeking admission to the Doctor of Ministry degree program are required to have a MDiv or an equivalent degree with a superior academic record (a B average or higher) from a school of theology accredited by the Association of Theological Schools (or an equivalent accrediting body outside the United States and Canada). In addition, applicants are required to have completed at least three years of full-time work in ministry with demonstrated superior professional performance; this work must have been completed after the applicant received the MDiv degree. To be considered for admission to the DMin program, applicants are required to supply the Office of Advanced Professional Studies with: • An application for admission, including a personal statement; • Certification of three years of experience in ministry after completion of the MDiv degree; • Official transcripts of all work completed after high school, sent directly from the appropriate institutions; and • Three letters of recommendation (on forms provided by Columbia): one academic reference from a seminary or other graduate school professor and two character references from persons who are familiar with the applicant’s ministry; in some cases, the associate dean for advanced professional studies may request a personal interview with the applicant. All DMin applicants for whom English is not their first language must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Internet-based test (iBT), and the iBT TOEFL score must be from a test date that is two years or less from the date of application to Columbia Theological Seminary. A minimum total iBT TOEFL score of 86 is required, with the following minimum required scores in the areas: Reading 22; Listening 20; Speaking 20; and Writing 24. International applicants to the DMin program must first contact the International Programs Office (intlprog@ctsnet.edu) for application information. Transfer Credit With prior approval from the Office of Academic Affairs, a student may receive up to 6 hours of transfer credit from another ATS accredited institution. Each course must be at the advanced degree level and the grade must be at least a B (3.0 on a scale of 4.0). Independent studies and enhanced basic degree courses will not be considered for transfer credit. A course submitted for advanced standing must have been taken no more than five years before entrance into the program. Students may not receive credit for academic work applied toward another degree.

Doctor of Educational Ministry Aims of the Program The goal of the Doctor of Educational Ministry degree program is to enhance the practice of and theological reflection on educational ministry for persons who hold their first professional degree in religious education or its equivalent and have en¬gaged in educational ministry leadership for at least three years of full-time service in the practice of Christian educational ministry after their studies. Persons from other countries may be eligible to apply, and in certain instances, be admitted. The program affords a course of graduate study for educators who serve the people of God in the Church of Jesus Christ. The program focuses on (a) an advanced understanding of the nature and purposes of educational ministry, (b) enhanced capacity to reflect theologically on issues and practices related to educational ministry, (c) acquisition and refinement of skills and competencies for more effective ministry, (d) an understanding of emerging models in educational ministry and ability critically to evaluate those models, and (e) continued growth in spiritual maturity.

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Degree P ro g r a m s and

A d m i ss i o n s continued

The Doctor of Educational Ministry program provides advanced-level study of the theological, educational, and administrative disciplines including: • An advanced and critical study of Christian formation from theological and historical perspectives as well as behavioral and social science perspectives; • An advanced and critical study of organizational and leadership development, and the social contexts for ministry; • An advanced and critical study of educational theory and practice as it relates to congregational and other ministry contexts; and • The development of skills and competencies necessary for research, planning, and evaluation of the practice of educational ministry in congregations or other settings. The program also provides a variety of learning opportunities, including: • Peer learning and evaluation as well as self-directed learning experiences; • Significant interdisciplinary learning experiences that provide integration of theological understanding and ministerial practice, require thoughtful use of the student’s ministerial context as a learning environment, and cultivate reflective practice of educational ministry; • Opportunities for personal and spiritual growth; and • Opportunities to learn how to engage in educational ministry in culturally and racially diverse contexts. Like the DMin program, the DEdMin program includes the design and completion of a doctorallevel project. Such a project addresses the nature and practice of educational ministry and should be of sufficient quality that it contributes both to the student’s and the profession’s understandings of the practice of educational ministry. The ministry project demonstrates the candidate’s ability, under supervision, to identify an educational ministry need, organize and carry out research methods that address that need, interpret the data, and implement and evaluate any ministry model that emerges from the research. While the first reader for the report will likely be one of the faculty members in Christian education, the second reader must come from outside the field of Christian education. Columbia also requires a public presentation, in which the candidate demonstrates an advanced capacity to reflect theologically on the practice of educational ministry, to identify critical issues in the context of the ministry project, and to think constructively and imaginatively about the educational and administrative aspects of congregational life and other contexts of educational ministry practice. DE d M i n P r o g r a m A d m i n i s t r at i o n The DEdMin program operates under the supervision of Columbia’s Advanced Degrees Committee and is administered by the associate dean for advanced professional studies. Students enter the program through an introductory seminar offered at Columbia. Students may also take courses in other schools of the ATA. A dv i s i n g Each student is guided by an adviser who is one of the professors of Christian education. This assignment takes place after the introductory seminar. This adviser works with the student to develop a plan of study. When the student is ready to submit a proposal for his or her project, the adviser becomes the first reader and a second reader is chosen. The first and second readers comprise the doctoral committee that administers the qualifying examination, assists the student in developing a project proposal, and evaluates the student’s written project report.

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Components of the Program The forty-five hour program comprises: • I ntroductory Seminar (6 credit hours), required at the outset of the program. Students take part in an intensive seminar to explore educational theory and practice. • E ducational Core Courses (15 credit hours) are instrumental to the plan of study in the DEdMin program. These courses include 1) advanced study in the theology, history and philosophy of educational ministry, 2) advanced study in human development, 3) advanced study in curriculum theory and curriculum development, and 4) advanced study in teaching theory and teaching methods. • E lective Courses (9 credit hours). To fulfill the degree requirement of significant interdisciplinary learning experiences that provide integration of theological understanding and ministerial practice, students take three elective courses from the broader offering of DMin electives. Only one elective may be from the practical theology area. • D evelopment of a Curriculum Design (3 hours). An original curriculum design is produced, tested, and assessed by the student. • D octor of Educational Ministry Practicum (6 credit hours), a supervised activity in educational ministry. The practicum takes place outside the student’s ordinary work situation, providing new perspectives on self, theology, profession, and the needs and challenges of other persons and institutions. It can take place in settings as diverse as business, governmental, community, or church agencies where appropriate supervision and learning opportunities with peers are available. • P roject Development and Design Workshop (non-credit). Toward the end of the program coursework, each student participates in a project development and design seminar to foster integration and to prepare for qualifying examinations and subsequent project proposal development and writing. • D octor of Educational Ministry Project (6 credit hours). Elements of the course of study converge in the Doctor of Educational Ministry Project. The student must complete a project and a written project report that interprets this project to the seminary community and the larger church. So that the project can be an integrating focus for the entire course of study, students should start thinking about the proposal for the project early in the program. Ordinarily, students conduct the project in their own educational ministry setting. January 15 is the deadline for provisional approval of the written draft by the project committee; February 15 is the deadline for final completion of the project. Students enrolled in the Doctor of Educational Ministry degree program are required to request an extension if they have not completed the degree requirements within four years of the date of enrollment. The extension request must be sent to the registrar, indicating in the request an expected graduation date. When the request is approved an extension fee will be charged by the Business Office. R e q u i r e m e n t s f o r t h e D o c t o r o f E d u c at i o n a l M i n i s t r y D e g r e e To be eligible for graduation with the DEdMin degree, students are required to: • Have on file with the seminary a complete and official transcript of credits showing graduation with the first professional degree in religious education (or its equivalent) from an ATS accredited institution; • Satisfactorily complete all the requirements of the degree with a total of 45 credit hours within four years of the date of matriculation, 39 of which must be completed at Columbia; • Complete the Project Workshop; • Complete the DEdMin project; • Maintain a minimum overall grade point average of 3.00;

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Degree P ro g r a m s and

A d m i ss i o n s continued

• D emonstrate to the faculty that they have sustained a sound moral and religious character in seminary life and give promise of useful service in the ministry or other church vocations; and • Pay all bills to the seminary and give assurance that all open accounts in the community and elsewhere have been satisfied; students with education loans must agree to make prompt and regular payments. A d m i s s i o n t o t h e D o c t o r o f E d u c at i o n a l M i n i s t r y P r o g r a m Admission to the degree program requires the possession of an ATS-approved first professional degree in educational ministry (i.e., M.R.E., MACE, MA(TS) with a concentration in Christian education, MDiv with demonstrated coursework in educational ministry). Ministerial experience cannot be considered an alternative to or a substitute for the professional master’s degree in educational ministry, nor can other master’s degrees in education that do not have a comprehensive exposure to the theological disciplines. Applicants with appropriate course work may be considered eligible for advanced standing. Applicants for admission shall be required to demonstrate ability to engage in the practices of educational ministry, superior academic aptitude, and capacity both to contribute to the program and benefit by participation in it. Ordinarily, applicants are employed by or hold an official position in educational ministry throughout the duration of their enrollment in the degree program. To be considered for admission to the DEdMin program, applicants are required to supply the Office of Advanced Professional Studies with: • An application for admission, including a personal statement; • Certification of three years of experience in educational ministry after completion of the first professional degree; • Official transcripts of all degree program work completed after high school, sent directly from the appropriate institutions; and • Three letters of recommendation (on forms provided by Columbia): one academic reference from a seminary or other graduate school professor and two character references from persons who are familiar with the applicant’s ministry; in some cases, a professor of Christian education may request a personal interview with the applicant. All DEdMin applicants for whom English is not their first language must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Internet-based test (iBT), and the iBT TOEFL score must be from a test date that is two years or less from the date of application to Columbia Theological Seminary. A minimum total iBT TOEFL score of 86 is required, with the following minimum required scores in the areas: Reading 22; Listening 20; Speaking 20; and Writing 24. International applicants to the DEdMin program must first contact the International Programs Office (intlprog@ctsnet.edu) for application information. Transfer Credit With prior approval from the Office of Academic Affairs, a student may receive up to 6 hours of transfer credit from another ATS accredited institution. Each course must be at the advanced degree level and the grade must be at least a B (3.0 on a scale of 4.0). Independent studies and enhanced basic degree courses will not be considered for transfer credit. A course submitted for advanced standing must have been taken no more than five years before entrance into the program. Students may not receive credit for academic work applied toward another degree.

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Doctor of Theology in Pastoral Counseling The Doctor of Theology (ThD) degree is offered through the Atlanta Theological Association by Columbia, Candler School of Theology, and the Interdenominational Theological Center of Atlanta. Students register for courses at any of these three seminaries within the ATA, as well as intensive clinical training (normally at the Care and Counseling Center of Georgia in Atlanta), with at least one-third of the student’s courses taken through the student’s school of enrollment. The program of study is conducted jointly under the direction of the ThD Committee of the Atlanta Theological Association, comprised of full-time teaching faculty in pastoral theology, care, and counseling at Columbia, Candler, and ITC. The ThD Committee has responsibility for approving student admission to the program, establishing curriculum offerings, and certifying candidates for the awarding of the degree. Aims of the Program This program is unique among doctoral programs in the U.S. for its integration of theological, clinical, and research dimensions of the advanced study of pastoral theology and pastoral psychotherapy. Graduates receive in-depth education in psychodynamic, family systems, narrative and intercultural approaches to pastoral psychotherapy, together with training in pastoral theological methods and social science research. The program includes both academic coursework and clinical residency, and culminates in a dissertation. Graduates currently serve in a wide range of settings as pastoral counselors, chaplains, consultants, pastors in church settings, researchers, and seminary professors. The program is designed to prepare persons for the specialized ministry of pastoral counseling at a doctoral level of competence and for membership at the Clinical Member level in the American Association of Pastoral Counselors. With this training, graduates currently serve in a wide range of settings including pastoral counseling centers, chaplaincies, seminaries, congregations, and as consultants and researchers. There is also an option for coursework fulfilling academic requirements for licensure in the State of Georgia as a Marriage and Family Therapist. The ThD is comparable to the PhD, but it is designed for those whose vocation is primarily clinical and theological. Program of Study The studies included within the program help students gain an advanced understanding of appropriate theological and theoretical concepts. Students learn under qualified supervision the application of these concepts in pastoral counseling and how to promote professional integration of theory and skills in both pastoral counseling and pastoral guidance. In addition, students design and execute a research project appropriate to their own professional practice that gives evidence of their creative ability to contribute to this aspect of pastoral counseling. To receive the degree a student must complete 50 semester credit hours of academic and clinical practicum courses (21 core courses, 17 practicum courses, and 12 electives), pass both a Clinical Performance exam and five Qualifying exams, pass a comprehensive oral exam, and complete a dissertation. Course Work and Practicum Students will normally be in full-time coursework and residency for the first 21 months of the program, including the first summer. Clinical counseling residency normally takes place at the Care and Counseling Center of Georgia (CCCG) in Decatur, GA. Each student admitted to the program has one member of the pastoral counseling faculty as adviser.

23


Degree P ro g r a m s and

A d m i ss i o n s continued

E x a m i n at i o n s Following completion of all academic and practicum courses totaling 50 credits, and having earned a least a B average, the student will take a Clinical Performance exam (normally May of the second year), showing competency in counseling. Following the performance exam, students will prepare for five Qualifying Exams, covering therapeutic relationship and personality theory, marriage and family theory, pastoral theology, socio-cultural dimensions of pastoral counseling, and ecclesiological and ethical dimensions of pastoral counseling. The five written exams are followed by a comprehensive oral examination. D i s s e rtat i o n Following satisfactory performance in the qualifying examinations, students prepare a dissertation proposal in consultation with their advisor. Following approval of the dissertation proposal by their dissertation committee and the Institutional Review Board (IRB), students engage in the approved research project and write the dissertation. Timeframe Four to five years is a reasonable minimum timeframe for completion of all requirements for the degree on a full-time basis, depending on the student’s other work commitments. Students may negotiate to complete some of the degree requirements on a part-time basis, typically after completion of the first two years of the program. Students are required to complete all degree requirements within nine years. A d m i s s i o n t o t h e D o c t o r o f T h e o l o g y i n P a s t o r a l C o u n s e li n g P r o g r a m Persons seeking admission to this program must hold the Master of Divinity or equivalent degree with a superior academic record from an accredited institution and must have had post-seminary professional experience in which significant learning and professional promise were evident. In addition, the admission process requires the following: • Completed application form, including a statement of purpose and all other materials outlined in the application form; • Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended; • Three letters of reference and all supporting materials; • Official scores on the verbal, quantitative, and analytical reading portions of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) taken within the last five years and sent directly to Columbia Theological Seminary. The institutional code for Columbia is R5118; • Significant supervised experience in Clinical Pastoral Education (usually not less than four units—a basic unit plus a year-long residency); • A sense of pastoral identity, preferably in pastoral ministry or grounded in a significant history of service in the church; • All ThD applicants for whom English is a second language must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Internet-based test (iBT), and the iBT TOEFL score must be from a test date that is two years or less from the date of application to Columbia Theological Seminary. A minimum total iBT TOEFL score of 95 is required, with a minimum required score of 21 in each of the four sub-areas. The deadline for receipt of all application materials is January 15 of the year for which fall semester admission is requested. After a review of submitted materials, finalists will be invited to an interview with the entire ThD committee in February. For more information, or to request application materials, please contact the Office of Admissions at admissions@ctsnet.edu. International applicants to the ThD program must first contact the International Programs Office (intlprog@ctsnet.edu) for application information.

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Transfer of Credit for ThD Students In planning the student’s program with her/his adviser or ThD program director, a student may request credit for work done prior to entry under the following guidelines: • Credit for prior academic and/or clinical training must be approved by the ThD Committee, in conversation Office of Academic Affairs at Columbia. All transfer credit must have been done at a PhD or ThD level and a grade of B or better must have been given for the prior coursework. The student must be able to show that the work is relevant to the ThD program. The course work normally can be no older than five years old. No more than 12 credit hours may be transferred from either an earned degree or from other course work. All classroom work transferred in will be counted as elective credit. In the case of clinical practicum work, a student may receive credit for practicum work that was done in conjunction with licensure, clinical work for another degree, or prior enrollment at the Care and Counseling Center of Georgia’s practicum program. No more than 8 credit hours will be awarded for this work and will be credited toward the basic practicum requirement. The student would be enrolled for the remaining 9 hours of practicum work at the advanced residency level. • Credit for work done after entry into the program at schools and agencies not related to the ATA may be transferred to fulfill requirements for the ThD degree under the following guidelines: — Prior to registration for a course for which credit is to be transferred, the student must have written permission of his/her adviser or the ThD program director and the Office of Academic Affairs at the student’s school of enrollment. — The student pays his/her own fees to the school where such work is done at institutions not related to the ATA. The number of credits to be allowed within this limitation is, in each instance, subject to the approval of the respective ATA school. A limit of 12 semester hours is placed upon any work done at institutions not related to the ATA whether earned prior to enrollment or during enrollment in the program. All work transferred in will be credited as elective courses.

Application Information for International Students and Exchange Visitors All international applicants are expected to have the written recommendation of their denomination. A statement of the applicant’s plans for future work in the applicant’s home country is also required. In order to matriculate for a course for credit, internationals students must hold either a valid F1 or J1 non-immigrant student visa. All applicants for whom English is not their first language must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Internet-based test (iBT), and submit an iBT TOEFL score from a test date that is two years or less from the date of application to Columbia Theological Seminary before admission and enrollment for credit can be attained. Those applicants seeking admission to basic degree programs (MAPT, MA[TS], and MDiv) must score at least 220 (computer format), 550 (written format), or 76 (internet format) with minimum scores in the following areas: Reading 22; Listening 16; Speaking 16; and Writing 22. Applicants seeking admission to advanced degree programs (ThM, DEdMin, DMin) must present an iBT TOEFL score of 86, with the following minimum required scores in the areas: Reading 22; Listening 20; Speaking 20; and Writing 24. Applicants to the ThD program must present a minimum total iBT TOEFL score of 95, with a minimum required score of 21 in each of the four sub-areas. The Columbia institutional code for reporting the TOEFL score is 5118.

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Degree P ro g r a m s and

A d m i ss i o n s continued

Columbia has a very limited number of scholarships for international students and those are awarded through arrangements with specific theological institutions around the world. International students may, at the time of application to Columbia, submit a scholarship application and they may be eligible for Columbia financial aid awards. However, students must be prepared to cover the expenses involved while engaged in study at Columbia. Therefore, upon admission, and before the visa application process can begin, persons must show proof of adequate financial resources to cover costs which include, but are not limited to, tuition, fees(including but not limited to activity program, and graduation fees), textbooks, health insurance, travel, and living expenses for the entire period of study in the United States. The required form I-20, form DS-2019, and other visa documents will not be issued until this financial information has been received and verified. ALL international students and accompanying family members are required to carry health insurance which meets the standards of the U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Service. No applicant should come to Atlanta until he or she has received a formal letter of admission to the program from the Admissions Committee and the required form I-20 or form DS-2019. Prospective international applicants should contact the Admissions Office (admissions@ctsnet.edu) for application materials and additional information.

Special Students and Auditors Those who meet requirements for admission to a basic degree program but do not wish to work toward a degree may enroll as special student and take courses for credit. Those who do not meet the requirements for admission to a basic degree program may be admitted as an unclassified student. Unclassified students are admitted for a limited number of courses as determined by the Office of Admissions. Special students may be enrolled for an approved course of study over a specified time period determined by the Office of Academic Affairs. All applicants for whom English is a second language must pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) before admission and enrollment for credit can be attained. Those seeking admission as either an unclassified or special student must score at least 220 (computer format), 550 (written format), or 76 (internet format) with minimum scores in the following areas: Reading 22; Listening 16; Speaking 16; and Writing 22. An application form may be obtained from the CTS website. Students from other institutions of theological education who want to take courses for credit at Columbia can enroll as a special student. Their application must include either a letter of good standing from their home registrar or an official transcript of work completed at their home institution. It is the responsibility of the student to determine the transferability of Columbia’s credit to his or her home institution. Columbia students, spouses of students, and other members of the community are invited to audit courses with the permission of the instructor and the Office of Academic Affairs when space permits. Auditors must register for courses with the registrar. Auditors are advised to follow the following procedures: • Request a class schedule from the registrar; • Select the class to be audited; • Secure permission from the professor of that class • Secure permission from the registrar The cost for auditing a course is one-half the tuition for the course. Full-time basic degree students may audit a course may audit a course in the Fall and Spring semesters for no charge pending the professor’s and registrar’s permissions.

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Housing

and

F i n a n c i a l I n f o r m at i o n

Housing Columbia’s housing is reserved for full-time basic degree students. The Office of Admissions distributes housing application forms to applicants when they are accepted. Students should apply for housing as early as possible following their acceptance and should direct all inquiries about housing to the Business Office. Housing for Single Students Columbia’s two residence halls, Florida Hall and the New Residential Hall, are designed for single students and contain both single rooms and suites. In both halls, furnished and unfurnished suites consist of two rooms and a private bath. Efficiency apartments in both halls are available to single students if these units have not been assigned to married students. Occupation of the New Residential Hall for single students began in summer 2009. This building contains one-bedroom apartments for singles, as well as two and four-bedroom apartments that can be shared by full-time students. There are also a number of suites and studios. All of these units have private bathrooms (one per each bedroom). The apartments have full kitchens. The suites have kitchen sinks, small refrigerators, and microwave ovens. Students who live in single rooms and suites are required to participate in Columbia’s standard board plan (fifteen meals per week). H o u s i n g f o r M a r r i e d S t u d e n t s w i t h o u t C h il d r e n While married students without children are welcome to live in the residence hall suites, most prefer to reside in the efficiency apartments, which include cooking facilities. Married students without children are also eligible for either one or two bedroom apartments on a secondary priority basis (married with children have first priority). Students who reside in efficiencies are not required to participate in the standard board plan. H o u s i n g f o r S t u d e n t s w i t h C h il d r e n One-to-four-bedroom apartments are available for students with children. Most of these apartments are equipped with washer/dryer hook-ups. Columbia does not provide refrigerators in these apartments. Housing for Students with Special Needs Columbia has a small number of older housing units that are accessible to persons with physical limitations. The entire new residential hall is also accessible. L e a s e A g r e e m e n t a n d P ay m e n t A student who has entered into a lease agreement for a seminary housing unit for a term, but who has not yet occupied the unit, is responsible for payment in full unless written notice that the unit will not be used is given to the vice president for business and finance at least two weeks before the first day of classes. In that case, no rent will be charged for that term. In other cases, a refund amount may be given upon the initiative of Columbia.

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Housing

Hospitalization Insurance

and

Financial I n f o r m at i o n continued

Basic degree students are required to carry some form of hospitalization insurance acceptable to the seminary. Presbyterian students who are inquirers or candidates of their presbyteries’ Committees on Preparation for Ministry are eligible to participate in the major medical plan of the Board of Pensions of the Presbyterian Church (USA). Students holding J or F visa status (and their J-2 or F-2 dependents in the United States) and enrolled in any program of the seminary are required to carry health insurance which meets the minimum standards set by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Once a student is accepted and confirms his or her intention to enroll, the student (and accompanying dependents) must either enroll in health insurance offered through the International Programs Office to be effective upon student’s arrival in the U.S. or provide the International Programs Office at the beginning of each semester documentation certifying that he/she and accompanying dependents carry health insurance which meets the minimum standards set by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Insurance purchased through the International Programs Office is renewed each semester and remains in effect as long as the student is enrolled at the seminary. Cost of insurance premium is billed to the student’s CTS student account.

Financial Aid The seminary grants financial aid to eligible full-time basic degree students using the seminary‘s financial aid policies to determine need. Students apply for financial aid by completing Columbia‘s financial aid application, which includes an estimate of their income and expenses. Applicants must complete the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) form on the web. The difference between a student’s income and expenses is established using Columbia’s expense norms and documented costs of some items. This constitutes the financial need of the student. After financial need is calculated, financial aid is awarded in the form of work-study and a grant at the maximum allowable amount. If a scholarship is awarded, a student may apply for CTS financial aid if the student has remaining unmet need. The student will be awarded CTS need based financial aid up to the maximum that can awarded for a combination of scholarship and financial aid. Students who withdraw from the seminary or become part-time students (less than 9 credit hours for basic degree students) during a semester forfeit their right to financial aid for the term in which such action is taken. New students who plan to attend Greek School must submit the seminary’s financial aid application form and complete the FAFSA on-line by May 1. New students entering in the fall must submit the financial aid application form and the FAFSA by July 1. Returning students must submit the FAFSA on-line by April 22 and return the seminary’s financial aid application, along with any required verifications, by April 30. All students should submit applications as early as possible since awards are made as applications are received. Awards are contingent upon the availability of funds. Persons interested in more detailed information about the basic degree financial aid program offered by Columbia should contact the Financial Planning Office. F e d e r a l F a m ily E d u c at i o n L o a n P r o g r a m / W illi a m D. F o r d F e d e r a l D i r e c t L o a n P r o g r a m The seminary participates in the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program. The Direct Loan Program was authorized under the Health Care and Reconciliation Act of 2010. The program remains essentially the same as the Federal Family Education Loan Program relative to most regulations, loan

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originations and certifications. The changes have been related to the disbursement process and loan origination fees. The intent of the Direct Lending (DL) program is the provision of greater benefits to borrowers. As of July 1, 2012, graduate and professional students are no longer eligible to receive Direct Subsidized Loans. The unsubsidized loans offered under the DL program provide a preferable interest rate and delays repayment of loans until after the student graduates or enters less than half-time status. Columbia assists students with the application process by determining and certifying student loan eligibility, including certification of a student’s satisfactory academic progress as it relates to the course of study for which the monies are borrowed. Funds for DL loans are provided by the federal government. Applications for Direct Unsubsidized Loans at Columbia may be obtained from the Financial Planning Office To maintain eligibility for loans and deferment of prior loans, a student must continue enrollment in an eligible degree program, classified as at least half-time and be making satisfactory academic progress as determined by the seminary’s Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy. Copies of this policy are available from the registrar’s office and the Financial Planning Office and are published each year in the Student Handbook. When a student withdraws or drops below half-time status, he or she may no longer be eligible for the entire certified amount of a loan. Federal regulations require that, within thirty days of a change in eligibility, the seminary return the portion of the loan funds applied to fees (tuition, room, and board) for which the student is no longer eligible. The student will be billed for any resulting amount owed Columbia. Changes in enrollment status and financial assistance from other sources may also affect loan eligibility. F e d e r a l W o r k -S t u d y The federal work-study program is regulated under the Higher Education Act of 1965 and its subsequent amendments. Federal work-study funds provide some employment opportunities for students. Eligibility for these funds is determined according to the federal need-analysis formula. Availability of these funds is limited by the seminary’s annual allocation. Information pertaining to application procedures and policy regulations for federal work-study at Columbia may be obtained from the Financial Planning Office. V e t e r a n s A d m i n i s t r at i o n B e n e f i t s Certification for V.A. benefits is handled through the Office of Student Services.

Scholarships for Basic Degree Students C o l u m b i a S c h o l a r s h ip s Qualified women and men planning to attend Columbia are encouraged to apply for a Columbia Scholarship. This scholarship is for students entering into a basic degree program who have exhibited exceptional academic and leadership abilities during their undergraduate studies, as well as in community involvement and church commitments. The Admissions Committee may award up to five Columbia Scholarships per academic year. The scholarship covers tuition, room (at the lowest single student rate), and board. A Columbia Scholarship will be renewed up to the maximum credit hours for the program for which the award was originally made if the recipient maintains full-time status, retains a 3.50 cumulative grade point average, and continues to show outstanding potential for ministry.

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Housing and

Financial I n f o r m at i o n continued

A completed admissions application and scholarship application are required. Application is made through the Office of Admissions and must be received no later than March 15. Announcement of Columbia Scholarship awards will ordinarily be made by April 15. Those applying for Columbia Scholarships will automatically be considered for other scholarships if they are not awarded Columbia Scholarships. H o n o r S c h o l a r s h ip s A number of Honor Scholarships have been established at Columbia for full-time basic degree students. The Admissions Committee awards several scholarships annually to first year students on the basis of academic achievement, leadership in the church and on campus, and demonstration of outstanding promise for the ordained ministry. An Honor Scholarship covers tuition and fees for the academic year. The scholarship will be renewed up to the maximum credit hours for the program for which the award was originally made if the recipient maintains full-time status, retains a 3.30 cumulative grade point average, and continues to show outstanding potential for ministry. Application is made through the Office of Admissions. A completed admissions application and scholarship application are required. Applications must be received no later than March 15. Announcement of Honor Scholarship awards will ordinarily be made by April 15. Recipients who show need over and above an Honor Scholarship award may apply for Columbia’s need-based financial aid. Such financial aid will include a work-study assignment. D e a n s S c h o l a r s h ip s A number of Deans Scholarships are given each year to entering basic degree students who will be enrolled full time. These scholarships are awarded by the Admissions Committee on the basis of academic achievement, leadership ability, and potential for ministry. Deans Scholarships are not renewable. A recipient who shows financial need over and above a Deans Scholarship may also apply for Columbia’s need-based financial aid. Such financial aid will include a work-study assignment. M e r i t S c h o l a r s h ip s Merit Scholarships are awarded each year to returning full time basic degree students. The Basic Degrees Committee considers all returning students and makes the awards based upon GPA, number of credited hours earned, and the student’s course load, as well as demonstrated promise for ministry. Merit scholarships for returning students are also not renewable. A recipient who shows financial need over and above a Merit Scholarship award may also apply for Columbia’s need-based financial aid. Such financial aid will include a work-study assignment. R a c i a l /E t h n i c S c h o l a r s h ip s Eligible full-time basic degree students are awarded Racial/Ethnic Scholarships for the fall and spring semesters and extended spring term, based on self declarations of race and ethnicity. C o l u m b i a F r i e n d s h ip C i r c l e S c h o l a r s h ip s A number of scholarships are funded annually by the Columbia Friendship Circle. These scholarships are awarded to full time, PC(USA) MDiv degree students by the Basic Degrees Committee upon nomination by dean of students in consultation with the Financial Planning Office. The following criteria are used in making nominations: The student must be a second or third year student (fourth year if the student has been involved in a yearlong internship or dual degree program); have demonstrated both a strong commitment to God’s call and diligence in studies at Columbia; be a parent with family responsibilities; and have demonstrated financial need. Recipients who show need over and above the Columbia Friendship Circle Scholarship may be eligible for additional need-based financial aid. Such financial aid will include a work-study assignment with reduced work-study hours.

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Tuition, Fees, and Other Charges — Effective Summer Term 2015 Tuition and fees listed are for the 2015-2016 academic year and are subject to change annually. Tuition and fees represent only a small part of the cost of providing theological education. Most of the cost is met through gifts from individuals and churches and by endowment income. Also, other services to the student are provided on a subsidized basis. M a s t e r o f D i v i n i t y , M a s t e r o f A rt s i n P r a c t i c a l T h e o l o g y , M a s t e r (T h e o l o g i c a l S t u d i e s ) D e g r e e C a n d i d at e s

of

A rt s

Tuition

$428 $214

Per credit hour Audit fee per credit hour

Other Fees

$115 Student Fee (for each long term), full-time student $115 Student Fee (per year), part-time students enrolled in five year MDiv program. $347 I520 Alternative Context, Atlanta (plus 3 credit hour course fee) $1,194 I520 Alternative Context, Other U.S. (plus 3 credit hour course fee) $1,857 I520 Alternative Context, International (plus 3 credit hour course fee)

A d va n c e d D e g r e e C a n d i d at e s

and

N o n -D e g r e e S t u d e n t s

Tuition

$506 $253

Per credit hour Audit fee per credit hour

Supervised Ministry Fees

$1,027

SM610, SM780, SM781, SM782, SM783, SM787

Other Fees

$60 Advanced Degree Student Fee (annual) $40 Non-Degree Student Fee (annual) $1,374 I721, I723, I723 & P770 DMin & DEdMin Introductory Seminars (formerly ATA 401) $1,374 I735 DMin Doctoral Project (formerly ATA496) $1,374 P779 DEdMin Doctoral Project (formerly ATA496) $115 ATA497 & ATA499 ThD Research fee (ThD candidates only; does not apply to ThD students enrolled in courses) $330 ThM, DMin, and DEdMin extension fee $30 Thesis binding (per copy)

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Housing and

Financial I n f o r m at i o n continued

F o r A ll S t u d e n t s Other Fees

$65 Application fee $50 Late registration fee (does not apply to doctoral practicum and doctoral projects or to ThM thesis registration) $150 Commencement fee

Meal Plans

Full meal plan includes 15 meals per week. $824 Summer Greek School $1,635 Fall term $1,635 Spring term $367 Extended Spring term

July 6 – August 14 September 10 – December 23 January 11 – April 22 April 25 – May 10

Lunch plan includes Monday-Friday lunch only $312 Summer Greek School July 6 – August 14 $654 Fall term September 10 – December 23 $654 Spring term January 11 – April 22 $142 Extended Spring term April 25 – May 10 Housing When a housing option has two rates, the first is for unfurnished; the second, for furnished. Prices are per term unless otherwise indicated. Florida Hall

Singles (full meal plan required) $732 Summer Greek School $1,464 Fall or Spring term $366 Extended Spring term Suite (full meal plan required) $934 / 1,002 Summer Greek School $1,868 / 2,004 Fall or Spring term $467 / 501 Extended Spring term Efficiency Units (lunch plan required 1st year, optional year 2 and 3) $579 Standard (per month) $626 Exterior entrance (per month) New Residential Hall

Studio (full meal plan required 1st year, lunch plan year 2 and 3) $ 852 Summer Greek School $1,704 Fall or Spring term $426 Extended Spring term 1 Bedroom w/ Kitchenette (full meal plan required 1st year, lunch plan year 2 and 3) $1,036 / 1,104 Summer Greek School $2,072 / 2,208 Fall or Spring term $518 / 552 Extended Spring term

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1 Bedroom Apartment (lunch plan required 1st year, optional year 2 and 3) $644 / 680 Per month 2 Bedroom Apartment (meal plan optional) $750 / 782 Per month 2 or 4 Bedroom Shared Apartment (lunch plan required 1st year, optional year 2 and 3) $375 / 392 Per month per occupant Village Apartments (all unfurnished) $604 1 Bedroom, per month $632 / 682 2 Bedroom, per month $750 / 820 3 Bedrooms, per month $836 / 872 4 Bedrooms, per month P ay m e n t o f F e e s Tuition, fees, room, and board must be paid to the Business Office by the deadline set at the beginning of each term and are subject to change annually.

Refund Policies Tuition

Subject to the following schedule, students are entitled to refunds when they drop a course or withdraw from school with approval from the seminary. A course is considered dropped at the time the registrar receives written notice from the student requesting a course drop. A student is considered to have withdrawn from the seminary when a petition for withdrawal is approved by a seminary dean. Fall and spring term classes (full-term): By the end of the: First week 100% Second week 80% Third week 50% Fourth week 25% After fourth week 0% Courses six to seven weeks in duration: By the end of the: First week of class 100% Second week 50% Third week 25% After third week 0% Extended Spring classes and DMin and DEdMin Intensive courses: By the end of the: First day of class 100% Third day of class 50% After third day of class 0% • No refund of course supervision fees or of clinical pastoral education fees will be made. • No refund of Activity Fees will be made after completion of the second week in Fall or Spring Terms. • No refund of Exploration Program Fees will be made after the third day of class.

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Housing and

Financial I n f o r m at i o n continued

Room and Board A student who has entered into a lease agreement for a seminary housing unit for a term or semester is responsible for payment in full unless written notice that the unit will not be used is given to the vice president for business and finance at least two weeks before the first day of classes. In that case, a 100 percent refund will be made. In other cases, a refund amount may be given upon the initiative of the seminary. A minimum charge of one month’s rent will be assessed as a penalty for breaking a lease. A student who otherwise is required to be on the seminary’s board plan, but who has a sufficient medical reason for withdrawing from board status, may be granted a full refund if a written request is made to the vice president for business and finance at least one week before the first day of classes. The seminary’s vice president for business and finance determines the validity of an exemption from the board plan, in consultation with the seminary’s food service director. A student who withdraws or drops out of school must vacate seminary housing and cease using its dining facilities or be held liable for room and board charges beyond his or her last date of attendance. F i n a n c i a l A s s i s ta n c e A student who withdraws from the seminary or becomes a part-time student (less than 9 credit hours) forfeits any financial assistance (scholarships and financial aid) previously awarded for the term in which such action occurs.

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R e s o u rc e s

and

R e l at e d A c a d e m i c P r o g r a m s

The John Bulow Campbell Library The library’s collection includes over 195,000 books (both electronic and print), current print periodical subscriptions and numerous electronic subscriptions, 49,000 microforms, thousands of church records and archival collections, many media resources and databases selected to serve the changing landscape of theological education. The library participates in GALILEO (Georgia Library Learning Online), allowing access to over 170 additional databases for students and faculty. Library services include a continuously and professionally staffed central reference/circulation desk, e-mail reference help, computer workstations installed with Word, Adobe Pro and Bible Works, scanner/copier, and a wireless environment throughout the facility. The library space is designed with the current theological user in mind including a large quiet reading room, small and large individual study spaces, natural lighting, individual carrels, and group study spaces. The library’s membership in two primary consortia, the Atlanta Theological Association (ATA) and the Atlanta Regional Council for Higher Education (ARCHE), gives Columbia’s faculty and students free access to the libraries of twenty-seven other academic institutions in the Atlanta area, including five major research libraries and six other theological collections. T h e C. B e n t o n K li n e , J r . S p e c i a l C o ll e c t i o n s a n d A r c h i v e s The Special Collections and Archives area, named for Columbia’s fifth president, is the official repository for all seminary records and faculty books. Use of the collections by researchers is by appointment (Contact Archives@ctsnet.edu).

Related Academic Programs In addition to the basic and advanced degree programs, Columbia offers a wide variety of academic opportunities. Some of these are offered in relationship with other educational institutions; others are special emphases of Columbia. A t l a n ta T h e o l o g i c a l A s s o c i at i o n Through the Atlanta Theological Association (ATA), Columbia enjoys academic and professional affiliations with Candler School of Theology (Emory University), Erskine Theological Seminary, Interdenominational Theological Center, Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary and McAfee School of Theology (Mercer University). The association develops and coordinates educational programs and resources of these member institutions, which include approximately sixteen hundred students, two hundred faculty, and a combined library collection of 600,000 volumes. Among significant and promising cooperative endeavors, in addition to the Doctor of Theology degree program, are cross registration, sharing of faculty, library and lectureship resources, inter-seminary courses, and experimental programs in various academic disciplines and professional specializations. A t l a n ta R e g i o n a l C o n s o rt i u m f o r H i g h e r E d u c at i o n Columbia is a founding institution of the metropolitan Atlanta consortium of institutions of higher education (ARCHE). ARCHE’s mission is to provide member institutions with services that help expand educational opportunities, promote academic excellence, and foster cultural diversity for

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R e s o u rc e s and

R e l at e d Academic P ro g r a m s continued

students, faculty, and staff. To provide collaborative opportunities for member institutions to develop new resources and realize cost savings in ways that otherwise would not be available to members individually and to inform civic and business leaders and the general public of the direct and indirect ways in which higher education benefits the Atlanta region and the State of Georgia. C r o s s -R e g i s t r at i o n at A r e a S c h o o l s Columbia students may cross-register for courses at schools that belong to either the ATA or the ARCHE. Cross-registration forms are available in the registrar’s office at each school. Students may cross-register for a course on a space-available basis. Students may cross-register for a maximum of two courses per term, and the combined load may not exceed the full-time allowable load on the home campus. Students register and pay regular tuition and fees to the home institution. C r o s s -R e g i s t r at i o n at T h e o l o g i c a l I n s t i t u t i o n s o f t h e P r e s b y t e r i a n C h u r c h (USA) A policy of reciprocal cross-registration at the ten theological institutions of the Presbyterian Church (USA) is designed to strengthen the theological education of persons preparing for ministry in the denomination. This policy permits students registered in master’s degree programs to take courses at any of the other institutions without paying additional tuition. Tuition for a course is charged at the home institution. For additional information, contact the Office of Academic Affairs. C li n i c a l P a s t o r a l E d u c at i o n Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE), a firsthand learning experience under certified supervision, provides theological students and pastors with opportunities for intensive study of pastoral relationships. It seeks to make clear in understanding and practice the resources, methods, and meanings of the Christian faith as expressed through pastoral care. The Atlanta metropolitan region offers a wide variety of settings in which a student may seek placement. C e rt i f i c at e P r o g r a m s at G e o r g i a S tat e U n i v e r s i t y The Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University offers three certificate programs in the following areas: Nonprofit Management, Planning and Economic Development, and Disaster Management. With approval of the dean of faculty, a student may use four elective courses to pursue a certificate in one of the three areas. For information regarding the courses needed for each certificate, and procedures for enrolling in the certificate program, please contact either the Office of Academic Affairs or the Contextual Education Office. P a rt n e r s h ip w i t h t h e P r e s b y t e r i a n C h u r c h C a m p a n d C o n f e r e n c e A s s o c i at i o n Columbia has an official relationship with the Presbyterian Church Camp and Conference Association (PCCCA). This organization supports the camps and conference centers of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and The Presbyterian Church in Canada by equipping leaders for vibrant and sustainable ministries. In 2008, the seminary created a partnership with PCCCA in order to help prepare our students for ministries that include camps, conferences and retreats. The seminary is committed to providing a consistent schedule of courses in the field of camp and conference ministry. The P624 Camp/Conference Program and Administration course is currently offered during the Extended Spring term. Students also have the opportunity to attend courses offered through the Compass Points Certification Program. These classes are offered each spring and fall (on and off campus) in cooperation with the Center for Lifelong Learning. You can learn more about this certification program by going to www.compasspointsprogram.org.

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C e rt i f i c at i o n i n C h r i s t i a n E d u c at i o n Students can take courses leading to the certification in Christian education. Students interested should inquire with the Christian education professors.

Programs in Other Locations A ppa l a c h i a n M i n i s t r i e s E d u c at i o n a l R e s o u r c e C e n t e r Columbia is a member of the Appalachian Ministries Educational Resource Center (AMERC), a seminary consortium that facilitates contextualized theological education for students interested in the Appalachian region or rural ministry. Through its educational programs, , students have the opportunity to learn about Appalachia, its people and history, its values and religion, and its needs and issues for ministry. For information about AMERC courses, contact the Office of International Programs. N at i o n a l C a pi ta l S e m e s t e r f o r S e m i n a r i a n s Columbia is a participating institution in the National Capital Semester for Seminarians, organized by Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington, D.C. The program provides students an opportunity to spend a semester in Washington for study and involvement in the processes of government and the concerns of the Church. The design includes an interaction/reflection seminar, supervised study, and the opportunity to select other courses in Washington institutions. For detailed information, contact the Office of Academic Affairs.

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Columbia

in

S e rv i c e

to the

C h u rc h

and

I t s M i n i s t ry

The Center for Lifelong Learning Columbia Seminary serves as a theological resource to students within degree programs, to clergy, other church leaders and people of faith in the service of the Church. This mission includes the Center for Lifelong Learning which hosts a variety of learning events, on and off campus. These programs, single day to week-long classes, are designed to support participants’ spiritual, academic, professional, and personal growth, and the enrichment of the various ministries in which they serve. Among its many offerings are the Certificate in Spiritual Formation, the Certificate in Spiritual Direction, the Certificate in Older Adult Ministry, and its Pastoral Excellence Programs. Check the Lifelong Learning section of the seminary website for a full listing of program current programs and registration information.

International Theological Education Columbia is committed to the task of preparing students for ministry in a world that is expanding rapidly and where preoccupation with parochial concerns is no longer an option. A varied program of international education has emerged from serious, cross-cultural dialogue with church leaders in other parts of the world. Historically, more than sixty – five percent of the second year MDiv students have participated in one of Columbia’s international programs. These programs include: • An international component for the second year course, “Explorations: Alternative Context for Ministry.” Students may choose to take this course in an international setting. International placements are offered in Brazil, Central Europe, India, and Jamaica, with plans to add placements in Ghana and Korea in 2016-2017. • Supervised ministry placements for Columbia students in Caribbean, Ghanaian, Kenyan, Korean, and South African churches under the supervision of experienced local pastors. • Educational exchange programs and internships in the Czech Republic, England, Hungary, Jamaica, Kenya, Korea, and South Africa, with plans to add exchange programs in Ghana and India. • A Doctor of Ministry program located at the United Theological College of the West Indies. Many of the classes are held at the CTS DMin extension site in Kingston, Jamaica. • International students, faculty, and pastors working and studying on the Columbia campus. • Two week DMin and DEdMin travel seminars to China, Korea, South Africa, and Switzerland, with plans to offer travel seminars in Cuba, Ghana, and Palestine. • Pilgrimages to the Holy Land. For further information, write to the International Programs Coordinator (intlprog@ctsnet.edu).

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Community Life Many networks of relationships and organizations, both formal and informal, shape community life at Columbia. The life of the seminary is as easily celebrated over a cup of coffee as it is in the ceremony of graduation. The following paragraphs briefly describe some of the structured events and organizations in which students participate during the academic year.

Yearly Schedule The academic year is composed of two long semesters of fourteen weeks each and a short intensive term and a summer term. Fall semester runs from September to mid-December and Spring semester begins mid-January and concludes in late April or early May. Following Spring semester is the three week intensive term named Extended Spring. During the Summer Term, the seminary offers supervised ministry experiences, a limited number of basic degree courses, an six-week course in beginning Greek, and a four-week summer session designed primarily for advanced professional degree students and ministers interested in continuing education.

Orientation All entering basic degree students and international students are required to attend an orientation program that occurs during the days preceding the regular opening of the seminary in the fall. It offers an opportunity for new students to become acquainted with each other, with student body leaders, and with members of the faculty. Entering students receive notification of their faculty advisors at this time, and have an opportunity to meet and consult with them. The Student Handbook is distributed to all entering basic degree students and international students. This handbook contains policies and practices that pertain to student life at the seminary. Assessment tests are administered to help new and transfer students understand how their particular educational backgrounds and experiences have prepared them for theological education. All transfer students must come to the Office of Academic Affairs during orientation so that their previous course work is officially transferred in and a plan for their work at Columbia can be established. Returning basic degree students are also required to participate in orientation which includes activities such as placement assistance and procedures, preparation for ordination exams, orientation to the Mid-Course Assessment process, and consultation with faculty advisers.

Community Worship and Convocations The seminary community gathers for worship four days each week to express its thanksgiving for and need of God’s grace, to hear God’s word, and to pray for the church and the world. Students, faculty, staff, and invited guests lead worship for the community. The sacrament of the Lord’s Supper is celebrated each Friday. Wednesday forums provide an alternative to the traditional worship service. Forums offer the Columbia community opportunities to consider significant issues for the church in the world, to be exposed to persons from other traditions and parts of the earth, or to be directed in spiritual formation. Several times during the year, the seminary community gathers for convocations and other special services. At opening convocation in the fall and at commencement each spring, students are recognized for outstanding academic work and for service to the church through the presentation of awards, prizes, and fellowships. Descriptions of these awards are on the following pages.

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Community Life continued

Awards and Prizes Through the gifts of alumni/ae and friends of the seminary, several prizes and awards have been established to recognize the outstanding academic achievements of students. The Wilds Book Prize was established by Louis T. Wilds of Columbia, South Carolina, in 1917. In 1992, an addition to the fund was made by Mary Scott Wilds Hill, Annie Edmunds Wilds McLeod, Murphey Candler Wilds, and their children in memory of their parents and grandparents, Laura Candler Wilds and Louis T. Wilds, Jr. The fund provides a cash award to the graduating MDiv student selected by the faculty for the highest distinction in his or her academic work over the entire seminary program. The Lyman and Myki Mobley Prize in Biblical Scholarship has been established in memory of Donald Lyman Mobley ‘77 and Myki Powell Mobley (Candler School of Theology ‘77). A cash award is given each year to the student or faculty member doing exemplary work in the field of biblical scholarship as it relates to the worship and work of the church. The Paul T. Fuhrmann Book Prize in Church History was established in 1962 by an alumnus of the seminary to honor the late Dr. Paul T. Fuhrmann, former professor of church history. The cash award is made annually to the student who has shown the most outstanding achievement in church history. The Florrie Wilkes Sanders Prize in Theology is given by the family of Florrie Wilkes Sanders of Atlanta, Georgia. A cash award is given each year to the student presenting the best paper showing sound theological scholarship and relevance to the needs of Christian people in the contemporary world. Special attention is given to papers relating theology to the education, professions, and avocations of laypersons. The Emma Gaillard Boyce Memorial Award is made annually by the Rev. David Boyce, an alumnus of the seminary, in honor of his mother, a devoted music teacher, choir director, church musician, and minister’s wife. A cash prize is awarded to the student writing the best paper on the creative use of music in worship. Abdullah Awards of two types are made available each year by the Rev. Gabriel Abdullah, an alumnus of the seminary. The cash prizes are for the best paper setting forth a plan for the teaching of Bible in the public schools; the second is for the best paper designing a program for the development of moral and spiritual values. The Julia Abdullah Award is made available each year by the Rev. Gabriel Abdullah, an alumnus of the seminary. The cash prize is for the best paper on the subject, “How to make the church school hour the most interesting hour of the week.” The Indiantown Rural Church Award was established by the family of Mr. and Mrs. R. W. Stuckey in their honor to highlight the work of ministry in rural congregations. The cash prize is awarded annually to an MDiv student who has done outstanding ministry in a rural congregation. The Ludwig Richard Max Dewitz Biblical Studies Award is a cash award given to the basic degree student who prepared the best Old Testament exegesis during the academic year. A judging committee of professors of Old Testament nominates a person to the faculty for election. The Samuel A. Cartledge Biblical Studies Award is given to the basic degree student who prepared the best New Testament exegesis during the academic year. A cash award is given along with a copy of the Greek New Testament. A judging committee of professors of New Testament nominates a person to the faculty for election. The Presbyterian Women of the Presbytery of St. Andrew Preaching Award is a cash award given for the best sermon preached by a student during the academic year. James T. and Celeste M. Boyd Book Fund Award is presented to a graduating senior as a means of encouraging and helping establish a personal theological library of books and resources.

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The C.Virginia Harrison Memorial Fund Award is presented to a rising senior who is conscientious, responsible, hardworking, and in need of financial assistance. The president, in consultation with the secretary to the president, selects the recipient of this award. The Robert Ramey, Jr. Christian Leadership Award is given to a graduating senior who shows promise of providing outstanding leadership to the church. The recipient will have demonstrated unusual leadership qualities at Columbia as well as spiritual depth and integrity. The William Dudley Fund Award is a cash prize presented to two Master of Divinity seniors who have evidenced achievement and interest in, and commitment to, evangelism and church growth. The award is to be used within a five-year period for continuing education or graduate study in evangelism and church growth at Columbia. The Harold J. Riddle Memorial Book Award is presented to one or more seniors, selected by the faculty in consultation with the pastoral care faculty, who show highest distinction in the field of pastoral care, especially in the area of terminally ill patients. The Florie S. Johnson Award was established by the family of Florie S. Johnson in memory of their mother, who was a devoted teacher committed to lay ministry through the Church of Jesus Christ. The award is given to a senior who presents the best paper setting forth a plan for pastoral care to the aging and who shows promise of providing such ministry in a parish setting. The George and Sally Telford Award is designed to recognize each year an outstanding graduate in the Doctor of Ministry program. The award will be granted to a graduating DMin student who shows exceptional ability for congregational leadership with an emphasis on social justice issues and vision for the church. The Toms-McGarrahan Award is given by the John Calvin Presbyterian Church in Louisville, Kentucky, to honor Eunice McGarrahan’s leadership in the Worship and Theology Unit of the Presbyterian Church, USA, and her father the Reverend Russell Toms, a ‘51 graduate of Columbia. This award is given to one graduating PC(USA) MDiv student annually as nominated by the combined theology and worship faculty of Columbia Theological Seminary. This student must have passed the Theology and Worship sections of the PC(USA) Ordination Exams on their first attempt. The William Rivers Waddey Award in Youth Ministry was established by Walter and Cecilia Waddey in memory of their son William, who was an active and vital part of the youth program at Peachtree Presbyterian Church. The award is given to a student who shows promise and commitment to a call in youth ministry upon graduation and ordination, as well as an understanding of the profound impact that strong youth leadership can have on the individual, the community, and the Church of Jesus Christ. The John Nelsen Award is given for the best Doctor of Ministry project focusing on scripture in aiding the transformation of the Doctor of Ministry student’s congregation into a missional church. The award is given by Dan Winn Jr. in honor of his friend and counselor, John Nelsen, MDiv, DMin, Princeton Theological Seminary and pastor of University Presbyterian Church, El Paso, Texas, who for 25 years has devoted his ministry to challenging, sustaining, and transforming congregations. The missional church has been his primary focus for several years. The Dabney and Tom Dixon Creation Care Preaching Award was established in 2013 by Dabney and Tom Dixon. A cash prize is awarded to the student who prepares the best sermon that addresses the intersections of the Bible, the Church, and environmental concerns (e.g. sustainability, resilience, water, land, energy, climate change, food, communicable disease).

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Community Life continued

Graduate Fellowships Each year the seminary awards one or more fellowships to outstanding graduates completing one of the basic degrees. The purpose of these fellowships is to recognize superior intellectual achievement demonstrated during the course of the regular seminary program and to provide a modest support for graduate work beyond the first theological degree. Fellowships must be used toward an accredited advanced master’s degree or doctoral graduate degree program in which the recipient engages in the scholarly pursuit of an academic or professional theological discipline. The Harvard A. Anderson Fellowship was established in 1983 by the Rev. and Mrs. Harvard A. Anderson of Orlando, Florida. This fellowship is awarded to the graduate determined by the faculty to have the greatest potential for future academic achievement. The Fannie Jordan Bryan Fellowships were established through a generous legacy left to Columbia by the late Mrs. Fannie Jordan Bryan of Columbia, South Carolina. The Columbia Graduate Fellowships were initiated by the Class of 1941. The Anna Church Whitner Memorial Fellowships are given periodically from a legacy left to the seminary in 1928 by the late William C. Whitner of Rock Hill, South Carolina, in memory of his mother. Emma Gaillard Boyce Graduate Fellowship was established by the Rev. David Gaillard Boyce, an alumnus of the seminary, in honor of his mother. It is awarded to a graduating senior or clergyperson who enrolls in a graduate program of music and/ or worship.

Placement Columbia’s students seeking a call find a wide range of ministry options available to them at graduation. While the majority of basic degree graduates accept calls to congregational ministries, others discover that their gifts and interests lead them into different avenues of Christian service to the church and world. These avenues include further graduate study in one of the traditional theological disciplines; Clinical Pastoral Education and focused study in the art and science of pastoral care; work in international missions; service in a social ministry agency; chaplaincy in hospitals, schools, or the military services; campus ministry; teaching; and ministry in denominational staff positions. A comprehensive placement program helps students explore their ministerial options. Workshops assist students as they prepare for denominational exams, compose personal information forms, prepare for interviews, negotiate calls, and plan for continuing education. Columbia maintains close ties with congregations seeking pastors and other calling agencies. Announcements are posted regarding a wide variety of ministry opportunities. Individual personal information forms are sent to congregations and agencies that request them. Each year many pastor nominating committees come to campus to interview seniors. As a result of these efforts, graduates ordinarily receive calls in a timely manner. However, while Columbia can provide the resources and consultation, responsibility for placement after graduation lies with the student.

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Curriculum

and

Courses

The teaching program at Columbia is arranged in four areas: Biblical, Historical-Doctrinal, Practical Theology, and Supervised Ministry. Interdisciplinary courses, which combine studies in two or more of these areas, are also taught in the degree programs. While classroom instruction is foundational to all degree programs, the goal is to equip students to continue their education independently. The resources of the library, the structure of course work, and independent study courses encourage realization of that goal. Biblical Area studies seek to provide students with the necessary skills and tools to interpret the Bible with faithfulness, integrity, and imagination for a world that is much different from that in which the books of the Bible were written. To this end, Biblical Area courses focus on the languages (Hebrew and Greek), history, cultures, and worldviews of the ancient Mediterranean peoples, in order to clarify how the Bible spoke to those to whom it was first addressed. At the same time, Biblical Area courses give students the opportunity to practice appropriate and creative means of hearing Scripture anew today, in our own cultural and historical contexts, so that it may continue to speak to us and to our world in fresh and powerful ways. Historical-Doctrinal Area studies help students understand the past as a means of comprehending the present. Students engaged in these studies also struggle to form their own theology and to discover what it means to be Christian today. Since Columbia stands within a Reformed tradition, historicaldoctrinal studies are concerned not only with right thinking, but also with the relation of Christian faith and doctrine to all arenas of life. Therefore, studies in this area engage students in consideration of the social, political, economic, and cultural life of today in the United States and across the world. In historical-doctrinal studies students acquire the tools they will need throughout their lives for dealing theologically with themselves and the world around them, tools that will enable graduates to lead the church in a prophetic and reconciling way as it works out its mission in the world. Practical Theology Area studies center on the functioning of the theologian as a minister with a concern to train students to be ministers and to lead other persons in ministering. Studies in this area consider the dynamics of the minister’s role as pastor, evangelist, leader of worship, preacher, teacher, counselor, and administrator. Since the shape of the ministry of tomorrow is not fully known, these studies seek to train students to understand the issues involved, to help them see their own strengths and weaknesses, and then to develop a flexibility that will enable them to take their biblical and theological understanding and deal with whatever issues they face during their ministry. Supervised Ministry serves an integrative function for the curriculum. Students are involved in the actual practice of ministry under competent supervision. Through experiential, relational, and inductive learning, students explore the forms, styles, contents, and concepts of ministry and put into practice what they have learned through studies in the biblical, historical-doctrinal, and practical theology areas. These studies are integrated with the practice of ministry and personhood of each student. ATA courses are the courses offered in the doctoral level ThD program offered through the Atlanta Theological Association. The offerings reflect both required and elective courses in the program. In most cases, these courses are offered in conjunction with Candler School of Theology and the Interdenominational Theological Center and will be taught by faculty from the member schools.

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Curriculum and

Courses continued

Courses of Instruction The following pages provide representative illustration of the courses taught by the faculty of Columbia. The registrar publishes the specific course offerings in the preceding spring each year. Copies are available in the Office of Academic Affairs and on the web. The faculty reserves the right to modify individual course requirements within a degree program. Such changes will be effective the next time such courses are offered or at a later date as determined by the faculty. Degree programs and their major requirements will remain unchanged for students entering that program, but changes may be made at any time to be effective for all entering students in the next academic year. The letter in the course designation is determined by the area in which it is offered: B for Biblical; HD for Historical-Doctrinal; P for Practical Theology; I for Interdisciplinary; and SM for Supervised Ministry. Courses whose numbers are prefaced by ATA are offered by the Atlanta Theological Association and not reflected in the numbering system below. For Columbia courses, the hundred’s digit refers to whether the course is a required course for a degree program or whether it is an elective course. • 500s are required courses in one of the basic degree programs • 6 00s are elective courses for basic degree students, those numbered 650 and above typically requiring prior work in the area • 700s are required courses for advanced degree programs • 800s are elective courses for advanced degree programs A current list of courses can be found at www.ctsnet.edu.

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Biblical Area Faculty: Brennan Breed, William P. Brown, Elizabeth Johnson, Raj Nadella, Stanley P. Saunders, Christine Roy Yoder

B501 Essentials of Greek Johnson, Nadella Provides intensive study of the essentials of Koine Greek grammar, syntax, and vocabulary preparatory to reading the Greek New Testament. 3 credits B505 Introductory Biblical Hebrew Bonfiglio (adjunct) Introduces the essentials of Hebrew grammar, syntax, and vocabulary preparatory to study of the Hebrew Old Testament. 3 credits B520, B521 Old Testament Interpretation I & II Breed, Yoder This two-semester course (Parts I and II) studies the diverse literature of the Old Testament, considers the historical and cultural contexts of the ancient world that produced it, introduces critical methods of biblical interpretation, and highlights the significance of the Old Testament for Christian faith. 3 credits each semester 6 credits B530, B531 New Testament Interpretation I & II Nadella, Saunders This two-semester course (Parts I and II) introduces the content and major forms of the New Testament documents, the contexts, history and development of earliest Christianity, and the basic skills of New Testament exegesis. 3 credits for each semester 6 credits B601 Proverbs: Wisdom for an Uncertain World Yoder Engages in exegesis of the book of Proverbs, with particular attention to the book`s rhetorical strategies, worldview claims about the self, community, and theological perspectives. Considers ways in which the book may be read as a theological-ethical whole, and how it may inform faith communities today. 3 credits B603 The Bible and Literary Theories Breed Explores the Bible in light of post-structuralist thought, especially the concepts of difference, presence and repetition. Examines the work of Ferdinand de Saussure, Michel Foucault, Jacques Derrida, Catherine Malabou, Homi Bhabha, Henry Louis Gates, Hazel Carby, and Gilles Deleuze. 3 credits

B605 Genesis Yoder Explores the book of Genesis, paying particular attention to its ancient Near Eastern contexts, narrative and character development, and theological perspectives. Considers modern interpretive approaches to Genesis, the lasting influence of the book on Western art and literature, and interpretations and uses of the book in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. 3 credits B606 Song of Songs Yoder Interprets Song of Songs, with particular attention to the book’s rhetorical strategies, theological significance, and roles in Jewish and Christian liturgies. Considers ways in which the poetry and passion of Song of Songs may inform faith communities today. 3 credits B613 Sex, Celibacy, and Siblings Johnson An exploration of the ways early Christians use kinship language and metaphors to talk about themselves, their relationships, and the God they worship in Jesus Christ. Includes examination of New Testament texts that employ family imagery and texts that discuss family life in the context of the contemporary culture wars about families and family values. 3 credits B620 The Ten Commandments Bonfiglio This course offers an in-depth analysis of the meaning, historical context, and theological significance of the Decalogue. Special attention will be given to their development in biblical theology, reception in popular culture, and on-going relevance to Christian faith and practice. 3 credits B622 Creation, Eschatology, and Ecology Saunders What resources (and problems) does the NT offer for Christians seeking to develop a theological framework for responding to our ecological crises? Does the NT view of salvation focus only on individual human souls, or also on the creation? This course explores especially the development of the Biblical stories of creation and fall (Genesis 1–4) in the New Testament and early Christianity, both in relation to the story of Jesus and the content of eschatological hope. 3 credits

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Curriculum and

Courses: Biblical Area continued

B625 Luke — Acts Seminar Allen (adjunct) A study of the Lukan corpus utilizing critical exegetical methods. Special attention will be given to the themes of reversal, community, and salvation particularly as they relate to social justice issues. Greek is recommended but not required. 3 credits B630 The Bible and Visual Art Breed Examines the role of images within the Old and New Testaments, as well as the history of Christian and Jewish visual representations of biblical texts. Analyzes selected images that crystallize different theologies of images and modes of biblical interpretation. Considers various theological and hermeneutical frameworks that undergird these images. Students will learn how to interpret Jewish and Christian art and will develop a theological perspective on the use of visual art in the contemporary Church. 3 credits B651 Prophets, Psalms, and the Power of Metaphors Bonfiglio (adjunct) Analyzes the Hebrew text of Psalms and various Prophets with special attention to the function of metaphorical language. Attention will be given to literary theory, cognitive linguistics, and ancient Near Eastern iconography. Hebrew (B505/B222) is a prerequisite. 3 credits B652 The Book of Kings: Politics, Prophets, Worship & War Breed Exegesis of the Hebrew text of Kings. Topics will include the origin and shape of the so-called Deuteronomistic History, the nature of prophecy in Israel and the ancient Near East, and the rise and fall of Israelite and Judean monarchies. Hebrew is a prerequisite. 3 credits B653 Eight Century Prophets Breed Explores the books of Amos, Hosea, Micah, and First Isaiah by situating them in the historical and social contexts of eighth-century Israel and Judah. Compares the different prophetic understandings of YHWH as well as theological concepts such as faith, justice, and the role of the prophet. Surveys the reception histories of these various prophetic works. Prerequisite: B505 or equivalent 3 credits

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B655 Ecclesiastes and Its Consequences Breed Traces the interpretation of the book of Ecclesiastes in Jewish and Christian communities in various modes (e.g. theology, liturgy, visual art, music, philosophy, film). Focuses on important questions raised by the book of Ecclesiastes as well as crucial interpretive problems as they feature in the reception history of this biblical text. Prerequisite B505 3 credits B655 Psalms: Hymnbook for Wholeness Brown Engages in exegesis of the book of Psalms with special attention to their use in the liturgical, devotional, and theological life of ancient Israel and the church. Prerequisite: B505. 3 credits B671 Paul in Prison: Philippians, Philemon, Ephesians & Colossians Saunders This course provides an opportunity for exegetical engagement (Greek B501/B021 required) with two letters by Paul and two in the Pauline tradition, each of which deals in some way with bondage, imprisonment, slavery, and liberation, redemption, and reconciliation, in light of the rise of slavery and imprisonment in contemporary society. It may be possible for students to arrange visits to the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison at Jackson, GA, for SM credit in conjunction with this class. 3 credits B672 Romans Johnson The class will do a detailed interpretation of Paul’s letter to the Romans trying to understand something of the function of the letter for its original audience and its significance for Christian reflection and practice today. Prerequisite: Greek 3 credits B673 Parables Nadella This course explores the parables of Jesus a) within their cultural and literary settings, b) as the vehicles for Jesus’ evocation and depiction of the empire of God, and c) as they might be used in the life of the church today. This course will focus especially on the problems and possibilities for teaching and preaching offered by the parables in Matthew and Luke. We will also give attention to related Jewish and Greco-Roman story forms. Prerequisite: B501 3 credits


B674 New Testament Ecclesiologies Johnson Will explore the various metaphors for the church in the New Testament, how they function to envision life together for the first Christians, and how they contribute to the contemporary church’s reflection on its own life together. Prerequisite: A course in the New Testament. 3 credits B679 Mark Johnson Explores Mark’s parabolic presentation of the Jesus story; students read the Greek text and engage theological, literary, and sociological interpretations. Prerequisite: B153. 3 credits B680 First Thessalonians Johnson A critical reading of Paul’s first extant letter with an eye to his relationship with the Thessalonian Christians, their relationships with each other and with their neighbors, and what Paul thinks those relationships have to do with God’s relationship to the world in Christ. Prerequisite: B501 or equivalent 3 credits B692 Exegetical Research in Old Testament Brown, Yoder 3 credits B693 Research in Old Testament Criticism or Theology Brown, Yoder 3 credits B694 Independent Study in Biblical Languages Staff 3 credits B695 Exegetical Research in New Testament Johnson, Saunders 3 credits B696 Research in New Testament Criticism or Theology Johnson, Saunders 3 credits B699 MA(TS) Final Independent Study Staff An independent study in Old or New Testament undertaken in the final semester of the MA(TS) program. Students do analytic, constructive work on a specific topic and produce original research in partial fulfillment of the degree requirements. 3 credits

B701 Proverbs: Wisdom for an Uncertain World Yoder Engages in exegesis of the book of Proverbs, with particular attention to the book`s rhetorical strategies, worldview claims about the self, community, and theological perspectives. Considers ways in which the book may be read as a theological-ethical whole, and how it may inform faith communities today. 3 credits B702 ThM Thesis Reading & Research Biblical Area Staff Students create the reading list with their adviser and meet to discuss the reading and their research. 3 credits B703 ThM Literature Review Biblical Area Staff This is the required independent study completed in conjunction with the required Thesis Reading and Research course. The purpose of this course is for the student to write a literature review of the sources read during the Thesis Reading & Research course. This course is supervised by the student’s primary advisor with the assistance of the instructor of the ThM Research Seminar. 3 credits B704 ThM Thesis Biblical Area Staff 6 credits B805 Genesis Yoder Explores the book of Genesis, paying particular attention to its ancient Near Eastern contexts, narrative and character development, and theological perspectives. Considers modern interpretive approaches to Genesis, the lasting influence of the book on Western art and literature, and interpretations and uses of the book in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. 3 credits B809/B709 The Pentateuch in Practice Bonfiglio (adjunct) This course explores how the stories and themes of the Pentateuch can be taught in the church today. Attention will be given to preaching Lectionary passages, using the Ten Commandments in Christian education, contemporary perspectives on the law and holiness, and the role of the Exodus tradition in Christian theology. 3 credits

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Curriculum and

Courses: Biblical Area continued

B821/B721 New Testament Ecclesiologies Johnson Will explore the various metaphors for the church in the New Testament, how they function to envision life together for the first Christians, and how they contribute to the contemporary church’s reflection on its own life together. 3 credits

B828 The Bible and the Ecology of Wonder Brown This seminar aims at cultivating a sense of wonder in God’s Word and World. Participants will explore the multifaceted nature of wonder as a hermeneutical lens for (re)reading Scripture in the context of ministry. 3 credits

B822/B722 A Dwelling Place for God: Creation, Eschatology & Ecology Saunders This course explores the biblical story of creation (“heaven and earth”) from Genesis to Revelation, focusing especially on the relevant NT materials in Matthew, John, Paul, and Revelation. The primary goal of the course is to develop a framework for understanding the biblical narratives of creation, fall and curse, and redemption, especially as these relate to current environmental concerns. 3 credits

B851 The Gospel According to Matthew Saunders Examines Matthew, emphasizing ways that contemporary Christians, especially those dealing with fear, violence, and rapid cultural transition, might read this version of the Jesus Story. 3 credits

B827 Wisdom’s Wonder: Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes Brown The wisdom literature of the Old Testament is rich with insight about God’s relationship to the world and humanity’s place in it. The class will explore the many faces of wisdom in the Bible, focusing specifically on Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes, which together mark the journey of faith and wonder coram deo. Knowledge of Hebrew is recommended but not required. 3 credits

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B871 Rebuilding Our House: Community and Theology in the Post-Exile Yoder Explores the social-historical and theological dynamics of the Israelite community in the Persian period (539-331 BCE) by consideration of postexilic biblical texts. Emphasis is placed on the rebuilding of the faith community in its colonized and pluralistic context, conceptions of leadership, the roles of the priesthood and temple, concerns about idolatry and purity, and understandings of God and God’s work in the world. Participants will reflect on how this period in Israel’s history challenges and informs Christian faith, proclamation, and mission in the contemporary Church. 3 credits


Historical Doctrinal Area Faculty: John Azumah, Mark Douglas, Tim Hartman, Martha Moore-Keish, Deborah F. Mullen, Kevin Park, Marcia Y. Riggs, Haruko Nawata Ward, William Yoo

HD540, 541 History and Presence I & II: Movements in Christianities Across Time and Space Azumah, Ward, Yoo This two semester course (Part I and Part II) traces global movements of Christianities from the early church to the present using historical-critical analyses of primary texts, the development of ideas and practices, and one’s own tradition within diverse World Christianities. Preferably taken in the first year and consecutively. 3 credits for each semester 6 credits HD550 Christian Theology I Hartman, Moore-Keish Introduces the basic doctrines of Christian faith. Studies classical theological paradigms, their contemporary reinterpretation, and the significance of theology for the life of the church. 3 credits HD551 Christian Theology II Hartman, Moore-Keish Introduces the basic doctrines of Christian faith. Studies classical theological paradigms, their contemporary reinterpretation, and the significance of theology for the life of the church. Prerequisite: HD 550, or permission of the instructor. 3 credits HD561 Ethical Leadership Riggs Students examine theories of leadership and ethics in light of current debates about the motives and actions of leaders in both church and society. Students also explore the relevance of such theories for understanding their roles as leaders and followers in various institutional contexts. 3 credits HD562 Providence, Theodicy, and Ethics Douglas Does God act in the world? And why is there so much suffering? No two sets of questions seem more impervious to human thought or more important to life and ministry. They are also the guiding questions of the class. 3 credits

HD563 Theories of Justice and Public Policy Riggs Analyzes theories of justice and their implications for public policy regarding such issues as affirmative action, AIDS and drug testing, healthcare, and welfare reform. 3 credits HD563 Theories of Justice and Social Policy Riggs Analyzes theories of justice and their implications for social policy regarding such issues as affirmative action, AIDS and drug testing, healthcare, and welfare reform. 3 credits HD564 The Church as Community of Moral Discourse Riggs This course uses the social interpretation of the church as a human community as presented in theological ethicist James Gustafson’s classic work, Treasure in Earthen Vessels (1961), as a point of departure for exploring the barriers to and dynamics of moral discourse in communities of faith. Students will develop models of moral discourse for application in congregations or other group settings in which they practice ministry. 3 credits HD565 Histories of Christian Ethics Douglas Christian ethics involves multiple voices and varied perspectives expressed over time and in many contexts. This course traces the histories that have shaped Christian Ethics, giving special attention to the way they complicate and make possible the church’s moral witness. 3 credits HD566 Christologies and Politics Douglas Considers how we now understand the church`s early confession, “Jesus is Lord,” questions whether we should use the same language today and the political implications of doing so. A cross between Christology and political philosophy. 3 credits HD575 Issues in Medical Ethics Douglas Explores how theologians try to make moral sense of life and death in relation to issues such as euthanasia, abortion, cloning, and healthcare reform. 3 credits

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Curriculum and

Courses: Historical Doctrinal Area continued

HD601 Histories and Diversities of Theology in American Culture Yoo This course explores the history of religion and culture in the United States from the nineteenth century to the present to analyze how Christianity has been represented in popular literature, art, music, and film. Looking beyond American pulpits and congregations, students will investigate how doctrines like redemption and sin and practices like lament and confession are formed and transformed in popular works such as Harriett Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Norman Rockwell’s paintings, the jazz music of the Harlem Renaissance, and The Hunger Games films. 3 credits HD602 Christianity in Asia in the Early Modern World Ward This course critically examines the development of Christianity in Asia between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries. Beginning with the Treaty of Tordesillas (1493) through the Jesuit and later Protestant missions, the course examines the interactions of these missions and the new converts in Asia, the new expressions of Christianity produced, as well as the controversies in Europe regarding the new “native Christianities”. 3 credits HD603 Women in the Reformations (1400-1700) Ward An examination of representative women who helped shape the Reformation movements. Studies the range of women`s leadership in Lutheran, Reformed, Radical, English, and Catholic Reformations in Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Addresses the critical issues in studying women in history. 3 credits HD604 “(Was it the) Age of Discoveries, Expansions, and Reformations of the Western Christendom (?)” Ward New approaches to the period known as the age of discovery, expansion, and Reformations in Western Europe (14th–17th C) through a global perspective. Discussion topics include: redefinitions of the Christian gospel and diverse expressions of Reform ideas and practices, biblical textual humanism, the printing press and communication networks, the revival of martyrdom, Christian identity and race/ ethnic identity, community and social discipline, mission, trade, slavery and colonialism, encounters with other religions, the birth of new churches in nonEuropean lands, sexuality, vocation, and women in the Reformations. 3 credits

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HD605 History of Religion and American Popular Culture: From the Nineteenth Century to The Hunger Games Yoo This course explores the history of religion and culture in the United States from the nineteenth century to the present to analyze how Christianity has been represented in popular literature, art, music, and film. Looking beyond American pulpits and congregations, students will investigate how doctrines like redemption and sin and practices like lament and confession are formed and transformed in popular works such as Harriett Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Norman Rockwell’s paintings, the jazz music of the Harlem Renaissance, and The Hunger Games films. 3 credits HD606 History of Religion in the American South Yoo This course focuses upon the American South to study the troubled histories of race and slavery in the United States and to analyze the cultural and religious transformations of the region through migration, industrialization, urbanization, and other significant historical movements. 3 credits HD610 Reformed Theology: Its Shape and Development Moore-Keish This class provides an introduction to Reformed theology through the lens of an order of worship. Using the “Service for the Lord’s Day” as an organizing structure, we will explore major themes, thinkers, and texts from the Reformed tradition. Throughout, we will be addressing the question of continuity and diversity within the Reformed family. 3 credits HD611 Pneumatology Moore-Keish Explore many Christian perspectives on the Holy Spirit through history and from a variety of contemporary contexts, exploring questions such as: in Christian faith and Scripture, who is the Holy Spirit? How does one discern the Spirit amidst the spirits? What is the relation between Jesus and the Spirit? What is Christian life lived in the power of the Spirit? 3 credits HD612 Theologies of Baptism and Eucharist Moore-Keish Surveys the development of baptismal and eucharistic theologies through history and explores some of the various debates concerning baptism and Eucharist in churches around the world today. 3 credits


HD613 Theology and Religious Pluralism Moore-Keish This course will examine Christian constructive theological responses to the situation of religious pluralism, from the early church to the present, with an emphasis on contemporary voices, such as Jacques Dupuis, Mark Heim, and Paul Knitter. The class will enable students to see that religious pluralism is not a new situation, but one that Christians have been addressing since the writing of the New Testament. Students will read and engage a variety of perspectives on religious pluralism, with the goal of developing their own theological interpretations. 3 credits HD614 Theology and Community: A Lived Theology Approach Hartman Investigates social consequences of religious belief through resistance against Nazism (Dietrich Bonhoeffer), against racism through the U.S. Civil Rights Movement (Martin Luther King, Jr.), and against Rwandan genocide (Emmanuel Katongole) asking: How do ideas about God shape the way communities and individuals engage the social order? 3 credits HD615 Theology, Ethics, and Sexuality Douglas, Moore-Keish This course explores the theologies that underlie Christian notions of embodiment, desire, and sexual activity and attempts to connect those theological notions to contemporary issues of sexuality that confront the Church. 3 credits HD620 Ethical Practices for Ministry in World of Diversity: Nonviolent and Intercultural Communication Riggs This one of a series of four courses for developing ethical practices for ministry in the 21st century world of diversity and pluralism. Students study communication theories and practice skills deriving from them. 1.5 credits HD621 Ethical Practices for Ministry in World of Diversity: Conflict Transformation Riggs This one of a series of four courses for developing ethical practices for ministry in the 21st century world of diversity and pluralism. Students study conflict transformation theories and practice skills deriving from them. 1.5 credits

HD622 Ethical Practices: Difficult Dialogues & Democratic Dialogue Riggs This one of a series of four courses for developing ethical practices for ministry in the 21st century world of diversity and pluralism. Students study dialogue theories and practice skills deriving from them. 1.5 credits HD623 Ethical Practices: Nurturing the Moral Imagination Riggs This one of a series of four courses for developing ethical practices for ministry in the 21st century world of diversity and pluralism. Students study scholarly insights on moral imagination and engage in series of activities to nurture moral imagination. 1.5 credits HD624 Ethicist as Social and Cultural Critic Riggs A seminar exploring how selected theological and social ethical questions are presented in cultural sources such as contemporary movies, novels, political cartoons, music, and visual art. Theories of cultural criticism and traditional and liberation theologies and ethics provide the analytical and dialogical frame for the course. 3 credits HD625 Feminist and Womanist Ethics Riggs Examines the historical, sociological, and theological bases of feminist and womanist ethics to explore gender oppression, socio-religious ethics and the analysis of sexism, and the purpose of a movement against sexist oppression. 3 credits HD626 Science, Religion & the End of the World Douglas The sciences and the Christian tradition provide narratives about the end of the world. Yet how do these narratives relate? How do we evaluate them? And what are the implications of the narratives for the way we live and think today? This course, taught by a professor of astrophysics and a professor of religious ethics and offered jointly by Agnes Scott College and Columbia Theological Seminary, takes up those critical questions and provides students from both schools with opportunities to study widely, think critically, and learn respectfully in a cross-disciplinary setting. 3 credits

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Curriculum and

Courses: Historical Doctrinal Area continued

HD627 Figures & Themes in Liberation Ethics: History and Practice of Nonviolence Riggs Examines the ethical content of the writings of liberation theologians and ethicists and the ethical dimensions of topics relevant to struggles for liberation. 3 credits

HD639 Jesus Christ in Global Perspective Azumah, Hartman Investigates the unity and diversity of perspectives on Jesus Christ from a variety of social, political, and cultural contexts around the world—with particular attention paid to African and indigenous understandings—and the challenges and opportunities of cross-cultural theological conversations. 3 credits

HD630 An Historical & Theological Survey of Islam Azumah An introduction to the development of Islamic religious thought and practice. It will survey the major dogmas and rituals that shape the Islamic faith. Particular attention will be paid to the mission and theological significance of Muhammad, scripture and revelation in Islam; major Islamic groups, Islamic law and Islamic teaching on Christians and Christianity. The course will equip students to theologically and biblically engage with Islam and relate to Muslims in a post 9/11 world context. 3 credits

HD661 Feminist Theologies Moore-Keish An examination of the roots of the feminist theological movement in earlier Christian history, the significant voices from the 1960’s and 1970’s, and contemporary theologians who are working in feminist theology today. In the final weeks of class, students work on projects on topics of particular interest. Prerequisite: HD550 or equivalent. 3 credits

HD631 Interfaith Dialogue: Genesis, Theory & Practice Azumah The course will trace the development of interfaith dialogue in its organized and spontaneous forms. It will help students to appreciate the biblical and existential imperatives of dialogue with people of other faiths. The course will explore the theory and practice of interfaith dialogue and the different forms of dialogue, i.e. intellectual/theological, dialogue of life and spiritual dialogue. Different models of interfaith dialogue in different parts of the world will also be examined. Students will take part in some interfaith dialogue activities in the Atlanta area for observation and experience. 3 credits HD635 Five Faces of Islam Azumah In the present global climate of terrorism with competing, conflicting and confusing views about Islam and Muslims in mainstream academic and popular discourses, the course seeks to help students understand and engage with Islam as a living tradition in all its multiplicity of expressions. The course adopts a pedagogical approach which aims at helping students attain a holistic understanding of the Muslim faith as it is lived out in different cultural and geopolitical contexts. 3 credits

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HD662 Marginality: Asian North American Theologies and Beyond Park Explores the emerging Asian North American theologies that have largely been shaped by the experiences of marginality and how this theme can be a useful hermeneutic to understand other minority cultures imbedded in a majority culture. Prerequisites: HD550 & HD551. 3 credits HD663 Theologies of the Cross Park This course will examine salient theologies that focus on the meaning of the cross of Jesus starting from selected passages from Apostle Paul’s letters to Luther’s theology of the cross to more contemporary theological expressions from Bonhoeffer, Moltmann, Douglas J. Hall, C.S. Song, Kosuke Koyama, James Cone, Mary Solberg and others. Although the course will include atonement theologies it will go beyond them to include theologies of suffering from emergent nations as well as recent works on nonviolent interpretations of the cross. Prerequisite: HD550 or HD551. 3 credits HD664 Theology of Karl Barth Hartman Offers an overview of the theology of Karl Barth through close attention to his Church Dogmatics, Epistle to the Romans, and selected occasional writings. Barth’s understandings of revelation, the Word of God, election, reconciliation, and ecclesiology will be explored. Prerequisite: HD 550 or instructor’s permission. 3 credits


HD691 Independent Study in Church History Ward, Yoo 3 credits HD693 Independent Study in Theology Hartman, Moore-Keish 3 credits HD694 Independent Study in Christianity and World Religions Azumah 3 credits HD695 Staff 3 credits

Independent Study in Philosophy

HD696 Independent Study in Mission, Ecumenics, and World Christianity Staff 3 credits HD697 Independent Study in Ethics Douglas, Riggs 3 credits HD699 MA(TS) Final Independent Study Staff An independent study in Church History, Ethics, or Theology undertaken in the final semester of the MA(TS) program. Students do analytic, constructive work on a specific topic and produce original research in partial fulfillment of the degree requirements. 3 credits HD702 ThM Thesis Reading & Research Historical Doctrinal Area Staff Students create the reading list with their adviser and meet to discuss the reading and their research. 3 credits HD703 ThM Literature Review Historical Doctrinal Area Staff This is the required independent study completed in conjunction with the required Thesis Reading and Research course. The purpose of this course is for the student to write a literature review of the sources read during the Thesis Reading & Research course. This course is supervised by the student’s primary advisor with the assistance of the instructor of the ThM Research Seminar. 3 credits HD704 ThM Thesis Historical Doctrinal Area Staff 6 credits

HD801 History of Race, Migration and the Making of the American Church Yoo This course investigates the history of Christians from Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Europe as they created new churches in the United States with particular attention to pastoral ministry, multicultural congregations, and practical implications for Christian leaders moving forward. 3 credits HD815 Prayer Moore-Keish This class will explore the theology and practice of Christian praying. Drawing on classical and contemporary writings and the students’ own experiences, we will reflect on major questions such as: What is prayer? What happens when we pray? Does it affect God? Does it affect us? What is Christian prayer in particular? How do we pray? 3 credits HD816/HD716 History of Western Christian Spirituality González Traces the central focus of spirituality in the Christian community throughout its existence, beginning with the early church that is largely in the East, and shifting to the West in the Medieval period. Gives attention to the renewal of spiritual life in the church, its sources, and its relationship to context in order to determine what such sources are for the church today. 3 credits HD817/HD717 Classics of Christian Devotional Literature González This course deals with seven books that have had great impact on the spiritual lives of Western Christians. They come from the monastic tradition as well as significant books of the English Protestant world. There will be an annotated reading list for those registering for the course. Reading the material and writing the brief responses outlined in the preassignment is expected. The final assignment of the course will involve creating material for the use of a congregation at the present time, based on elements from the different readings. 3 credits HD823 Eucharist of Crumbs: Women and Vocation in the Medieval Church Ward An examination of writings by medieval women and their theological, spiritual and vocational quest. Discusses methods of teaching women’s texts from history in churches. 3 credits

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Curriculum and

Courses: Historical Doctrinal Area continued

HD827 The Early Jesuits Ward A close examination of the writings and works of the Society of Jesus from its inception by Ignatius of Loyola in the 1530s to the papal suppression of the Society in 1773. Seminar topics include: a) spirituality (especially Loyola’s Spiritual Exercises); b) evangelization (global mission, theory and practice); c) interreligious dialogue; d) ministry (active apostolate, priesthood and women); e) martyr theology and martyrdom. 3 credits

HD879/HD779 Women of Color as Public Theologians Riggs Black women have a rich history of prophetic religious thought and activism. In this seminar students read primary source documents written by black women from the nineteenth through the twenty-first centuries. These documents are engaged as sources for doing constructive ethical reflection on issues of social justice and public policy. 3 credits

HD874 United Nations Seminar Douglas Under the guidance of a CTS professor, students in this NYC-centered seminar use the resources of the UN Office of the PC(USA) for an in-depth and cross-disciplinary exploration of an important issue confronting the global church. 3 credits

HD882/HD762 Marginality: Asian North American Theologies and Beyond Park Explores the emerging Asian North American theologies that have largely been shaped by the experiences of marginality and how this theme can be a useful hermeneutic to understand other minority cultures imbedded in a majority culture. 3 credits

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Practical Theology Area Faculty: Kathy Dawson, Anna Carter Florence, J. William Harkins, Paul “Skip” Johnson, Kimberly Long, Jacob Myers, Rodger Nishioka, Jeffery Tribble, Ralph Watkins

P150 Scripture Reading Practicum Staff Prepares students to be liturgists and oral interpreters of scripture by offering a performance and proclamation theology for Reformed worship. Required of MDiv students in the first semester as a prerequisite to P530. 0 credits P500/P101 Introduction to Practical Theology Dawson This required course in the Master of Arts in Practical Theology (MAPT) degree program introduces the student to the basic vocabulary, understandings, and methods in the field of practical theology. Incorporating a wide variety of teaching methods, this course seeks to show the foundation upon which each of the four areas of concentration rests. This course meets as a one-week intensive course in August of each year with three follow-up sessions set by the course participants during the fall semester that directly follows it. 3 credits P501 Introduction to the Theory and Practice of Christian Education Dawson, Nishioka Examining understandings of God, mission, and education, students learn basic educational concepts, analyze contemporary theories and practices, and develop approaches to Christian education. 3 credits P502 Faith and Human Development Dawson Surveys the field of human development and explores the developmental theories and methods that inform current education practice. Faith interviews with children, youth, and adults are used to analyze and critique developmental psychology. Fulfills the educator certification requirements in human development for PC(USA) students. 3 credits P503 The Spiritual Lives of Children Dawson Focuses on the many facets of children`s ministry. The perception of children is explored theologically, developmentally, and educationally. Includes opportunity to refine skills in biblical storytelling and lesson planning, survey of resources for helping children to grow in faith, and field trips to sites that educate children. 3 credits

P510 Introduction to Christian Leadership Tribble This course is an introduction to the theories and practices of Christian leadership. The course will explore such topics as leadership development, systems theory and practice, financial administration, and missional church development examining how Christian leaders exercise legitimate authority by directing, influencing, coordinating, or otherwise guiding the thoughts and behaviors of persons and groups. The course seeks to create a space to discern and develop our unique qualities, characteristics, and expertise of Christian leadership with others through critical reflection and integration of course material. 3 credits P512 Congregational Leadership & Church Administration Tribble Addresses time management in ministry, financial planning, spiritual development, organizational dynamics, power and authority, communication, problem-solving, conflict and negotiation, coordinating personnel and members in mission and ministry, and stewardship. 3 credits P513 A Systems Approach to Congregational Leadership Galindo Using Bowen Family Systems Theory (BFST) as applied to organizations as a theoretical framework, the student will explore ways to apply the theory to congregational leadership and other ministry contexts. The role of pastoral leadership in context is emphasized. 3 credits P514 Turnaround Congregations through Evangelism & Community Watkins Many of us will be called to congregations that have witnessed a decline over the years or are in need of missional realignment. These congregations are referred to as “turnaround” churches. In this course we address what a turnaround church is and how one might lead a congregation in the process of missional realignment via evangelism and community engagement. 3 credits

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Curriculum and

Courses: Practical Theology Area continued

P515 The Art of Reading Congregations Tribble Recognizing that theological education must be seen in the context of the church and its mission in the world, this class helps students develop the art of reading congregations as “living human documents.” Multiple interpretive frames and methodologies for analyzing congregations are introduced as tools to enable practical theological reflections. Students learn to read the congregation and its history as context for the transformative praxis of pastoral leadership. Prerequisite: SM510 or by permission of instructor. 3 credits P520 Introduction to Pastoral Care Harkins, Cook (adjunct) Introduces the basics of pastoral care ministry, provides experience in pastoral visitation, and examines issues most clergy face. Supervised clinical practice facilitates theological reflection, personal growth, and pastoral identity. 3 credits P530 Preaching Florence, Myers Focuses on the theory and practice of preaching as the church’s proclamation of the Word of God. Students work closely with instructors and peers to prepare and preach sermons in small group settings. Prerequisites: P150 Scripture Reading Practicum. 3 credits P540 Introduction to Christian Worship Long Christian worship has taken various forms from the earliest days of the church. This course will survey the diversity of liturgical expression in the Western church throughout the centuries and in our own time, while also considering the common elements that all Christian worshipers share. Special attention will be given to the theology and practice of baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Students will also explore themes such as the Christian year, liturgical space, music and the arts. 3 credits P541 Worship and the Arts Long Students will read in the area of theological aesthetics (e.g. Thiessen, Theological Aesthetics: A Reader), theology and music (e.g. Begbie, Resonant Witness, Conversations Between Music and Theology, Costen, In Spirit and in Truth: The Music of African American Worship), and theology and visual arts (e.g. Jensen, The Substance of Things Seen: Art, Faith, and the Christian Community). Further assisted by texts such as Arts, Theology, and the Church (ed. Vrudny and Yates), students will strive to articulate an understanding of the relationship between worship and the arts in the context of the 21st century North American church. 3 credits

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P542 Missional Worship Williams (adjunct) This course will address the relationship between social justice, ethical Christian formation, liturgical spirituality, and worship. Worship can happen anytime, anywhere. This course will examine missional implications of Sunday morning worship, but it will also explore emergent worship, worship at the margins, and the creation of worship spaces that are spaces of “eruption” where God’s transformative spirit is invited to erupt in the midst of oppressive circumstances. 3 credits P543/P641 From the Mayflower to the Worship Mall Long This course will trace the evolution of Protestant worship traditions in America from the time of the Puritans to the present day. Students will relate those histories to contemporary contexts, and examine issues shaping the future trajectories of the church. 3 credits P550/P201 MAPT Capstone Course in Practical Theology Dawson, Tribble This course is designed for Master of Arts in Practical Theology degree students in their final spring semester. Building on formative understandings developed in P500 Introduction to Practical Theology, students will continue to explore different models and issues within the field. A particular emphasis on vocations within Practical Theology will form a distinctive portion of this course. 3 credits P601 Transforming the Confirmation Journey Nishioka Explores the meanings of confirmation, critiques models and methods, and attempts to determine the best approach to confirmation in students’ future congregations. 1.5 credits P602 Christian Education in the Small Membership Church Nishioka Focuses on the challenges and opportunities of Christian Education in the small membership church. Students examine and experience a variety of methodologies for engaging small membership churches in Christian education and Christian formation for children, youth, and adults. 1.5 credits


P603 Faith and Formation: Christian Spirituality and Christian Education Erickson, Weir (adjuncts) This course is predicated on the belief that Christian spirituality and Christian education, while distinctive in their own ways, also complement one another and enhance and support one another especially as they are engaged in congregational ministry. Both are very much engaged in nurturing persons in their faith — their believing, as well as their formation — their growing. Through the lens of the congregation, students in this course will gain a deeper understanding of how the practices of Christian spirituality and Christian education build up both the individual and the whole congregation into the Church as the body of Christ in the world. 3 credits P604 Youth Ministry Lawrence (adjunct) Explores youth subculture and its implications for ministry, including the developmental challenges of youth, ministry with young people in crisis, changing family patterns, and emerging strategies in ministry with youth and their families. 3 credits P606 Camp/Conference Program and Administration Winchip (adjunct) This course will explore the many facets of camp, conference and retreat ministry. It will focus on the form and function of programming and how it relates to all aspects of site administration. Students will be introduced to the principles behind mission statements, program models, staffing and facility management, as well as trends and standards within this important field. 3 credits P607 Curriculum Planning and Evaluation in the Local Congregation Rightmyer (adjunct) An introduction to and analysis of instructional resources available from denominational and nondenominational publishers. Contexts of community, prayer, teaching, proclamation, and service provide the focus for curriculum analysis and formation. 3 credits

P609 Future of Ministry: Being the Church in the 21st Century Watkins In this course students will engage the emergent church and the missional church models as dialogical partners with established congregational life. This course deals with the tension and integration of the old and the new as the class seeks to uncover what God is doing in God’s church as God leads us into the 21st Century. The class will ask and work at answering, what does the a 21st Century church look like as compared to a 20th Century church? 3 credits P612 Evangelism, Photography & Social Media Watkins In this course we study what makes media social and theologically enriching. It focuses on the culture of sharing photos as a means of evangelism. Students will be taught what makes visually strong images that are shared / liked and how to make visually strong images that effectively share the Gospel. Students will do projects that engage blogs, Instagram, Twitter, Flickr, Facebook (and other photo sharing platforms) that are conducive for sharing the Gospel over the web. 3 credits P613 Evangelism and Social Justice Watkins Church leaders in the future will have to be able to nurture their congregation while simultaneously being organically connected to the community that surrounds the church. This type of church is externally focused and sees its life as inextricably linked with the work of social justice in its community. This course explores the missional foundation and definition of what it looks like for a church to link evangelism, mission and social justice. 3 credits P621 Death, Dying & Bereavement Washburn (adjunct) An in-depth exploration of the physical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of death and dying, and the process of bereavement, in the context of pastoral theology. Students will explore the skill and art of ministering to the dying and the bereaved, and develop their own theological framework for understanding and facing terminal illness, life-threatening violence, and death. Pastoring to diverging beliefs about evil, suffering, and life after death will be considered. 3 credits P622 Family Systems Theory for Ministry Johnson Explores the basics of family systems theories as a basis for understanding dynamics at work within families and congregations. Enhances understanding of the student`s own family system and the impact of this system upon formation for ministry. Addresses issues relating to personal and professional boundaries. 3 credits

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P629 The Art and Practice of Theological Reflection Harkins This class will be of use for those whose “vocatio” calls upon and invites them to engage in theological reflection in a variety of settings-parish ministry, chaplaincy, and clinical venues-and in turn for those for whom they care, as this topic can then be taught in adult and other education settings (CPE, confirmation classes, etc.) contexts. Matters of formation, spiritual discipline and human development will be considered. 3 credits P638 Preaching Justice in an Age of Globalization Myers This course aims to empower preachers to address issues of global injustice and oppression through their preaching ministries with the hope of mobilizing congregational engagement thereby. To that end, this course will equip students with critical tools to prepare congregations for ethical engagement in an age of globalization through their preaching ministry. This course will model a certain kind of social analysis, theological/ethical reflection, and prophetic preaching — one that is globally aware and locally mobilized. Students will select one topic of injustice in Atlanta for close social analysis, which will serve as a catalyst for ethical, theological, and homiletical reflection. 3 credits P639 Back to the Text: The Book of Exodus Florence A communal exercise in getting “back to the text” by reading and performing together an entire book of scripture—in this case, the Book of Exodus. Students will read widely in Biblical Studies pertaining to the Book of Exodus, experiment with various ways of reading, rehearsing, and improvising a scriptural narrative, and finally create a group performance of Exodus, which we will offer to the community. This course happens annually in the spring with a different book each year, and is open to anyone in all degree programs. 3 credits P649 African American Worship and Preaching Williams (adjunct) This course surveys the African American worship experience. Examining worship, students will develop awareness of worship content and meaning by engaging multiple African American traditions, preaching in class, and constructing a theological and practical analysis of African American worship practices. 3 credits

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P650 Womanist/Feminist Spirituality and Worship Williams (adjunct) This course explores emerging themes in women’s engagement in worship with special attention to how women’s spirituality shapes this engagement. Drawing from womanist/feminist/mujerista perspectives, issues of language, images of God, embodiment, space, symbols and worship leadership will be explored. 3 credits P672 Pastoral Care of Couples and Families Cook (adjunct) Acquaints students with ways to think theoretically and theologically about the family, with the assumption that all Christian ministers have involvement with family dynamics and systems theory implications. Objectives are to develop appropriate pastoral/theological responses to family issues in congregational contexts; to gain familiarity with some major schools of family therapy; to be reminded of the importance of the pastor’s own family experience in his or her pastoral work; and to begin developing a theology of family life. 3 credits P674 Intercultural & Interfaith Pastoral Care and Counseling Harkins This course is designed to develop competence, imagination, and self-and-other awareness in intercultural and interfaith pastoral care and counseling. Students will develop in-depth disciplines of awareness and reflection upon the questions of history, ethnicity, gender, power, sexual orientation, race, and class that have shaped the nature of therapeutic and pastoral encounters. The course will explore the pastoral counseling, pastoral care, and clinical pastoral education applications of the deepening awareness in the field for interfaith, intercultural competence, practices, and ethical and clinical reflection. The course will include experiential components, and CPE, SM510, or other significant ministry/contextual experience is preferred. 3 credits P679 Intro to Marriage & Family Care & Counseling Ministry Cook (adjunct) Introduces students to a range of theological and theoretical resources and approaches related to marriage and family care and counseling in the context of pastoral ministry. Attention given to the areas of pre-marital counseling and marriage enrichment and how careful navigation of these experiences can impact the overall health and stability of family life. Students encouraged to begin the process of developing their pastoral theology of marriage and family counseling as well as consider the unique context of clergy marriage. Prerequisite P520/P232 Pastoral Care Intro. 3 credits


P680 The Preacher and the Poet Florence Considers the poet’s art-language, imagination, experience, and form as a resource for preaching. Includes a workshop with a working poet and the preaching of two sermons. Prerequisite: P530. 3 credits P690 Worship through the Phases of Life: Occasional Services Long This course will consider the theological, liturgical, and homiletical aspects of occasional services in the life of the church: weddings, funerals, services of healing and wholeness, ordination, and other rites related to baptism. Students will explore cultural attitudes and sociological analyses regarding rites of passage in the church, consider those rites theologically, and examine liturgies associated with those rites. Prerequisites: P530 & P540 3 credits P691 Worship & Preaching through the Christian Year Long The Christian year enables the church to mark time in a profound way. In this course, students will study the theological themes and dominant metaphors inherent in the days and seasons of the liturgical year. Building on these insights, they will then explore the liturgical and homiletical possibilities therein. Participants will study liturgies and sermons as well as engage in creating their own. Attention will be given to the use of language and the role of music and other lively arts. Prerequisites: P530 & P540 3 credits P692 Music, Liturgy, and Imagination Long, Wall (adjunct) This class will focus on the relationship of music to the church’s liturgy and life together. What are the theological, poetic, and imaginative dimensions of making music, hearing music, and choosing music for the church’s worship? We will cast the net wide in looking at styles, genres, and practices, with attention to practical and pastoral issues. (Prerequisite P540/ P131 Worship Intro or permission of Dr. Long) 3 credits P693 Independent Study in Practical Theology and Counseling Harkins, Johnson 3 credits P694 Long 3 credits

Independent Study in Worship

P697 Staff 3 credits

Independent Study in Spirituality

P698 Independent Study in Ministry and Administration Tribble 3 credits P699 Independent Study in New Church Development Staff 3 credits P702 ThM Thesis Reading & Research Practical Theology Area Staff Students create the reading list with their adviser and meet to discuss the reading and their research. 3 credits P703 ThM Literature Review Practical Theology Area Staff This is the required independent study completed in conjunction with the required Thesis Reading and Research course. The purpose of this course is for the student to write a literature review of the sources read during the Thesis Reading & Research course. This course is supervised by the student’s primary advisor with the assistance of the instructor of the ThM Research Seminar. 3 credits P704 ThM Thesis Practical Theology Area Staff 6 credits P738 Pastoral Care for the Experience of Crisis and Trauma Johnson This class will be an exploration into the human experience of crisis and trauma along with a consideration of the particular ministerial skill sets needed to provide an adequate pastoral response capable of assisting in the healing of mind, body and spirit in the wake of the crisis event. Emphasis will be given to understanding these experiences from a pastoral theological frame of reference. We will sample a range of crisis experiences through readings and video segments, focusing beyond intervention actions to consider the place of resiliency and community in finding one’s way from victim to survivor to becoming one who thrives and is able to rediscover and share the active presence of grace in life. 3 credits

P695 Independent Study in Preaching Florence, Myers 3 credits

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P770/ATA401c DEdMin Introductory Seminar Dawson, Nishioka This course is the introductory seminar for those persons beginning the doctor of educational ministry degree program and therefore provides an overview of the program, a survey of the various disciplines to be studied in the program, and enables the student to relate their study to their context for educational ministry. The course is framed by the tasks of practical theology as they lead to Christian formation in congregational settings. 6 credits P771 Teaching and Learning Theory Nishioka Provides for advanced study in teaching and learning as Christian formation. Particular attention is given to various teaching theories with an emphasis on faith formation. Various teaching methods will be explored with a practicum component in the course enabling students to practice, evaluate, and hone their skills as a teacher and a teacher of teachers. 3 credits P772 Advanced Study in Faith and Human Development Dawson A core course for the DEdMin degree. This seminar assumes that participants are familiar with a basic understanding of the classic developmental theories such as Piaget, Kohlberg, Fowler, Freud, Erikson, and Gilligan. Students focus in the area of faith, spiritual, and religious development, looking at different ways of conceptualizing the Christian life from historical and current theorists. Emphasis is placed on child and adolescent spirituality in particular in the exploration of best practices for presenting the gospel at different ages. 6 credits P773 Advanced Study in Curriculum Theory Dawson, Galindo A core course for the DEdMin degree. Students think beyond curriculum as a lesson plan or resource and explore the history of curriculum theory in the church and world. Special emphasis is placed on obtaining a multicultural and interfaith perspective on this issue as well as comparing the course of public education in the U.S. to Christian education. 3 credits P774 Theory, History & Philosophy of Educational Ministry Nishioka Provides for advanced study in the theology, history, and philosophy of Christian education. The course unfolds by weaving the three areas of theology, history, and philosophy together enabling the learner to experience how the disciplines are complementary and integrated and how together, all three contribute to the tapestry that is educational ministry. 3 credits

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P775 Development of a Curriculum Design Dawson, Nishioka In consultation with the student’s adviser and the instructor for the Advanced Study in Curriculum Theory course, the student will create and implement an original curriculum design on a topic most often related to their project. 3 credits P779/ATA 496 DEdMin Doctoral Project Dawson, Nishioka Required of all DEdMin students. 6 credits P812/P712 A Systems Approach to Congregational Leadership Galindo Using Bowen Family Systems Theory (BFST) as applied to organizations as a theoretical framework, the student will explore ways to apply the theory to congregational leadership and other ministry contexts. The role of pastoral leadership in context is emphasized. 3 credits P838 Pastoral Care and the Experience of Crisis Johnson An exploration of ways for pastors to speak and live God`s story when crisis events overwhelm individuals, families, and communities. Focuses on pastoral care skills one can learn to help persons who are moving through such a time. Looks beyond management and intervention response to crisis to consider the resiliency of hope and possibility of grace incarnated through acts of pastoral care. 3 credits P853/P753 Preacher and the Poet Florence Considers the poet’s art-language, imagination, experience, and form as a resource for preaching. Includes a workshop with a working poet and the preaching of two sermons. 3 credits P885/P785 Transformative Pastoral Leadership Tribble Explores the role of the pastor as spiritual leader embracing key adaptive issues for personal, congregational, and communal transformation. Acknowledging that leading a congregation through processes of deep change may be risky and costly, we explore current interdisciplinary ministry approaches for pastors leading congregations through processes of transition involving time and learning where identity, mission, culture, and operating procedures are fundamentally altered. This class is a seminar for students to work on actual case studies from their church and ministry contexts. 3 credits


I n t e r d i sc i p l i n a ry C o u r s e s I500/I100 MA(TS) Seminar Nadella Assists entering MA(TS) students in focusing on vocational or personal goals. Required for entering, full-time MA(TS) students. Part-time students are expected to enroll after taking at least two courses, but before completing five. 3 credits I510 Imagination and Resilience for God’s Changing World Riggs, Saunders, Tribble Designed specifically for first-year MDiv students, this course explores “imagination and resilience” by engaging in a variety of Christian practices such as study, listening, prayer, dialogue, and hospitality. Students will grow personally and as members of the seminary and greater Atlanta community, while nurturing essential marks of ministerial presence in God’s changing church and world. 3 credits I520 Explorations: Alternative Context for Ministry Staff An academic and experiential exploration of a significantly different cultural context and the church’s mission. Contexts may include inner-city Atlanta, the Appalachian region of the U.S., immigrant communities in Atlanta, Central Europe, and Jamaica. 3 credits I530 Cross/Roads Douglas, Mulllen Imaginative and resilient communities need imaginative and resilient leaders. Relying on in class discussions, common readings, outside speakers and drawing upon students’ life experiences and seminary studies with special attention to theologically acute contextual analysis, this course explores ways leaders develop such communities. 3 credits I611 The Bible, Theology, and Science: From Creation to New Creation Brown, Wallace (adjunct) This course explores the relationship between biblical/theological perspectives concerning the origin, character, and destiny of the universe in relation to contemporary scientific theory. No knowledge of science is required. 3 credits

I612 History, Theology and Polity of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Gladson (adjunct) This seminar explores the history, theology, and polity of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). The denomination will be traced from its origins in the early 1800s to the present. Some attention will also be given to the church’s main theological themes, as well as to current polity and mission. 3 credits I618 Presbyterian History and Polity Yoo A study of the history and polity of the Presbyterian Church (USA), focusing on the theological debates and missiological commitments that have influenced current polity. 3 credits I619 The Cross and the State: Biblical, Theological, and Pastoral Reflections on States, Prison, and Execution Saunders Introduces and critically engages aspects of the current justice system in the U.S., especially the “PrisonIndustrial Complex” and state-sponsored executions, in light of biblical and theological traditions regarding bondage, imprisonment, and crucifixion. Includes readings, discussion, and field trips. Prerequisites: B520 and B530. 3 credits I626 Paul, Empire, and the Meaning of God Myers, Nadella This course offers students an opportunity to engage in close readings of Paul’s Epistle to the Romans through the dual lenses of post-structuralism and post-colonialism. One of the central aims of this course is to help students think more critically about the mechanics of scriptural meaning-making and the impact our ideological assumptions have upon biblical interpretation for teaching and preaching. 3 credits I633 Profits and Prophets: The Bible, Ethics, and Economics Douglas, Nadella This class will explicate biblical perspectives on the issues of wealth, poverty and economic justice, trace the histories of economic systems and the church’s engagement with them, and explore a variety of contemporary economic issues. 3 credits

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Courses: Interdisciplinary Courses continued

I701 ThM Research Seminar Staff Year-long research seminary required of all ThM students. 1.5 credits per semester. 3 credits I705 Staff 3 credits

ThM Colloquium

I722/ATA 401b Gospel, Culture & the Transformation of the Church Introductory Seminar Park, Tribble Gospel and Culture Introductory Seminar encourages participants to develop a new paradigm for their ministry, aimed at supporting the local congregation of Christian people to understand their call to mission in a post-Christian, globalizing culture. Developing theological approaches to cultural analysis, participants, in readings, reflection with teachers and conversations with colleagues, describe their own setting in ministry and develop faithful ways of bearing witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ for the sake of witness, service, and transforming mission. 6 credits I723/ATA 401d Christian Spirituality Introductory Seminar Riggs, Ward The seminar discusses critical issues of spirituality in biblical, historical, theological, ethical and practical fields of study. It guides participants to build academic resources for their personal, congregational, and communal ministries in spirituality. 6 credits

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I721/ATA401a Church and Ministry Introductory Seminar Tribble Church and Ministry Introductory Seminar has as its primary aim to encourage pastors, church administrators, chaplains, and those in other forms of church service to become familiar with excellent recent thinking about ministry and to apply new insights to their own practice of ministry. 6 credits I731/ATA403 Project Proposal Workshop Park This workshop will guide students in developing their project proposals that clearly articulate the topic, thesis, context, theoretical and theological perspectives, research question, and methodology. Library research tools and guides for form and style will also be covered. Required for DMin and DEdMin students. January or July. Non-credit. 0 credits I735/ATA496 DMin Doctoral Project Staff Required of all DMin students. 6 credits I840 Sexuality, Marriage, and the 21st Century Church Long Americans are asking questions around the nature of sexuality, debating who has the right to marry, and wondering what the church has to do with it all. Students in this course will seek to articulate a biblical theology of relationship that considers sexual, marital, familial, ecclesial and communal ties while taking seriously the lives and experiences of 21st century Americans. Special attention will be given to marriage: the history of marriage in the church, the power of the wedding industry, the pastor’s legal and ecclesial roles, contemporary expectations of marriage, and wedding liturgies. 3 credits


S u p e rv i s e d M i n i s t ry SM505 MAPT Contextual Education Clayton The Contextual Education required course for the Master of Arts in Practical Theology. In this 400-hour, 6 credit course of Supervised Ministry, the student is engaged in an action-reflection model of ministry with a Supervisor and a Supervised Ministry Team. The course may be an internship, allowing the student to gain experience in a particular area of practical theology. For students already working professionally in ministry, the course is a Practicum, designed to challenge the student to grow in their chosen area of practical theology. 6 credits

SM610 Practicum in Clinical Pastoral Education (Basic Unit) Staff Brings students into supervised encounters with people in order to develop pastoral identity and skills, interpersonal competence, and enhanced abilities for theological reflection. Clinically trained supervisors provide educational leadership. Placement limited to hospitals, congregations, prisons, and other institutions accredited by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education. Fulfills the DMin. requirement for Supervised Ministry. Full-time for 6 credits; or parttime, 3 credits per semester. 6 credits

SM510 Congregation-Based Internship Clayton The student engages in the ministry of a teaching congregation serving in a broad range of pastoral functions, and engaging in a structured process of theological reflection with a supervising pastor and lay committee. 6 credits, fall/spring semesters, 200 hours each semester. Prerequisites: language and exegesis, and preaching. 6 credits

SM611 Clinical Pastoral Education (Advanced Unit) Staff Additional units of CPE build upon the teachings of the first unit and provide pastoral education over a full year. Prerequisite: Basic unit of CPE. Credit listed is for full year. 6 credits

SM520 Internship within an Institution Clayton An internship that engages the student in ministry within an academic, medical (non-CPE), denominational, ecumenical, etc. institution. The student gains experience in a particular area of ministry or service, and also develops the skills, insights and knowledge needed to relate this work to the larger institutional structures and mission. Supervision provided by a theologically trained leader within the institutional site. This course may be taken for 400 hours, 6 credits (Summer, or fall/spring semester concurrently); or for 200 hours, 3 credits. 3 or 6 credits

SM620 Advanced Congregation-Based Internship Clayton An internship providing students additional congregational experience in pastoral ministry and leadership. Students are encouraged to concentrate in a particular area of ministry such as Christian education, pastoral care, worship and preaching, administration, etc. while also engaging more broadly in the life of the congregation. Designed to enhance a student’s competence, leadership skills, and vocational clarity in ministry in a congregation. Prerequisites: SM 510 and completion of 60 credits. This course is 400 hours, taken full-time in the summer or part-time (200 hours each) over concurrent semesters, 3 credits per semester. 3 or 6 credits

SM530 Basic Internship in Specialized Ministry Clayton An internship that helps students gain experience for ministry and work in a specialized setting in a congregation or agency. The student will work with a Supervisor to develop skills, insights, and knowledge needed for effectiveness in the particular form of ministry/work to be engaged. Specialized ministries include: youth ministry, public ministry, non-profit agency, criminal justice, campus ministry, camp and conference ministry, educational institution, etc. This course may be taken for 400 hours, 6 credits (Summer, or fall/spring semester concurrently); or for 200 hours, 3 credits. 3 or 6 credits

SM630 Advanced Internship in Specialized Ministry Clayton An internship in a ministry or work setting that helps students gain additional experience in a specialized setting in a congregation or agency. Students work with a Supervisor to enhance basic competence, leadership skills, and vocational clarity in the area of specialization. Such specialization includes: public ministry, non-profit agency, youth ministry, campus ministry, camps/conference ministry, criminal justice/ prison ministry, etc. Prerequisites: SM510 and at least 60 credits. This course is 400 hours, taken full-time in the summer or part-time over concurrent semesters, 3 credits per semester. 3 or 6 credits

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Courses: S u p e rv i s e d M i n i s t ry continued

SM640 Directed Supervised Ministry Clayton This course is an independent study arranged with the director of contextual education and a professor or professors with knowledge in the particular area of focus. Approval of the dean of faculty is required. 3 or 6 credits

SM781 Practicum in Preaching Park DMin students work with a peer group and an approved supervisor to evaluate their own preaching, learn from the preaching of others, and utilize a variety of preaching resources. 6 credits

SM650 Intern Year: Congregation Clayton A full-time internship that provides an in-depth experience in the life and ministry of a teaching congregation. 9-12 months (full-time), plus option of 1 additional course taken in Extended Spring term. 6 credits

SM782 Practicum in Christian Spirituality Park Recommended for DMin students in the Christian Spirituality specialization. Involves engagement in a ministry of the church related to spiritual formation and sharing issues and concerns in a peer group with an action-reflection process. Supervision by an approved instructor. 6 credits

SM660 Intern Year: Specialized Ministry Clayton A full-year internship in one or more ministry/work settings. Students engage in a specific context of ministry or work to develop the skills, insights, and knowledge needed for effective ministry and leadership. An action-reflection model under supervision is required. Specialized ministries include: youth ministry, public ministry, non-profit agency, criminal justice, campus ministry, camp and conference ministry, international mission, etc. Prerequisite: completion of at least 60 credits. 9-12 months, full-time, 6 credits. 6 credits SM780 Practicum: Church and Ministry Park Designed by the DMin student and approved supervisor. The student engages in a ministry of the church, often outside the student’s normal setting for ministry, and utilizes an action-reflection learning process with a peer group and approved supervisor. 6 credits

SM783 Practicum in Gospel, Culture & the Transformation of the Church Park Recommended for DMin students in the Gospel, Culture and Transformation of the Church specialization. Designed to meet the major challenges of this specialization; involves students in a ministry of the church with particular aspects of modern culture. Includes work with peer groups and approved supervisor in an action-reflection process. 6 credits SM787 Practicum in Educational Ministry Park Designed by the DEdMin student and approved supervisor. The student engages in a ministry of the church, often outside the student’s normal setting for ministry, and utilizes an action-reflection learning process with a peer group and approved supervisor. 6 credits SM690 Supervised Ministry: Independent Study Clayton A 400 hour (minimum) internship for students who seek to gain experience of ministry under supervision in specialized areas not designated in other internships. Summer (full time) 6 credits. Fall and/or Spring (parttime), 3 credits per semester 6 credits

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ATA C o u r s e s ATA Faculty in the ThD in Pastoral Counseling program: Gregory Ellison II (Candler), J. William Harkins (Columbia), Skip Johnson (Columbia), Emmanuel Lartey (Candler), Carolyn McCrary (ITC), Carol Pitts (Care and Counseling Center of Georgia), Karen Scheib (Candler), F. Keith Slaughter (ITC), Edward Wimberly (ITC)

ATA421 Family System in Context Cook (adjunct) Places the family in context, historically, culturally, and socially. Assumes that in responding to family programs or planning their own, ministers and counselors must place the family in context in order to think critically and evaluative. 3 credits ATA434 Foundations of Marriage and Family Therapy Harkins Explores systems of family evaluation and counseling, emphasizing theorists and clinicians such as Bowen, Minuchin, Satir, Nagy, and Haley. 3 credits ATA435 Ethics in Marriage and Family Therapy and Pastoral Counseling Monti, (adjunct) The course, mainly by reading, discussion, and narrative clinical experiences, will engage ethical issues in marriage and family practice in particular, and pastoral counseling in general, including material related to professional examination and licensure. Since this is a ThD degree, there will also be discussion of some of the religious and theological issues involved, closing with reflections on the character of therapy and therapists. 3 credits ATA463 Pastoral Counseling in Historical and Global Dimensions ATA Faculty This ThD core course surveys the history of the discipline of pastoral counseling in sociological and global perspective, with an emphasis on the implications of this history for contemporary practice and the role of pastoral counselors in context. 3 credits ATA471 Theology and Personality Johnson, S. Examines theological and psychological theories of personhood to assess their relevance for pastoral counseling. ThD core course. 3 credits

ATA473 Theory and Practice in Pastoral Counseling Harkins This class is a ThD level overview of the theory and practice of pastoral counseling from a dynamic and post-Freudian psychoanalytic perspective, with other theoretical understandings as time permits. Historical development of theories, practical therapeutic approaches, and theological reflection are integrated in an examination of the “art” and “science” of pastoral psychotherapy. This is a year long course with 1.5 credits awarded for each semester. 3 credits ATA475 Pastoral Theological Methods ATA Faculty Examines methodologies of theology and pastoral care to help students develop pastoral theological methods for the ministry of pastoral counseling. ThD core course. 3 credits ATA476 Evaluation and Treatment in Marriage & Family Therapy Johnson, S. Explores various approaches to couples therapy and applies them to clinical cases. Studies models of intervention as well as issues of individual psychopathology. 3 credits ATA478 Group Therapy: Theory, Process, and Application Siwy, (adjunct) Provides students with theory and practice of group psychotherapy. Introduces students to the major theories and approaches to group therapy. Assists in applying knowledge of group theory and dynamics to clinical settings. Gives students the knowledge needed to design, lead, and assess a psychotherapy group. 3 credits ATA479 Family Development Through the Life Cycle ATA Faculty Explores phases of family development and their impact on those entering, living in, and leaving the family; also studies developmental, situation, and nodal (divorce, retirement, and geographical uprooting) crises and events faced by families. 3 credits

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ATA481 Pastoral Counseling Research Methods ATA Faculty This required core course examines qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches in practical theology and social scientific research. Particular attention is given to research as a vehicle of social action and intrapsychic change. Course assignments provide opportunities for students to integrate theory and practice in the construction of a viable research proposal. 3 credits ATA484 Developing Intercultural Competence in Pastoral Counseling ATA Faculty Pastoral counseling, like every other form of counseling, is culturally embedded. This means that the theories and practices of counseling (along with the personhood of the counselor) reflect the cultures within which they have been formed. This course will assist students in the exercise of a disciplined in-depth reflection upon the broader questions of history, ethnicity, gender, power and class that shape both the therapeutic relationship as well as the experience and definition of the perceived problem. This is a yearlong course with 1.5 credits given per semester. 3 credits ATA485 Practicum: Individual Supervision ATA Faculty A seminar for ThD students that provides the experience of one-on-one clinical pastoral supervision of their pastoral counseling practice. ATA485a and ATA485b refer to the fall and spring semester of the first year. ATA485c and ATA485d refer to the fall and spring semester of the second year. 1 credit hour per semester. 1 credit ATA485s Summer Practicum ATA Faculty Undertaken by ThD students during the summer between the first and the second years by residents already in the practicum. Provides residents with ongoing practical training and supervision of their pastoral counseling practice. 3 credits ATA486 Practicum: Group Supervision ATA Faculty A seminar providing supervision for and interaction among ThD students in groups as a means of sharpening students clinical and pastoral awareness and therapeutic practice. ATA486a and ATA486b refer to the fall and spring semester of the first year. ATA486c and ATA486d refer to the fall and spring semester of the second year. (1 credit hour per semester) 1 credit

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ATA487 Practicum: Case Conference ATA Faculty ThD students meet with clinical professionals for in-depth analysis of cases and practices of pastoral counseling. ATA487a and ATA487b refer to fall and spring semester of the first year. ATA487c and ATA487d refer to the fall and spring semester of the second year. (1.5 credit per semester) 1.5 credits ATA489 Directed Study ATA Faculty Taken at recommendation of the advisor. Credit as assigned. 3 credits ATA497 ThD Comprehensive Examinations ATA Faculty Required of all ThD students who have finished their coursework and are preparing for Comprehensive Examinations. ATA 497 is considered as full-time enrollment. Fee = $115 per long semester. 0 credits ATA499 ThD Dissertation ATA Faculty Required of all ThD candidates (i.e., those who have passed their comprehensive examinations) who are working on their dissertation proposal and research. ATA 499 is considered as full-time enrollment. Fee = $115 per long semester. 0 credits ATA585 Advanced Practicum: Individual Supervision ATA Faculty For students who have already completed this practicum on a basic level. Permission of the instructor required. 1 credit ATA585s Advanced Summer Practicum ATA Faculty For students who have already completed this practicum on a basic level. Permission of the instructor required. 3 credits ATA586 Advanced Practicum: Group Supervision ATA Faculty For students who have already completed this practicum on a basic level. Permission of the instructor required. 1 credit ATA587 Advanced Practicum: Case Conference ATA Faculty For students who have already completed this practicum on a basic level. Permission of the instructor required. 1.5 credits


Academic Notes

and

Policies

The following information pertains to students enrolled in Columbia’s academic degree programs. Additional policies and information related to a particular degree program may be found in the student handbook or the manual for that program.

Basic Degree Students Summer Greek School Entering students in the MDiv degree program may choose to begin their studies in the summer with Greek language study. The seminary offers a 3 credit-hour course, B501, during the summer. This six-week course meets each weekday morning for two hours, with small group afternoon tutorial sessions. Students who have previously studied Greek should consult the registrar about taking a Greek proficiently exam which will allow them to proceed to exegetical courses. A d va n c e d S ta n d i n g Students who satisfactorily demonstrate they have already achieved the objectives of a given course but do not have graduate credit in the area may be exempt from the course and permitted to take an advanced course in the area to satisfy the required course credit. Requests for flexibility in a student’s program should be made to the Office of Academic Affairs. Honors Project Students in the Master of Divinity degree program may pursue an Honors project if they pass their Mid-course Assessment with a cumulative grade point average of 3.60 and a 3.80 average in the proposed area of study. Students may choose to work with a particular professor in the biblical, historical-doctrinal, or practical theology areas. The program consists of guided study in both long semesters for a total of 6 credit hours. If the area determines that the project should receive honors, then the advisor will grant an A to the student for each semester of study. If the area determines that the project should not receive honors, then the advisor, with the input from the area, will determine the final grade for each semester of study. For additional information, see the chairperson of the area of interest. O r d i n at i o n E x a m s Students in the Master of Divinity degree program who become candidates for ordination in the Presbyterian Church (USA) are required to take written examinations in the areas of Bible, theology, worship and sacraments, and polity. The regular basic degree curriculum provides students with ample opportunity to take course work preparatory to the exams. Grading for Basic Degree Students At the end of each term, students receive grades according to the following four-quality points system. A grade report is made available to each student through the student portal and sent to a denominational supervisor, if applicable. For Master of Divinity, Master of Arts (Theological Studies), Master of Arts in Practical Theology, Unclassified, and Special students, the criteria for grading are mastery of material, skill in organizing and expressing ideas, creativity, and the ability to relate to other teachings.

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Academic Notes and Policies

The grading system is as follows:

continued

A

4.0

Outstanding

A−

3.7

Superior

B+

3.3

Very good

B

3.0

Good

B−

2.7

Slightly above standard

C+

2.3

Standard

C

2.0

Slightly below standard

C−

1.7

Below standard

D

1.0

Serious deficiencies

F

0.0

Failing

Third-year MDiv students may choose to take up to 6 credit hours of elective course work Pass/ Fail if the instructor grants permission in the first two weeks of the course. MAPT students in good academic standing may take one of the four non-concentration electives (3 credits) on a Pass/Fail basis in their final semester of study if the instructor grants permission in the first two weeks of the course. The grade designations are as follows: S (Pass) work that represents sufficient mastery of the content of the course to merit recommendation for graduation U (Fail) work that represents insufficient mastery of the content of the course to merit recommendation for graduation. T e m p o r a ry G r a d e s f o r B a s i c D e g r e e S t u d e n ts The temporary notation of IP (In Progress) is given for Honor Projects and Supervised Ministry courses that extend over more than one term. No academic credit is awarded for IP. A student may be assigned an E for incomplete work. In order to receive an E, the student must complete the Extension Form with all required signatures and a set extension date before the end of the term. The extension date cannot extend beyond the following dates: Fall Term, December 31; Spring Term, May 5; Extended Spring Term, May 31; and Summer Term, August 31. Basic Degree students cannot begin another course in a subsequent academic term, until all course work is complete from courses from all previous academic terms. Students who experience lengthy illnesses or have other unusual circumstances may be granted a longer period to complete their work by the dean of faculty. All grades of E are automatically changed to F if the extension deadline for completing the work expires. Provisional Admissions for Basic Degree Students An entering student whose undergraduate or graduate school preparation is deemed deficient (below 3.0) may be admitted provisionally. To be admitted provisionally is not a punitive action, rather a mechanism for monitoring academic process. A student who is admitted provisionally as a full time student is afforded full student privileges, including financial aid and housing. A student who is admitted provisionally is required to meet with his or her adviser monthly with appointments made at the student’s initiative. In the spring of the entering year, or upon completion of the term in which s/he has completed (12) semester credit hours, the student meets with the dean of faculty to review academic work to date and to report on the meetings with the student’s adviser. The Academic Standing Commission will review the student’s academic progress upon completion of that term and report to the student regarding his or her status after its meeting. Possible actions include removal of provisional status or placement on academic probation.

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Advanced Degree Students G r a d i n g f o r A d va n c e d D e g r e e S t u d e n t s The grading scale for ThM, DMin, DEdMin, and ThD students is as follows: A

4.0

B−

2.7

A−

3.7

C+

2.3

B+

3.3

C

2.0

B

3.0

F

0.0

C o u r s e C o m pl e t i o n f o r A d va n c e d P r o f e s s i o n a l D e g r e e S t u d e n t s If a course requires work to be completed after the last class meeting, the student may have up to sixty days to complete the work. Under unusual circumstances, and before the end of the sixty days, the student may request a thirty-day extension. This request must be made through the Office of Academic Affairs. A grade of F will be automatically assigned if all work is not completed by the end of the course, the end of the sixty days when the syllabus so designates, or the end of the thirty-day extension. P r o v i s i o n a l A d m i s s i o n s f o r A d va n c e d D e g r e e S t u d e n t s If a candidate for admission shows unusual promise in a particular Advanced Degree program when his or her previous degree grade-point average was below 3.0 GPA, the applicant may be admitted provisionally. A provisional admission student has all the privileges of other Advanced Degree students. As soon as possible after taking the Introductory Seminar and one additional course, the student must consult with the faculty adviser to review his or her progress. The Registrar shall report the grade point average to the Academic Standing Commission. If the student has not achieved a 3.0 GPA, the student will be subject to dismissal from the Advanced Degree program. In the case of ThM and ThD students, the Academic Standing Commission shall review the provisional student’s progress, after the student has completed (12) semester credit hours. If the student has not achieved a 3.0 GPA, the student will be subject to dismissal from the Advanced Degree program.

All Degree Students A d d i n g a n d D r o ppi n g C o u r s e s Courses may only be added during the first five days of class and only dropped during the first twenty days of the fall and spring terms. Greek school may be added within the first three days of class and can be dropped no later than the tenth day of class. In the extended spring term, a class may be added by the second day and dropped by the fifth day of class. Two-week courses can only be added on the first day of class and dropped by the third day of class. A course is only considered dropped at the time the registrar receives written notice to that effect. A student may petition the Office of Academic Affairs for an exception to this policy in special circumstances. C r e d i t H o u r a n d V a l uat i o n P o li c y While the educational progress of students cannot ultimately be measured by the number of credits earned, a system of course valuation is necessary to assure consistency in the curriculum. Columbia Theological Seminary defines one (semester) credit hour as equivalent to a minimum of one hour per week on in-class instruction or engaged learning over 12 weeks of instruction, plus two more weeks of out-of-class independent learning in which exams are taken or papers are produced, for a total of 14 weeks. It is expected that for each one credit hour, a minimum of two hours of preparation has taken place. A three credit course would indicate at least 36 hours of instruction, plus two periods of assessment through examinations and/or production of written work, along with the necessary out-ofclass preparation.

69


Academic Notes and Policies continued

DMin and DEdMin courses ordinarily meet over a two week period for a minimum of 30 hours of direct in-class instruction, as well as in engaged learning activities outside the classroom, including small groups, online discussion forums, and pre- and post-course assignments, for a minimum of 36 hours of guided instruction for a 3 credit course. For supervised ministry courses 200 hours of engagement is awarded 3 credit hours and 400 hours of engagement is awarded 6 credit hours. This correlates with the time and credit level of the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education which awards CPE credit. Satisfactory completion of a course, however, is determined finally not by time invested but by learning goals and objectives achieved by the student. Independent Study Students are allowed one independent study per degree program. Petitions for proposed independent studies must be submitted in writing to the dean of faculty for approval prior to registration. The full procedure for receiving approval for an independent study is outlined in the student handbook. A c a d e m i c P r o b at i o n Academic probation reflects unsatisfactory academic progress and, therefore, students are automatically placed on academic probation when: • A continuing MA(TS), MAPT, or MDiv student whose cumulative grade point average falls below 2.30. • A continuing ThM, DMin, DEdMin, or ThD student whose cumulative grade point average falls below 3.00. A student on academic probation: • Does not receive federal financial aid, • Has his or her academic record reviewed by the Academic Standing Commission, • Is required to regularly meet with his or her adviser, and • Shall not be permitted to elect to take graded courses on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory (S/U) basis At the end of every term in which grades are recorded, the Office of Academic Affairs shall review the academic progress of all degree-seeking students and provide the Academic Standing Commission and the Office of Financial Aid six lists of students: • Provisional students who have successfully attained the required cumulative grade-point average, • Provisional students who are to be placed on academic probation, • Continuing students whose cumulative grade point average places them on academic probation, • Students who are to be considered for academic dismissal, • Students who failed one or more courses, • Students who are to be dismissed according to the CTS drop out policy. After reviewing these lists, the Academic Standing Commission informs the student(s) in writing of their probationary status and schedules, as necessary, of a meeting with the Commission. Those attending this meeting are the members of the Commission, the student, and his or her adviser with the objective to develop a plan to help the student return to good academic standing. Academic Dismissal A MA(TS), MAPT, MDiv or MDiv/Dual student is dismissed when he or she: • Does not raise his or her cumulative grade point average to or above a 2.30 by the next semester after being placed on academic probation, or • Shall have failed in the aggregate any 9 credit hours of course work.

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A ThM, DMin, DEdMin, or ThD is dismissed when he or she: • Does not raise his or her cumulative grade point average to or above a 3.00 with the next course after being placed on academic probation, or • Fails any course at any time during the degree program. A student who is dismissed for academic reasons may not take classes, live on campus, or shall not have any of the privileges afforded to students. A pp e a l s Any decision of the Academic Standing Commission may be appealed to the faculty by filing with the Registrar a written notice of appeal. • A notice of appeal must be filed within two weeks after receipt by the student of the decision of the Academic Standing Commission. • The appeal will be presented to the faculty at its next stated meeting. Moral Conduct The faculty and the Board of Trustees of Columbia reserve the right to refuse to grant a degree to any individual in any degree program whose moral conduct raises serious questions about that person’s personal integrity or fitness for service in the Christian Church. Persons are accepted into degree programs with the requirement that should they become the subject of criminal, civil, or ecclesiastical proceedings they will report the fact of those proceedings and their outcomes to the Judicial Commission of the faculty. The determination of when not to award a degree based upon moral failings of the candidate is the sole and exclusive province of the institution, represented by its faculty and Board of Trustees. D i s c ipli n a r y C a s e s The Amended and Restated Bylaws and Plan of Government (2013) states, “Upon matriculation, the Seminary and each student shall enter into the following covenant: Relying upon God’s grace, will you, so long as you are a student of Columbia Theological Seminary, promise and covenant to: • be diligent in your studies, • seek academic excellence, • pursue such learning as joins mind and heart, and • strive to live your life consistent with your calling as a disciple of Jesus Christ?” Furthermore, the governance documents clearly place the faculty under the supervision of the president and accountable to the Board with the authority to adjudicate matters related to conduct. “The faculty, subject to the oversight of the Board, may establish such policies and regulations concerning student and community conduct as the faculty shall deem necessary, the provisions of which shall be administered by the faculty under the supervision of the president” (2013, Article V, section 3). When a member of the seminary community becomes personally aware of a circumstance which could potentially lead to disciplinary action against a student the matter may be brought to the Judicial Commission by a written complaint filed with the dean of faculty. The complaint shall include all relevant information, including the names of any witnesses. Prior to filing the complaint the complainant may, but shall not be required to, resolve the matter with the person complained about. Upon receipt of a complaint, the dean may determine to resolve the complaint administratively if: (i) the complaint alleges a first offense by the accused, and (ii) the acts complained about are not egregious in the judgment of the dean. In such case, the dean, the accused, and the complainant shall meet and endeavor to adjudicate the complaint with appropriate action and/or admonition.

71


Academic Notes and Policies continued

If a complaint is not resolved administratively, the Judicial Commission shall initially review the complaint. The advisor of the student against whom the complaint has been lodged and other members of the administration and the faculty may be consulted by the Judicial Commission as it may determine necessary or appropriate. If the Judicial Commission determines that the allegations of the complaint would, if established, provide the basis for disciplinary action, it shall schedule a hearing. Prior to the hearing, the complaint and any additional information pertinent to the case uncovered during the Judicial Commission’s review shall be provided to the student against whom the complaint has been lodged. At the hearing, the student against whom the complaint has been lodged shall have opportunity to examine the person making the complaint and respond to all evidence introduced at the hearing concerning the complaint, and present evidence and / or witnesses in his or her own defense. Both the complainant and the accused may be accompanied by an advocate, such as a student’s advisor or friend, but representation by external legal counsel is not permitted. If the student accused does not attend the hearing, the Commission is authorized to respond to resolve the matter notwithstanding such absence. Following the hearing, the Judicial Commission shall deliberate in private. The Judicial Commission may: 1. Determine that no cause for disciplinary action exists and declare the matter closed without further action. 2. Impose corrective actions it deems appropriate, including the issuance of a warning to the student, placing the student on disciplinary probation. 3. Suspend or dismiss the student, or impose such other discipline as it deems appropriate. 4. Recommend to the faculty that the student be expelled from the Seminary. 5. Require that the student vacate Seminary housing, even if he or she may be permitted to continue as a student. The decisions of the Judicial Commission will ordinarily be communicated in writing to the parties involved, the student’s advisor, and the ecclesiastical body having oversight for the student’s preparation for ministry (as appropriate). A log of all proceedings and actions will be kept securely by the Seminary. Expulsion In the case of a recommendation by the Judicial Commission that the faculty expel a student, the faculty shall have responsibility for considering whether expulsion is appropriate. The president shall notify a student in writing no later than fifteen days prior to the date of a faculty meeting at which a recommendation concerning his or her expulsion is to be considered by the faculty, such notification to include the time and place of the faculty meeting. The student shall be provided an opportunity at such meeting to present to the faculty any information relevant to his or her case. The student shall not be entitled to be represented by legal counsel. The decision of the faculty will be communicated in writing to the accused student, to the Judicial Commission, and to the ecclesiastical body having oversight for the student’s preparation for ministry (as applicable). A student who is expelled may not take classes, live on campus (except in the case of a spouse of a continuing student), or have any of the privileges afforded to students. A student who has been expelled may not apply for readmission to the Seminary. While any complaint is pending before the Judicial Commission and/or the faculty, the president has discretionary authority to suspend the accused from participating in classes and / or seminary housing when such action is necessary for the general welfare of the seminary community.

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A pp e a l s The decisions of the Judicial Commission (other than a recommendation of expulsion) may be appealed to the faculty in writing by filing a notice of appeal with the dean of the faculty within ten (10) days after the decision of the Commission. The faculty shall follow the procedures required for expulsion in the case of an appeal. There shall be no appeal beyond the faculty.

Withdrawal from Seminary W i t h d r awa l A student considering withdrawal is treated with special concern. The dean of students and the adviser will help in thinking through personal and vocational implications. The dean of faculty will counsel regarding academic implications. A student who withdraws from Columbia forfeits all financial assistance (scholarships and financial aid) previously awarded for the term in which such action occurs. A student must follow one of the processes below. A student who does not follow the appropriate procedures will continue to be responsible for expenses incurred at Columbia, will receive F grades in all courses, and will not be eligible for readmission. Temporary withdrawal with return in a specific time: The student must • Discuss the reasons with the dean of faculty or the dean of students; • Fill out a withdrawal form; and • Clear all accounts with the Business Office, Library, and the director of financial aid. A student in good standing may be readmitted by the dean of faculty within one year following withdrawal; beyond this, action by the Academic and Judicial Commission is required. Permanent withdrawal: The student must • Discuss the situation with the dean of faculty or the dean of students and sign a withdrawal form; • Clear all accounts with the Business Office, Library, and the director of financial aid. Readmission is through the Academic and Judicial Commission for a period of up to two years; beyond that, the regular admissions process must be used. The form for temporary or permanent withdrawal can be found on the website under academic forms. Dropout and Dismissal A student enrolled in the MDiv, MAPT, MA(TS), ThM or ThD programs who does not register for classes in two consecutive semester terms will be asked to initiate a temporary or permanent withdrawal. If the student does not respond, he or she shall be dismissed. A letter informing the student of this action will be sent to the student’s last known address by registered mail. If the student left in good standing, he or she may petition the dean of faculty within 30 days of receiving the letter of dismissal to register for classes for the next term and continue in the degree program. A DMin or DEdMin student who does not register for classes for 12 months will be contacted by the associate dean of advanced professional studies and encouraged to register for additional courses at the earliest opportunity. If the student indicates that she or he does not intend to continue in the program, she or he will be requested to initiate a temporary or permanent withdrawal. If the student does not then register for classes in the next 12 months, or initiate a temporary or permanent withdrawal, she or he will be automatically considered inactive and will be dismissed from the program. A letter informing the student of this action will be sent to the student’s last known address by registered mail. If the student left in good standing, he or she may petition the dean of faculty within 30 days of receiving the letter of dismissal to register for classes for the next term and continue in the degree program.

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Calendar 2015–2017 2015–2016

2016–2017*

SUMMER 2015

SUMMER 2016

Advanced Degree 1st Term . . . . . . . . . . July 6–17 Greek School . . . . . . . . . . . . July 6–August 14 Advanced Degree 2nd Term . . . . . . . . . July 20–31 MAPT Introductory Seminar . . . . . . . August 10–14

Advanced Degree 1st Term . . . . . . . . . July 11–22 Greek School . . . . . . . . . . . . July 11–August 19 Advanced Degree 2nd Term . . . . . . July 25–August 5 MAPT Introductory Seminar . . . . . . . August 15–19

FALL 2015

FALL 2016

Entering Student Orientation . . . . August 31–September 4 Faculty Conference . . . . . . . . . . . September 1–2 Labor Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . September 7 Formation Retreat for New Students . . . . September 8–9 Orientation for Returning Students . . . . . . September 9 Classes begin/Convocation . . . . . . . . September 10 Smyth Lectures . . . . . . . . . . . . . October 13–15 Assessment and Midterm Period . . . . . . October 22–28 Seminary Weekend . . . . . . . . . . . November 6–7 Thanksgiving Holiday . . . . . . . . . November 23–27 Classes end . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . December 16 Assessment and Finals Week . . . . . . . December 17–23

Entering Student Orientation . . . . August 29–September 2 Faculty Conference . . . . . . . . . . . August 30–31 Labor Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . September 5 Orientation/Registration . . . . . . . . . September 6–7 Classes begin/Convocation . . . . . . . . . September 8 Smyth Lectures . . . . . . . . . . . . . October 11–13 Assessment and Midterm Period . . . . . . October 20–26 Seminary Weekend . . . . . . . . . . . November 4–5 Thanksgiving Holiday . . . . . . . . . November 21–25 Classes end . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . December 14 Assessment and Finals Week . . . . . . . December 15–21 SPRING 2017 Advanced Degree classes . . . . . . . . . . January 3–6 Basic Degree classes . . . . . . . . . . . . . January 9 King Holiday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . January 16 Seminary Weekend . . . . . . . . . . . February 17–18 Assessment & Midterm Period . . . . . . February 20–24 Ash Wednesday Community Day . . . . . . . . March 1 Spring Break . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 3–7 Good Friday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 14 Classes end . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 17 Assessment and Finals Period . . . . . . . . April 18–21 Colloquium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 24–26

SPRING 2016

Advanced Degree classes . . . . . . . . . . January 4–8 Basic Degree classes . . . . . . . . . . . . January 11 King Holiday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . January 18 Ash Wednesday Community Day . . . . . . . February 10 Seminary Weekend . . . . . . . . . . . February 19–20 Assessment & Midterm Period . . . . . . February 22–26 Good Friday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . March 25 Spring Break . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 4–8 Colloquium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 11–13 Classes end . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 18 Assessment and Finals Period . . . . . . . . April 19–22

EXTENDED SPRING 2017

Extended Spring Term Dates . . . . . . . April 24–May 9 Baccalaureate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May 12 Commencement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May 13 Memorial Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May 29

EXTENDED SPRING 2016

Extended Spring Term Dates . . . . . . April 25–May 10 Baccalaureate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May 13 Commencement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May 14 Memorial Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May 30

* Tentative

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Index Admissions

International Theological Education . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Master of Arts in Practical Theology . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Master of Arts in Theological Studies . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Master of Divinity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Master of Theology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Mid-Course Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Moral Conduct . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Ordination Exams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Orientation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Placement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Practical Theology Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Probation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Doctor of Educational Ministry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Doctor of Ministry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Doctor of Theology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 International Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Master of Arts in Practical Theology Program . . . . . . . 11 Master of Arts in Theological Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Master of Divinity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Master of Theology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Advanced Standing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Advising

Doctor of Educational Ministry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Doctor of Ministry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Master of Divinity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Atlanta Theological Association Courses . . . . . . . . . 65 Auditors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Biblical Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Clinical Pastoral Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Continuing Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Convocations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Courses of Instruction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Credit Hour Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Cross-Registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Disciplinary Cases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Doctor of Educational Ministry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Doctor of Ministry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Christian Spirituality Approach . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Church and Ministry Approach . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Gospel and Culture Approach . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Doctor of Theology in Pastoral Counseling . . . . . . . 23

Provisional Admissions

Basic Degree Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Advanced Degree Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Refund Policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Room and Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Scholarships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Special Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Supervised Ministry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Suspension/Expulsion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71, 72 TOEFL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9, 11, 13, 15, 19, 22, 24 Transfer of Credit . . . . . . . . . . 10, 11, 13, 15, 19, 22, 25 Tuition and Fees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Withdrawal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Worship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Elective System

Doctor of Educational Ministry . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Doctor of Ministry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Explorations

Alternative Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Fellowships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Financial Aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Greek School, Summer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Historical Doctrinal Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Honors Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

75


D i r e c t o ry Telephone 404.378.8821

Academic affairs, curriculum, faculty

Fax 404.377.9696

Deborah Mullen Dean of Faculty & Executive Vice President Assistant — Jane Gleim: GleimJ@CTSnet.edu; 404.687.4521

www.CTSnet.edu Please address inquiries to the following people at:

Admissions: MDiv, MA(TS), MAPT,ThM,ThD

Columbia Theological Seminary PO Box 520 Decatur, Georgia 30031-0520

Betsy Lyles Director of Admissions and Recruitment Admissions@CTSnet.edu 404.687.4517; 1.877.548.2817 (toll.free) Admissions: DMin, DEdMin

Kevin Park Associate Dean for Advanced Professional Studies AdvancedStudies@CTSnet.edu; 404.687.4534 Alumni/ae affairs, student supply preaching

Randy Calvo, Jr. Director of Alumni/ae and Church Relations Assistant—Barbara Poe: PoeB@CTSnet.edu; 404.687.4566 Business, accounting, legal matters; campus and facilities management

Martin Sadler Vice President for Business and Finance Business@CTSnet.edu; 404.687.4510 Campus Safety and Security

Agnes Scott Security (non-emergency) 404.471.6355 Agnes Scott Security (emergency) 404.471.6900 Communications: publications, website, blog, advertising, media relations

Michael Thompson Director of Communications ThompsonM@CTSnet.edu; 404.687.4530 Financial aid

Vivian Hodo Director of Financial Aid FinancialAid@CTSnet.edu; 404.687.4582

76


General matters about the seminary

Leanne Van Dyk, President Assistant—Mary Lynn Darden: DardenM@CTSnet.edu; 404.687.4515 Housing and food service

Miguel Angel Chavez Facilities Coordinator ChavezM@CTSnet.edu; 404.687.4510 Lifelong Learning courses and events

Sarah Erickson Director of Lifelong Learning EricksonS@CTSnet.edu; 404.687.4526 Debra Weir Associate Director of Spirituality (certificate programs in spirituality) Weir.Debra@CTSnet.edu; 404.687.4557 Israel Galindo Associate Dean, Lifelong Learning GalindoI@CTSnet.edu; 404.687.4558 Janie Young Staff Associate LifelongLearning@CTSnet.edu; 404.687.4577 Placement and student services

Paul “Skip” Johnson Dean of Students & Vice President for Student Services Assistant—Judy Graves: GravesJ@CTSnet.edu; 404.687.4523 Registration, course schedules, and transcripts

Michael Medford Registrar Registrar@CTSnet.edu; 404.687.4576 Supervised ministry and internships

Kimberly Clayton Director of Contextual Education ClaytonK@CTSnet.edu; 404.687.4518 Dominique Robinson, Staff Associate RobinsonD@CTSnet.edu; 404.687.4519 Transfer credits, institutional research, and accreditation

Ann Clay Adams Associate Dean for Academic Administration AdamsA@CTSnet.edu; 404.687.4524


701 S. Columbia Drive PO Box 520 Decatur, Georgia 30031 www.CTSnet.edu

C T S e m i n a ry

404.378.8821 tel


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