Certificates
Six focused tracks for believers who want solid grounding without a full degree commitment.
Degrees
Associate, bachelor and master's programs in Biblical Studies and Biblical Counseling.
Curriculum
See exactly which courses make up the 60-credit Associate of Biblical Studies, year by year.
30 credits each
Certificate programs
Five certificates, each 30 credits at $50 per credit. Credits earned here apply toward a degree if you continue.
Biblical Studies
Old and New Testament survey, inductive Bible study method, and the core doctrines of the faith.
Pastoral Ministry
Preaching and teaching, pastoral care, church government and the shepherd’s daily work.
Christian Leadership
Servant leadership, ministry development, church administration and developing other leaders.
Evangelism and Missions
Personal witness, community outreach, world missions and cross-cultural ministry.
Biblical Counseling
Lay counseling, marriage and family, crisis care, and knowing when to refer.
Students without a high school diploma may earn ministerial certificates for successful completion of credit courses. A high school diploma or GED is required to qualify for the certificate and degree programs listed above.
Associate through Doctorate
Degree programs
Sixteen degrees: four credential levels in each of four programs of study — Biblical Studies, Biblical Counseling, Christian Leadership and Pastoral Leadership.
Every degree below is named individually on the Institute’s exemption from State licensure. Read the exemption statement.
Associate degrees
A complete foundation in Scripture, doctrine and ministry practice, scheduled around working adults.
Associate of Biblical Studies · Associate of Biblical Counseling · Associate of Christian Leadership · Associate of Pastoral Leadership
Bachelor degrees
Advanced exegesis, theology and ministry leadership for pastors, teachers and church planters.
Bachelor of Biblical Studies · Bachelor of Biblical Counseling · Bachelor of Christian Leadership · Bachelor of Pastoral Leadership
Master of Theology degrees
Graduate study for experienced leaders ready for deeper theological work.
Master of Theology of Biblical Studies · Master of Theology of Biblical Counseling · Master of Theology in Christian Leadership · Master of Theology in Pastoral Leadership
Doctor of Theology degrees
The terminal program, for leaders who have completed graduate work and are ready for advanced study.
Doctor of Theology in Biblical Studies · Doctor of Theology in Biblical Counseling · Doctor of Theology in Christian Leadership · Doctor of Theology in Pastoral Ministry
Biblical Studies
75% Biblical Studies curriculum and electives, 15% Christian / Pastoral Leadership, 10% Biblical Counseling.
Biblical Counseling
50% Biblical Counseling curriculum, 50% Biblical Studies curriculum.
Christian and Pastoral Leadership
50% Christian / Pastoral Leadership curriculum, 25% Biblical Studies and electives, 25% Biblical Counseling. The Christian Leadership and Pastoral Leadership degrees are awarded separately and share this curriculum mix.
Sample plan · A.B.S.
Associate of Biblical Studies, year by year
Sixty credits over three years. Courses are scheduled to accommodate students working toward their degrees, and substitutions can be made with approval from the Director of Academic Services.
Foundations
- Knowing God I (2)
- Knowing God II (1)
- Foundations of the Great Commission (1)
- Church Fellowship (2)
- The Sermon on the Mount (1)
- Prayer and Fasting (1)
- Faith (1)
- Christian Character (2)
- Old Testament I–III (3)
- New Testament I–III (3)
- Redemption & Salvation (1)
- Ministry to the Poor (1)
- Proverbs (1)
- Introduction to Bible Study (2)
Handling the Word
- Preaching and Teaching I–III (6)
- Bible Study Series I–IV (8)
A concentrated year on exegesis and delivery. You will build sermons and studies from the text and present them for critique.
Ministry and electives
- Teachings of Jesus I–III (6)
- The Gospel & the Kingdom (2)
- Praise and Worship (2)
- Marriage (1)
- Spiritual Warfare (1)
- Christian Leadership (2)
- Theology of Ministry (1)
- Gifts of the Spirit (2)
- The Holy Spirit (2)
- Dynamics of the Family (1)
- Plus 4 credits of electives
Electives include Church Planting, Children's Ministry, Church Administration, I Timothy I–II, World Missions, Christian Ethics, Islam, Angels and Demons, Practical Evangelism and more.
Academic guidelines
How courses actually work
Courses normally convene in eight-week terms, plus weekend seminars. Here is what is expected of you once you enroll.
Most assignments are designed so that the work outlasts the course. Book notes become a reference collection you keep drawing on; the teaching outline is a lesson you can deliver in Sunday school, a Bible study or a nursing home ministry. The goal is not only to complete an assignment, but also to multiply teaching opportunities.
You need 70% to earn credit
| A | 94–100 | Excellent |
| B | 86–93 | Above average |
| C | 78–85 | Average |
| D | 70–77 | Passing |
Transcripts are issued quarterly if your account is current.
Graduating with honors
| Cum Laude | 3.25–3.49 |
| Magna Cum Laude | 3.50–3.99 |
| Summa Cum Laude | 4.0 |
A minimum 2.00 GPA on a 4-point scale is required for admission.
60% of classes
For a course to count toward graduation you must attend 60% of its classes — 4 of 5, or 5 of 8, in each period. Three late arrivals or early departures equal one absence.
Extended Learning and Distance Learning courses are exempt from this attendance policy.
Exam, book notes, teaching outline
Two-credit courses: a one-hour exam worth 50% of the grade, book notes worth 25%, and a teaching outline worth 25%.
Three-credit courses: a one-hour-fifteen-minute exam worth 70%, book notes 15%, and a teaching outline or paper 15%.
Book notes require reading at least 70 pages of an assigned book and recording ten insights. Teaching outlines are written for a 20-minute lesson. Exams remain at the instructor’s discretion.
Dates and deadlines
Flex-path study is open continuously. A flex-path course runs eight weeks from the date the student registers for it, so it belongs to no term and has no registration deadline. The terms and deadlines below govern in-person and virtual study, which meet as a class.
The 2027 academic year
The year runs from 11 January to 12 November 2027 in five eight-week terms, with classes Monday through Friday and a week off between terms. Registration for each term closes on the Friday before classes begin. The Institute is in winter recess from 15 November to 10 January; registration for Term 1 opens before the recess rather than during it.
| Term | Registration opens | Registration closes | Classes begin | Classes end |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 30 November 2026 | 8 January 2027 | 11 January 2027 | 5 March 2027 |
| 2 | 22 February 2027 | 12 March 2027 | 15 March 2027 | 7 May 2027 |
| 3 | 26 April 2027 | 14 May 2027 | 17 May 2027 | 9 July 2027 |
| 4 | 28 June 2027 | 16 July 2027 | 19 July 2027 | 10 September 2027 |
| 5 | 30 August 2027 | 17 September 2027 | 20 September 2027 | 12 November 2027 |
Courses, meeting days and meeting times are subject to change. Holidays, vacations and other closures are to be announced.
Registration and payment
Registration opens three weeks before the term and closes on the Friday before classes begin. Late registration is permitted up to the second week of class with a $20 late registration fee.
You are considered registered when payment is made in full, or payment arrangements have been made with the Office of Administrations. Full payment is due by the first day of each course; otherwise you default to payment-plan status and owe a $20 late fee, and cannot register for further courses until it is paid.
After the second class period you cannot add a course, drop a course, switch between credit and audit, or receive a refund. If you are withdrawing, notify the Office of Administrations — students remain responsible for payment otherwise.
Refreshers and replacements
Students may retake refresher courses at no additional tuition cost. Replacing course materials you cannot locate costs $15.
To convert an audited course to credit: take the course again, complete all assignments, and pay the difference in the tuition rate.
Late assignment policy
Assignments and tests not submitted by the end of the following term are recorded as an audit, and audited courses do not count toward certificates or degrees.
With extenuating circumstances, submit a written request with documentation to the Director of Academic Services. An audit or incomplete grade cannot be changed six months or more after the course ends without board approval.
Three ways to study
Same degree, three different rhythms
Every certificate and degree can be completed in whichever format fits your life. You are not locked in — students move between formats between terms, and many mix them.
In all three formats your course materials are emailed to you, and any required textbooks are purchased separately from the bookseller of your choice.
In-person
Class meets face to face at one of our campuses or satellite locations on a set schedule. You get the room, the discussion and the accountability of learning alongside other people.
Best if there is a campus or satellite location near you and you want the classroom.
Virtual
The same class, the same instructor, the same set meeting time — joined from wherever you are. You are in the discussion live, just not in the room.
Best if you want the structure of a scheduled class but cannot travel.
Flex-path
Your course materials are emailed to you, and you work through them at your own pace. Complete full certificates and degrees on your own schedule, with no set class times to keep.
Best if your work, travel or ministry schedule will not hold still.
Required textbooks are purchased separately from any bookseller.