West Coast Bible College and Seminary FAQ s

Transcription

1 West Coast Bible College and Seminary FAQ s WHY SHOULD I CHOOSE WCBCS? The answer is really simple: At West Coast Bible College and Seminary we place a strong emphasis on addressing the practical issues facing ministers on an everyday basis and equipping them to handle the real-life challenges and responsibilities of ministry. You will get a top-notch Bible-based education from successful and gifted leaders that you will be able to apply immediately where you're at...and all this is at a cost anyone can afford! WHEN CAN I ENROLL? We have open enrollment which means you can enroll at any time of the year; This is a self-paced program, which can be completed at your own leisure, with a maximum of 5 years to complete any bachelor degree and 3 years to complete any master or doctoral degree. COSTS 1. Why is the cost of a degree at WCBCS so much less expensive than other traditional colleges? We know that when some people look at the cost they might get alarmed and wonder how is the cost of a degree so inexpensive. The answer is simple: When you go to a traditional school, the majority of your tuition is going to two things: Facilities and Faculty. Since we only pay for office space and not large buildings, we have less expenses to "pass on to the students". Additionally, our professors have bought into the vision of training ministers and have agreed to teach as a part-time ministry. Bottom line: Our desire is to train ministers cost-effectively and not create what we call "disciples of debt". 2. Is it $1250 for just one year or both? The $1, covers the entire cost of tuition on whatever bachelor program you choose. If you choose to enroll in a master or doctoral program, the cost is only $1, per program. 3. What additional costs are there beyond tuition? The only other costs beyond tuition are: Registration ($50.00), Books (approximately $10-$15 per class on average), and a $ graduation fee (which is subject to change slightly). 4. Do you give refunds on tuition or fees? Our policy is that we do not give any refunds on tuition or fees that have been submitted since our fee structures are already so inexpensive. APPLICATION PROCESS 1. How do I apply for WCBCS? Due to the high number of applications WCBCS receives and processed from Master s Commission programs, Master s Commission students, staff, and graduates/alumni applying to WCBCS are required to submit the $50.00 application fee via PayPal before actually being able to submit an application. Once payment has been completed, you will then be redirected to the online application

2 and given further instructions following the submission. WCBCS will create your student record immediately upon receipt of your payment. 2. DON T FORGET ONE MAJOR THING ON THE APPLICATION SO IT GETS PROCESSED CORRECTLY. Make sure to fill out the correct information about the Master s Commission you are going to attend or attended. Your application will be submitted to Master s Commission International Network to get approval from the Master s Commission Director at the program you are attending before WCBC will accept you. So it is very important you provide correct and complete information. ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS 1. Students who would like to enroll must have the following four requirements: 1.) Have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. 2) Have graduated from high school or completed a GED. 3) Send copies of the "official transcripts" from all of the schools you have attended to the WCBCS address. 4.) Are going to attend or have attended a Master s Commission Affiliate program. (Click here to see current list of Affiliates) 2. What is an "official transcript"? This is the transcript sent directly from your previous schools to our offices and it must be stamped with the official school seal. Students may complete up to two classes before their "official transcript" is on file. 3. If I am currently in High school and am planning to go to a Master s Commission can I go ahead and enroll in WCBCS? (CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT) High school students may, with the permission of the appropriate high school official, concurrently enroll in high school and college courses. A maximum of nine (9) semester hours will be accepted. College students may concurrently enroll in courses at WCBCS. SCHOLARSHIPS 1. Does WCBCS have scholarships? WCBCS does not offer scholarships or receive federal funding because we have already cut all of the extra expenses to assist you in your education. 2. Does Master s Commission have scholarships to attend WCBCS? The short answer is YES. Each Master s Commission program does have access to scholarships for WCBCS. The numbers of scholarships they have available are determined on how many students they have enrolled in WCBCS. You must be enrolled or have previously attended a Master s Commission to receive one. Each individual Master s Commission Director has a very limited number of scholarships available. It is so limited because we have already cut all of the extra expenses to assist you in your education. To find out more information please contact the Master s Commission you are looking to attend. DEGREE PROGRAM

3 1. What exactly is a Degree in Ministry? A degree in ministry is a degree that trains a student to do the work of the ministry; much like a business degree trains a person in business. As you view the classes being offered, you will find classes that address the various ministries throughout all of church ministry. 2. How does getting a four-year degree in two years work? What are the requirements? As stated in the previous questions, students will complete the five various modules in each class to complete their degree. The length of completion is completely up to each individual student. The syllabus for each class outlines the method for a student to finish a class every two weeks, typically, in the bachelor degree program. Sample classes are available online that will address what the requirements are like. 3. How many extra credits are required to get your Master's Degree? Could you get it during your third year in Master s Commission? Every masters degree from WCBCS is 48 hours (12 classes). The average student typically takes 6-9 months to complete their degree. So it is completely possible, even realistic, to complete a masters degree in the third year program of any Masters Commission. 4. How many classes will I need to take to graduate? All students are required to complete a minimum 30 hours (10 classes) to complete any degree. There are no exceptions to this requirement. 5. Can someone who has a degree go for a Master's Degree? Yes. When someone completes a bachelor degree through WCBCS, they can then go on for a Master s degree at WCBCS or elsewhere (dependent on acceptance by the institution). As stated before, we encourage students to contact their prospective colleges in advance to make sure the degrees from WCBCS will satisfy their requirements. Typically, schools with the same accreditation are more than willing to accept other schools degrees to allow advanced degrees to be earned. 6. Can we get other degrees? Students who graduate from WCBCS can continue on in their academic endeavors through WCBCS or at other colleges. However, before enrolling at WCBCS, we encourage students to contact their prospective colleges in advance to make sure the degrees from WCBCS will satisfy their requirements. A final note on this: We do have several students who are dually enrolled in two degree programs simultaneously. 7. What is the benefit of having a degree versus just being credentialed? Being credentialed is important, but having a degree is essential in ministry and our current culture! When pastors or potential employers look at two qualified candidates they like equally, many times the deciding factor can be the educational background of the candidates. 8. If you do not want to go into ministry, what does a bachelor's degree in ministry do for me? First of all, obtaining ANY bachelor degree should first be done because you want to personally accomplish this goal for your life. Secondly, a bachelor degree shows any potential employer that you are disciplined and can complete a task set before you. Most importantly though: Completing a degree is an issue of being a

4 good steward of the gifts God has placed inside of you. Can God use someone without a degree? Absolutely; and He has done it throughout the centuries of mankind! However, in our current world there is a premium placed on education 9. Has WCBCS received legal approval to grant degrees? WCBCS has WCBCS completely complies with all the laws of the state of Texas and is authorized to grant degrees per an exemption granted by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. WCBCS is also in applicant status to receive Tax-Exempt status with the Internal Revenue Service. Additionally, WCBCS is registered in South Africa with CIPRO, the Companies and Intellectual Property Registration Office. Our reference number is Do I "have to" finish a class every 14 days in the Bachelor program or in the time frames prescribed in the MRE & DMin programs? At WCBCS, we understand that life can change not only on a daily basis; but on a minute-by-minute basis. Your class syllabus provides a guideline to help you stay focused so you can finish your degree ASAP, but it is merely a suggestion. You may complete a class in as short or as long a period as you are comfortable with. However, you have 5 years to complete your degree at the bachelor level and 3 years to complete your degree at the MRE and DMin levels. 11. Once I start a class how long do I have to complete it? At WCBCS, we are committed to providing our students with the best in academic quality, while focusing on the key principles that will be most used in their chosen field. Students are required to complete any classes started within a six month time frame. If a class is not completed in the given time frame, the student will receive an "I" on their transcript. A student will not be allowed to graduate with an "I" or "F" on their transcript. LIFE LEARNING CREDITS 1. How do Life Learning Credits work for Master Commission Students? Life Learning Credits is the recognition that students are having invaluable learning experiences in the real-world classroom, which should be recognized from an academic standpoint. All Masters Commission students will be granted 15 hours of LLC s for each year they have completed in a recognized MCIN program, with a maximum of 30 hours being awarded. This means each MC student will actually only have to take 90 credit hours (30 classes) in order to graduate, if they complete two years through MC. 2. What if I only take one year of Master s Commission what changes? If you only take one year of MC then you will only receive 15 hours of Life Learning Credits. However, once you have paid your tuition in full payment, you may continue on as a student at WCBCS. 3. What classes do life credits cancel out? The classes cancelled out by the Life Learning Credits will be determined individually for each student by their student advisor. Each student will receive a degree plan within 2 weeks of enrolling and submitting official transcripts that will outline all required classes.

5 4. Will the credits I have now transfer and, if so, which credits transfer? Before we can state exactly which credits will transfer, we will need to evaluate the individual s transcript and then make an assessment. We are, however, able to transfer over most credit hours where the student made a C or above in the class. 5. What if I have credits already? Do they apply? Will it still cost me $1250? A student can transfer in credit hours from another institute, college, or university. If the student wishes to pay for classes on an individual basis, the cost is $75.00 per class on the bachelor level, $ per class on the master s level, and $ per class on the doctoral level. The only cases where the student would benefit from not paying the $1, tuition rate are if they have 10 or less classes to complete. If paying on a per class basis, there will be an additional fee for applying Life Learning Credits. This fee is covered by the one time tuition payment. CLASS MODULES 1. Who is teaching these classes? When considering ANY college you are thinking about attending, this is a great question to ask. WCBCS has a long list of highly qualified personnel who have been actively involved in ministry for a number of years. We encourage everyone to go on our website and view our faculty programs to learn about all of our educators. 2. Will my professors be academically qualified? All WCBCS professors hold a degree for, at least, the level they are teaching. In addition, they are proven leaders in their field who can give you the practical insight you need to succeed. Some courses will even be taught by a team of teachers who can provide various viewpoints on any given subject. We encourage everyone to go on our website and view our faculty programs to learn about all of our educators. 3. Is it 100% online, 100% bookwork, or a mix of both? The classes are all 100% online, although bookwork is required. Each class is made up of the following five modules: 1.) Read one textbook and write down one personal key truth learned from each chapter and how you can implement it in ministry (our belief is that if everyone can learn one practical truth that will stay with them for life, then the reading exercise has been successful) 2.) Listen to two lectures or watch an online video and fill in the blanks of the lecture notes. 3.) Complete an open book exam (the student can complete the open book exam with reading - each exam will consist of 20 to 25 questions however, students MAY NOT collaborate with other students to complete this exercise) 4.) Find magazines articles or internet articles discussing the subject and write a summary of each article. (Each article must be properly identified with the title, author, and web link noted)

6 5.) Write a final paper discussing how the subject matter is relevant to your personal ministry and how you will implement it in life and ministry. 4. Is this individual study? The classes are designed to be for the individual learner. However, collaboration and discussion is allowed to help the 5. What is this program modeled after? WCBCS is a program that is not modeled after any other educational program in the world. This revolutionary educational concept was created by our founder, Dr. Kevin Harrison, who has served in education in administration on the elementary, secondary, and collegiate levels. This model lives out the old German Proverb, The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing. WCBCS targets specific textbooks and designs all classes around the 10 most important things a student needs to learn about a subject. Face it: Most of the things students learn in education are either not relevant to their actual work or aren t memorable enough to have taken root in the mind of the student. By focusing on less content of greater importance, we can help students remember and implement more! 6. What is the Grading Scale? A = , B = 89 80, C = 79 70, D = 69 60, F = 59 & below. Honors: Summa Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, Cum Laude. All honors (if applicable) will appear on the official transcript only. No honors will appear on the degrees earned by student. ACCREDITATION 1. Is WCBCS accredited? WCBCS is privately accredited through Transworld Accrediting Commission. WCBCS has chosen not to seek regional accreditation, which is governmental accreditation. More information regarding this decision can be found on our website at Accreditation conveys the message that an external set of measures has been applied and a match achieved. Several standards are involved in the accreditation process and are listed below: STANDARD I: Structure & Governance 1. All Bible and theological courses must be based on evangelical doctrine (see Evangelical Doctrinal Statement). 2. The organization and operation of the educational facility is in accord with appropriate state statutes. 3. There is on file a copy of the legal instrument creating the educational organization. 4. The organizational structure and charter must reflect adequate personnel to accomplish the stated purpose and goals of the educational institution. STANDARD II: Material Resources 1. The institution must have as a minimum an administrative office with sufficient space to accommodate staff; appropriate files, and records. 2. The institution must provide students with an annually updated list of library and media resources.

7 3. The institution must have adequate media equipment to evaluate student course requirements and projects. 4. Classroom facilities are adequate to accommodate student needs. STANDARD III: Policies 1. A current catalog is available to all students. 2. Student policies are stated in writing and available to all students. 3. Financial policies, including refund policies, are made available to all applicants prior to admission. 4. Faculty policies are stated in writing and distributed to each faculty member. 5. Administrative policies are in accordance with state laws. 6. Admission and personnel policies are in accordance with federal antidiscrimination statues. STANDARD IV: Faculty 1. The institution maintains written criteria for faculty appointment. 2. Faculty/Student ratio reflects realistic workload. 3. Written faculty contracts are maintained and annually updated. 4. Faculty payment policies are consistent and non-discriminatory. 5. A method exists for faculty input into administrative decisions. STANDARD V: Curriculum 1. The institution must maintain an annually updated list of courses offered. 2. The institution has a curriculum committee that oversees academic offerings. 3. Degree requirements are in keeping with generally accepted standards. 4. Students must receive a copy of their degree plan. 5. Course requirements for students are consistent within departments or divisions. 2. Who is WCBCS accredited through? WCBCS is privately accredited through Transworld Accrediting Commission ( The Transworld Accrediting Commission International (TACI) is a professional, federally recognized, non-profit church educational organization whose philosophy is to demonstrate accountability to the consuming public for education obtained in non-traditional evangelical educational institutions. This accountability is demonstrated by institutions that are accredited by TAC, having documented evidence of compliance with TACI standards of structure and governance, material resources, policies, faculty and curriculum. TACI accredits and assists Theological Schools, Seminaries, Universities, Colleges and Programs throughout the World. Their strength and heritage is in our member institutions, including many major denominations and world-wide ministries. Real educators, recognizing achievement! GRADUATION FROM WCBCS Graduation Approval: The Office of the Registrar must approve all candidates applying for graduation. Contact the Office of the Registrar via .

8 Graduation Ceremony: There will be an annual graduation ceremony held in May on a date to be announced (providing a minimum number of students will be participating.) Graduates are not required to participate in order to receive their degree. However, this option is available to honor and recognize our student s accomplishments by their friends and families. DENOMINATIONAL QUESTIONS 1. Will Assembly of God recognize these credits for credentials? As of right now, we have not had a case where a student has tried to do so. However, at the conclusion of any degree program WCBCS offers ordination to all of our students through Casa do Oleiro Ministries. There is a possibility that ordination may potentially be able to be transferred. Masters Commission International is working with WCBCS to try to secure A/G approval/recognition with various districts. All of that being said, we do have students from A/G backgrounds and currently involved in ministry who are enrolled at WCBCS. OTHER FACTS Grade Appeal Process: If a student feels that there is an error on his grade report, he must begin the appeal process within thirty days of receiving the grade report. After thirty days the grade is considered final and is not subject to appeal by the student or any third party. WCBCS is not responsible for lost tests, projects, etc. Please be sure to make a copy of all material prior to submitting material to WCBCS for grading or evaluation. Course Repeating Policy: Students desiring to repeat a course for the purpose of having the first grade removed from the cumulative grade point average must follow these procedures: (1) A course may be repeated once if the student receives a grade of less than "C". (2) A course may be repeated one time for an additional charge if the student receives a "C" or higher. (3) The second grade, in all circumstances, replaces the first grade for the purpose of calculating the cumulative grade point average. Any student receiving an "F" or "I" must contact the Grade Department for further instructions. No student will be allowed to graduate with an "F" or "I" in a required course. Any undergraduate student receiving three "Fs" will be placed on academic probation. Any graduate student receiving two "Fs" will be placed on academic probation. Non-Discrimination Policy West Coast Bible College and Seminary does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, or marital status.

9 Confidentiality Policy West Coast Bible College and Seminary keeps all student records and personal information private and will not release that information without the written consent of the student. WEST COAST BIBLE COLLEGE & SEMINARY WCBCS Mission West Coast Bible College & Seminary exists to train men and women to serve in positions of ministry around the world, as well as to train those who want to further their Bible and ministry knowledge. Our desire is to create Disciples of Christ - not disciples of debt. To remain true to our goals, we have eliminated as many costs as possible so everyone can afford to get a practical, quality education. The mission of West Coast Bible College & Seminary is to honor God by educating and ministering to a diverse community of students for the purpose of developing servant-leaders who will radically impact the world where they live with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We accomplish this through biblically based programs and services that have an appreciation of past traditions, but that utilize cutting-edge technology and the latest resources to equip our student for the future. MASTER S COMMISSION INTERNATIONAL NETWORK MCIN Mission Master s Commission International Network of Affiliates was formed in 1994 to preserve the integrity and purity of the heart with which this intense discipleshiptraining program was created. Our Mission is To know God and to make Him known. It is the desire of the MCIN to help the local church in many different denominations raise up a generation of world changers, recklessly abandoned to the cause of Christ. To do this, each Master s Commission discipleship training program must be a ministry of a local church, not a para-church organization. Master s Commission is effecting a generation of young adults who are trained to reach a world with the Word of God as their foundation, prayer as their passion, and evangelism as their battle cry. The MCIN purpose is in part, to be a resource center, which enhances established programs and sets a firm foundation for beginning programs. As a resource center, one of our focuses is to provide educational resources like WCBCS. The Master s Commission International Network of Affiliates are Master s Commission programs that share the same heart and desire for character, integrity and discipleship. If a Master s Commission program is recognized and backed by the MCIN, then it meets the standards and mirrors the original heart of this movement and follows the requirements and core values for MCIN. Each Affiliate of the MCIN that is in good standings shall have a non-exclusive license to use the registered tradename of Master s Commission & Master s Commission International Network.

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