Bachelor of Ministry 1 Academic Department: Bachelor of Ministry Strategic Plan & Responses Degree Bachelor of Ministry Student Learning Outcome 1: Graduates will demonstrate satisfactory comprehension of a broad range of information in the fields of biblical, theological, historical, and practical ministry studies. Graduates will take a variety of courses in each of these fields of study. Graduates will accumulate a collective GPA of 2.0 or higher in their coursework for the Bachelor of Ministry degree. Graduates will take an Exit Exam based upon their course of study for the Bachelor of Ministry degree. Graduates will score in excess of 50% on the Exit Exam. All Spring 2009 graduates had a collective GPA of 2.0 or higher and scored above 50% on the divisional exit exams. The division will continue to make an effort to maintain these positive results.
Bachelor of Ministry 2 Student Learning Outcome 2: Graduates will display good communication skills, including the ability to research, write, and make oral presentations in the field of Christian ministry. Graduates will write research papers utilizing good communication skills in select Bachelor of Ministry degree major courses. Graduates will receive a passing grade on at least 75% of research papers submitted in Bachelor of Ministry degree major courses. Graduates will write a Senior Seminar Research Paper that utilizes good communication skills in the Bachelor of Ministry capstone course CHR 490. Graduates will score a minimum of 70% on the Senior Seminar Research Paper in CHR 490. Method of Assessment 3 Graduates will make oral presentations in select Bachelor of Ministry degree major courses, including CHR 490. Graduates will receive a passing grade on at least 75% of their oral presentations in Bachelor of Ministry degree major courses. All Spring 2009 graduates passed with 75% or higher on research papers in major courses, received 70% or higher on the Senior Seminar research paper, and scored 75% or higher on their oral presentations, either utilizing a PowerPoint presentation of as a member of a debate team. The division will continue to make an effort to maintain these positive results.
Bachelor of Ministry 3 Student Learning Outcome 3: Graduates will develop critical thinking skills for the purpose of further intellectual inquiry in the field of Christian ministry. Graduates will write research papers in select Bachelor of Ministry courses where critical thinking skills are exercised on topics relevant to the field of Christian ministry. Graduates will receive a passing grade on at least 75% of research papers submitted in Bachelor of Ministry degree major courses. Graduates will write a Senior Seminar Research Paper where they evaluate and synthesize evidence, draw conclusions based upon reasoned analysis, and present thoughtful and logical arguments on a topic relevant to the field of Christian ministry. Graduates will score a minimum of 70% on the Senior Seminar Research Paper. Method of Assessment 3 Graduates will write book reviews in select Bachelor of Ministry courses where they use critical thinking skills to analyze the contents of a book relevant to the field of Christian ministry. Graduates will receive a passing grade on at least 75% of critical book reviews submitted in Bachelor of Ministry degree major courses. All Spring 2009 graduates passed with 75% or higher on research papers in major courses, received 70% or higher on the Senior Seminar research paper, and scored 75% or higher on their assigned critical book reviews. The division will continue to make an effort to maintain these positive results.
Bachelor of Ministry 4 Student Learning Outcome 4: Graduates will exhibit skills in such areas as homiletics, pastoral care, and leadership in order to function effectively as Christian ministers in churches and other institutional contexts. Graduates will take CHR 481, Internship in Ministry, in order to gain experience in the practice of Christian ministry. Graduates will score a minimum of 70% in CHR 481, Internship in Ministry. Graduates will take an Exit Exam based upon their course of study for the Bachelor of Ministry degree. Graduates will score in excess of 60% on the Ministry Studies portion of the Exit Exam. All Spring 2009 graduates scored 70% or higher in CHR 481; however, a Ministry Studies portion of the divisional exit exam has not yet been devised. The division will attempt to create a Ministry Studies portion insofar as it applies to the methods of assessment for the next five-year strategic plan, 2009-2014.
Bachelor of Ministry 5 Student Learning Outcome 5: Graduates will appreciate the necessity for a lifelong commitment to spiritual formation. Graduates will demonstrate their commitment to spiritual formation during an Exit Interview to be given during the last semester and to be administered by the full-time professors of the department. Graduates will answer appropriately to the specific questions geared to testing their commitment to spiritual formation. All Spring 2009 graduates answered specific questions geared toward testing their commitment to spiritual formation in connection with the requirements for CHR 350 Formation for Ministry. The division will continue to make an effort to maintain this form of testing.
Bachelor of Ministry 6 Student Learning Outcome 6: Graduates will recognize the authority and sufficiency of Scripture for Christian life and ministry. Graduates will demonstrate their recognition of the authority and sufficiency of Scripture during an Exit Interview to be given during the last semester and to be administered by the fulltime professors of the department. Graduates will answer appropriately to the specific questions geared to testing their recognition of the authority and sufficiency of Scripture. All Spring 2009 graduates answered specific questions geared toward testing their recognition of the authority and sufficiency of Scripture on the Old Testament and New Testament portions of the divisional exit exam. The division will continue to make an effort to maintain this form of testing.
Bachelor of Ministry 7 Student Learning Outcome 7: Graduates will understand Baptist distinctives, principles, and denominational entities within the larger framework of Christendom. Graduates will demonstrate their understanding of the Baptist denomination during an Exit Interview to be given during the last semester and to be administered by the full-time professors of the department. Graduates will answer appropriately to the specific questions geared to testing their understanding of Baptist distinctives, principles, and denominational entities within the larger framework of Christendom. Graduates will take an Exit Exam that will include questions to gauge their understanding of Baptist distinctives, principles, and denominational entities within the larger framework of Christendom. Graduates will score in excess of 50% on this portion of the Exit Exam. : All Spring 2009 graduates did not answer specific questions geared toward testing their understanding of Baptist distinctives, principles, and denominational entities within the larger framework of Christendom; this portion of the divisional exit exam has yet to be devised. This method of assessment, however, was utilized in the divisional exit interview. The division will attempt to create a Baptist distinctives, etc., portion of its divisional exit exam insofar as it applies to the methods of assessment for the next five-year strategic plan, 2009-2014.
Bachelor of Ministry 8 Student Learning Outcome 8: Graduates will be able to articulate principles and strategies of Christian leadership in the context of local church ministry. Graduates will articulate their understanding of basic principles of Christian leadership during an Exit Interview to be given during the last semester and to be administered by the fulltime professors of the department Graduates will answer appropriately to the specific questions geared to testing their understanding of principles of Christian leadership. Graduates will take an Exit Exam that will include questions to gauge their understanding of principles of Christian leadership. Graduates will score in excess of 50% on the Exit Exam. Method of Assessment 3 Graduates will take the required courses in Christian Leadership Studies (CHR 353, 455, 456, 457), in order to gain understanding of the basics of Christian leadership. Graduates will score a minimum of 70% in CHR 353, 455, 456, and 457. : All Spring 2009 graduates answered specific questions geared toward testing their understanding of the basic principles of Christian Leadership in those courses designated toward such studies; however, a Christian Leadership portion of the divisional exit exam has yet to be devised, but this method of assessment was in fact utilized in the divisional exit interview. All graduates who took CHR 353, 455, 456, and 457 scored a minimum of 70%. The division will attempt to create a Christian Leadership portion of its divisional exit exam insofar as it applies to the methods of assessment for the next five-year strategic plan, 2009-2014.