Overview

Residency Requirements

Students are expected to complete their courses at Bethel to the greatest extent possible.  However, up to two-thirds of the credits required in a Bethel degree may be received as transfer credit. Transfer students are required to complete at least one course in each core discipline at Bethel.

Transfer Coursework and Accreditation Requirements

Transfer credit is normally granted for coursework taken at institutionally accredited, graduate-level institutions. Upon receipt of an official transcript from another graduate institution, the transcript will be evaluated in terms of required courses and standards of Bethel Seminary. Credits for courses graded S/U, P/F, or below C (2.0) will not be accepted. 

Only hermeneutics courses taken at an institution accredited by the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) will be accepted in transfer to fulfill BT 510 Hermeneutics. Students who have taken hermeneutics at an institution not accredited by ATS may seek transfer approval from a Bethel Seminary faculty member who teaches BT 510.

Credit may be given for coursework completed at non-accredited seminaries or graduate schools based on instructor approval. Current students who desire to complete coursework at non-accredited institutions must request approval in advance from the Registrar's Office. The request must be accompanied by evidence that demonstrates the academic rigor of the program (syllabi, course descriptions, textbooks, qualifications of instructors, etc.). Approval is not automatically granted. 

Duration of Credits

All credits applied toward degree requirements at Bethel must have been earned within 10 years of the Bethel degree being awarded. 

Students with coursework which does not meet this requirement, or with credits which will become ineligible during the time of enrollment in their Bethel degree program may petition to have the work reviewed for exception consideration.

MDiv/MA Transfer Work

A student with a Master of Arts degree (or its equivalent) in religious studies from Bethel or another school may be granted credits toward a Master of Divinity or Master of Arts degree. No more than half of the credits required for the lesser degree may be used toward the second degree at Bethel. 

Bethel Seminary Partnerships   

Bethel Seminary does partner with various churches and parachurch organizations to make seminary education more affordable. These partnerships allow prospective students to earn credit toward a Bethel Seminary certificate or degree based on training they receive at these partnership organizations. For more information regarding Bethel's partnership organizations, please see the Academic Partnerships webpage. 

Transferability of Credits and Credentials Earned at Bethel  

The transferability of credits and or acceptance of the degree or certificate a student earns at Bethel Seminary is at the complete discretion of the institution to which the student may seek to transfer.