Online graduate certificates provide an option for people already immersed in service in the local church or in cross-cultural ministry whose educational needs do not warrant a commitment to a full degree program. Graduate certificates can be particularly helpful for people like:

• Pastors who want to update their skills and knowledge
• Church staff members who need refresher courses in one or more areas
• Laymen who want an introductory theological education, concentrated in a particular area
• Students who are interested in an eventual graduate degree but who need incremental challenges
• Bible college professors and teachers in Christian schools who need additional hours to enhance their credentials
• Students whose geographical location precludes their ability to move to Louisville to complete residency requirements for a degree
• Women desiring further education and equipping for ministry

Graduate certificates are available in the following areas:

Scripture and Interpretation

20200 Introduction to Old Testament 1
20220 Introduction to Old Testament 2
22100 Biblical Hermeneutics
22200 Introduction to New Testament 1
22220 Introduction to New Testament 2

Biblical Languages

20400 Elementary Hebrew
20440 Hebrew Syntax and Exegesis
22100 Biblical Hermeneutics
22400 Elementary Greek
22440 Greek Syntax and Exegesis

Leadership and Church Ministry Studies

35040 Introduction to Family Ministry
40080 The Ministry of Leadership
45150 Biblical Worldview and Educational Practice
45250 Lifespan Development
45400 The Ministry of Teaching

Theology and Tradition

25100 Introduction to Church History 1
25120 Introduction to Church History 2
27060 Systematic Theology 1
27070 Systematic Theology 2
27080 Systematic Theology 3

Ministry and Formation

32100 Personal Evangelism
32960 Introduction to Missiology
34300 Introduction to Biblical Counseling
35040 Introduction to Family Ministry
40150 Personal Spiritual Disciplines

Missions

30960 Intercultural Communication
32310 Spiritual Warfare and Missions
32960 Introduction to Missiology
32980 World Religions and the Christian Faith
33820 Introduction to Church Planting
OR
33830 Contextualized Church Planting

Great Commissions Ministries

30960 Intercultural Communication
32060 Building an Evangelistic Church
32100 Personal Evangelism
32960 Introduction to Missiology
—– World Religions elective

Islamic Studies

32985 History and Religion of Islam
32986 Issues in Contemporary Islam
32987 Islamic Thought: Belief and Practice
32990 Islam and the Christian Mission
33600 Major Living World Religions

Women’s Leadership

48200 Women’s Ministry in the Local Church
48300 Biblical Womanhood
48500 Leadership Skill Development for Women
48600 Women and Evangelism
48900 Women, Crisis, and Conflict

City Reaching

30960 Intercultural Communication
32310 Spiritual Warfare in Missions
32330 Urban Evangelism and Church Growth
36100 Ministry in the Urban Context
36450 Ministry/Evangelism: A Holistic Approach

Admission

Students must make application to the seminary to begin the first certificate, using the Online Graduate Certificate Program application. The application process will be the same as the current full application for graduate studies. Subsequent certificates will not require additional applications, unless studies are interrupted for more than two semesters.

Costs

Tuition and fees (off-campus) are identical to other master’s level courses.

Accreditation and Transfer of Credits

Course credits within a graduate certificate hold the same value as credits within a degree program and are transferable to master’s degree programs, per catalog and full application to and acceptance in the desired degree program. If a student earns multiple certificates and wishes to transfer those credits to a degree, the current online course cap applies (currently 59 hours). No more than three hours credit earned prior to application to the online graduate certificate program may be applied to a specific certificate. OGC students will monitor their progress toward the completion of certificates and will submit application to Academic Records for the issuance of each certificate, using the appropriate form provided by Academic Records.

Application

Please download our Online Graduate Certificate Application.

Getting Started

Upon receiving your acceptance letter, access your student email account, then read the getting started information in Online Learning.