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Is
it possible for me to maintain my current ministry or work responsibilities
and still attend DBTS?
We have
many men studying here who are currently serving as a senior pastor or assistant
pastor in a local fundamental Baptist church. We have a number of men who travel
down regularly for classes from several areas of southeast Michigan. Some men
commute as far as two hours each way in order to take classes at DBTS.
Our courses
are offered in a block scheduling format to assist men who must commute and
balance ministry responsibilities. This means a two credit course meets one
day a week for two hours. A student could reasonably take eight to ten credits
by attending classes only two days a week.
Our daytime
classes are offered Tuesday through Friday, beginning at 7:30am and ending before
11:30am. This allows men in the ministry to use Monday as a school preparation
or ministry catch up day. Each semester at least one class is also offered on
Monday evening. Summer school course work is concentrated into two week blocks
(Tue. - Fri.), attending daily from 8:00am - 12:00 noon. Each year the seminary
offers three class blocks in which a total of at least six courses are taught.
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Many
colleges and seminaries are now requiring students to complete an internship
as a requirement for graduation. What does DBTS do in this area?
There are
currently a number of dramatic changes under way in seminary programs across
the country. One of those issues is the balance between academic classroom training
and practical field training. Some seminaries have left no room at all for practical
training. That experience is intended to equip the student for effective transition
to local church ministry. Other seminaries have designated as much as one-third
of their M.Div. credits for internship or practical training. This tends to
rob the student of many tools necessary for a long-term, in-depth ministry.
Here at
DBTS we feel we have a better solution. As men training for leadership in vocational
ministry all of our students are expected to be regularly and actively involved
in practical Christian service through their local church. However, in addition
to this we have also established our Field Education program. The Field Education
program is designed to assist the student in developing a broader range of experience
and a deeper level of insight into practical ministry issues. Students are expected
to participate in supervised field education during each semester they are in
attendance (based on three year completion cycle). This may be done in coordination
with, or in addition to, ongoing practical Christian service activities, depending
on a student's individual responsibilities. Field education modules will be
completed in the following areas: personal ministry organization skills, personal
evangelism, discipleship, missions and church planting, church administration,
teaching & Christian education, church leadership & pastoral care, and
preaching. While no credits are received for field education efforts, successful
completion of the program is required for graduation. This way a student is
able to also receive an undiluted academic preparation through a full 96 credits
of classroom instruction.
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What
is the difference between the Master of Divinity and the Master of Theology
programs?
The standard
seminary program in pastoral preparation is the Master
of Divinity (M.Div.). In the first half of this century it was often called
the Bachelor of Divinity. But even then those taking that course of study had
already completed a bachelor's degree program. The M.Div. is a three year, 96
semester hour graduate level program. It includes studies in the original languages,
theology, Bible content, church history, homiletics, practical theology and
more.
The Master
of Theology (Th.M.) degree is granted for advanced graduate study of one
year, 32 semester hours, beyond the M.Div. The Th.M. is also very useful for
pastors but is specifically designed for those preparing for academic service
either as a teacher or church leader who will also serve in an academic setting.
The Th.M. program also requires the completion of a scholarly thesis.
Sometimes
other degree names are given for similar work. Also, similar degree names are
sometimes used for very dissimilar programs. That can be very confusing. This
is especially the case in Bible institute programs or correspondence schools.
The standard form described above is widely recognized as an excellent pattern
and is the one used in established residence programs and accredited programs.
Sometimes an institution will roll the M.Div. and Th.M. courses together to
make an enhanced Th.M. degree of four years, 128 semester hours. For example,
if someone transfers in from another institution with an M.Div. they receive
an S.T.M. or Master in Sacred Theology for the fourth year of study. Those who
complete all four years in their program receive the Th.M. degree.
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If I have taken graduate classes at another fundamental seminary, especially courses in theology, will they transfer to DBTS?
Generally, the answer is yes, provided the credits were earned at an academically reputable institution. The Registrar at DBTS will make the final decision as to how those credits transfer, whether as electives or in fulfillment of required courses. That decision will be based on several factors, including the number of credits earned, course description, and grade received.
DBTS normally requires all graduates to take Systematic Theology at our seminary. That is because many seminaries, even Fundamental ones, do not always present theology from a consistently Baptist, dispensational perspective, with a strong emphasis upon the sovereignty of God. These are theological principles to which we are deeply committed. M.Div. graduates must complete three semesters of Systematic Theology at DBTS, while Th.M. graduates must complete two semesters of Systematic Theology at DBTS. Graduate theology credits taken elsewhere will be credited toward graduation requirements as electives.
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Does
DBTS have any alternative education options like distance learning or a correspondence
school?
Currently
we do not offer any classes or degrees by correspondence. Although we are aware
of the trend toward distance learning, we still believe that traditional education
is superior in quality, especially when it comes to training for the ministry.
Everything we have seen about distance learning shows a high attrition rate
and low academic performance when compared to traditional students. Although
we are sympathetic to the desires of people already in ministry to further their
training, correspondence education just does not fit into our understanding
of God's plan for us as an institution.
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Can I
transfer credits earned by taking correspondence courses?
A general
rule of thumb used here at DBTS to determine the transferability of correspondence
courses is as follows:
- If the
school is strictly a correspondence-only institution then the credits generally
are NOT transferable.
- If the
school has a credible resident program and also offers correspondence courses
under the same academic standards then the credits generally are transferable.
Other requirements
apply in determining if courses will transfer and how many credits will be granted.
If you are contemplating taking a correspondence course it will be to your advantage
to obtain an advance ruling on the transferability of those course credits.
For a specific evaluation you will need to follow-up directly with the Registrar,
Dr. McCabe. You can contact him by phone at (313) 381-0111 or by e-mail at rmccabe@dbts.edu.
Send written correspondence to:
Detroit
Baptist Theological Seminary
Attn: Dr. Robert McCabe, Registrar
4801 Allen Rd.
Allen Park, MI 48101
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