Frequently Asked Questions regarding Academics
Ans. There is no difference
between the degrees awarded to students who attend on campus
and those who complete their course work on-line or through
home study.
Ans. Bethany is . . .
1. Incorporated under the laws of the
State of Alabama and is recognized by the U.S. Department
of Internal Revenue Service as a non-profit religious
institution.
2. Bethany has provided biblical educational
programs of study leading to an earned religious degree
since opening its doors in Dothan, Alabama 1982, and has
presented evidence that it qualifies for exemption from
requirements of licensure pursuant to the Code of Alabama,
Title 16-46-3, 1 through10, (a) (1), (b), (c), (d), and
(e). Bethany was first issued a Certificate of Exemption
on February 19, 1982, Certificate number 117.
3. Approved by the Veteran Administration
for veterans who attend on-site classes.
4. Approved (college division) by the Evangelical Training
Association, formerly known as ETTA, to award the ETA
certificates.
5 . A member of the United States Distance
Learning Association (this is not an accrediting association).
To learn more about the USDLA, you may access their web
site here.
To view Bethany's listing with the USDLA, you may access
the listing here.
6. Bethany has been granted "Affiliate
Status" with the Association for Biblical Higher
Education. Bethany Divinity College and Seminary is an
affiliate institution of the Association for Biblical
Higher Education. As such, it participates in and contributes
to collegial and professional development activities of
the Association. Affiliate status does not, however, constitute,
imply, or presume ABHE accredited state at present or
in the future. The ABHE is recognized by CHEA and CORPA,
and listed by the United States Department of Education
as a nationally recognized accrediting agency. For more
information concerning "Affiliate
Status" - Go here
Note: The primary focus of the Association
for Biblical Higher Education is accreditation, but non-member
institutions may also relate to the Association through
an Affiliate Status. This affords affiliate institutions
the opportunity to take advantage of many of the programs
and services that the Association provides without becoming
an accredited member. Affiliation with the Association
is not to be confused with accreditation.
Ans. Bethany was founded
in 1973 and was then located in North Georgia. The school
was named North Georgia Baptist Bible College and Seminary.
In 1982 the school was moved to Dothan, Alabama and the
name was changed to Bethany Bible College and Theological
Seminary. However, in 2003 the Board of Directors voted
to change the name by dropping the word Bible and inserting
the word Divinity.
Ans. Basically there
is no difference. However, because there were several
other schools that use the name Bethany, for identification
purposes, Bethany’s Board of Directors dropped the term
Bible college and adopted the name Divinity College. An
example: There is a Bethany Bible College in the USA associated
with the Assemblies of God and there is another seminary
by the name of Bethany Theological Seminary that is operated
by the Church of the Brethren. Someone who does research
for the World Wide Web reported that Bethany Divinity
College was associated with the Church of the Brethren,
but that is not true. Bethany Divinity College and Seminary
has never been associated with the Church of the Brethren,
but is an independent, conservative, Bible based school,
standing for the inerrancy and infallibility of the Word
of God.
Ans. Bethany Divinity
College and Seminary does not promote or teach any particular
church doctrine, but rather, holds to the fundamentals
of the historical Christian faith. The school teaches
Bible doctrine, doctrines that are found only in the Bible.
Pastors, evangelists, missionaries and those who work
in Christian education will find themselves to be comfortable
with Bethany’s curriculum. It is the goal of Bethany Divinity
College and Seminary to educate Christian leaders to proclaim
the good news of God’s love in the church and in the world.
Ans. Bethany is different
than most Bible and Theological schools because of its
stand on the Word of God; its requirements and program
design; its use of pastors training pastors; its goal
and objectives; and its personal concern for the students.
Ans. Bethany has been
a pioneer in external degree programs since 1973 and has
gained a well respected position among other institutions
of higher learning. Moreover, Bethany has developed a
proven method of study that allows the student to study
at home and get a quality education. Through the non-traditional
methodology, Bethany has developed a high quality, self-motivating
and self disciplining curriculum for the off-campus approach.
The courses consist of conservative Bible teaching through
the use of textbooks, research, assignments and deductive
reasoning.
Ans. The following is a
quote from John B. Bear"...there are schools which, by
their very nature, are academically sound, legitimately and
sincerely run, appropriately licensed, but unlikely ever to
gain "traditional" accreditation because of the
innovative or experimental or non-traditional nature of their
programs...In evaluating an unaccredited school, the two crucial
questions that must be asked are these: 1) who are the people
behind it (and what are their credentials)? and 2) what is
the quality of work being asked of, and done by, the students?"
John B. Bear, Ph.D., author of, Bears' Guide to Earning College
Degrees Nontraditionally (more than 300,000 in print).
Ans. Yes, students who wish
to transfer credits from previous academic work must submit
official transcripts from all colleges previously attended
and this must be done within 90 days of enrollment. Then and
only then can these credits be accepted and applied. Courses
with a grade of “C” or higher will be considered for transfer.
Regardless of the number of credits transferred, the student
must complete no less than 30 credits with Bethany to receive
a degree. No transfer credits are accepted towards a graduate
(Master or Doctoral) degree except in the Master of Divinity
which requires the student to complete a 96 semester hour
program. Even in this program, the student must complete the
last 30 credits with Bethany.
Ans. Students desiring to
transfer credits from another college or seminary, acceptable
to Bethany, may transfer all previously earned credits toward
an undergraduate program except for the final 30 credits required
for the degree. At the Master’s level, requiring 36 credits,
the student may transfer only six credits.
Students who desire to enroll into the doctoral program may
transfer post-graduate credits for work done with another institution
of learning, providing the course work is the same as required
by Bethany. In such cases, the student will not be allowed to
transfer more than 30 credits and then they must be approved
by the Dean. The final 30 credits toward the doctoral degree
must be completed with Bethany.
Ans. Yes, This is called
Portfolio Learning Assessment. The student may receive six-semester
hour’s credit at the undergraduate level for each documented
year spent in full-time Christian service, not exceeding 30
credits. No life experience credit is given towards graduate
and post-graduate (Master or Doctoral) work under this program.
Ans. Students who are working
toward a degree with Bethany may earn credits in their field
of concentration by on-the-job training. Students who are
pastors or working under full-time pastors may obtain credit
for this experience which is done during the same time period
the student is studying for his or her degree,. This would
be true in the field of Christian Education, Christian Counseling,
or working in a Christian day school. These credits are based
on six semester hour credits for each full-time year spent
in the ministry.
Ans. Yes. The cost of converting
life learning experience into college credit is $30.00 per
credit and is non refundable. It is the fee for the administrative
time expended to convert the Life Learning Experience into
acceptable credits and is not to be confused with regular
tuition fees. The fee for these credits is applied to the
student’s overall tuition costs.
Ans. Each college sets its
own standard for accepting credits transferred from another
college. Should the student anticipate transferring to a different
school after studying with Bethany, the student should contact
that school and asked them from what schools do they accept
credits.
Ans. The student can study
at his own convenience and not worry about a class schedule
where he is required to report to class at a certain time.
The student sets his own schedule and studies at his or her
own pace.
Ans. The student can earn
an Associate, Bachelor, Master or Doctorate.
Ans. The student can enroll
into the following concentrations or majors: Bible, Christian
Counseling, Christian Education, Pastoral Ministry, Missions,
or Theology.
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