Program purpose
Preparation for thoughtful, accountable service.
Explain the biblical foundations of apologetics. Apply the field responsibly within Christian ministry and its stated boundaries. Present and defend an assessed portfolio or supervised project demonstrating learning.
What you will study
A coherent academic pathway.
The complete program requires 18 semester credits.
- Foundations — 6 credits
- Specialization — 9 credits
- Final project or portfolio — 3 credits
Courses and requirements
Your complete course map.
Select a course to read its scope, prerequisites, learning hours, and assessment requirements. Follow prerequisite order; the course list does not promise a delivery date.
Foundations 6 credits
THE201 Christian Theology I3 credits
Examine Christian teaching about Scripture, God, and creation. Explain theological claims through biblical evidence and sound reasoning.
Prerequisites: Undergraduate admission.
Workload: At least 135 documented learning hours.
Assessment: The published course outcomes, required assessed work, and degree-level rubric govern; the verified syllabus supplies assessment weights.
THE204 Christian Apologetics3 credits
Develop responsible explanations and defenses of Christian belief. Evaluate objections, construct supported arguments, and engage questions with intellectual honesty.
Prerequisites: Undergraduate admission.
Workload: At least 135 documented learning hours.
Assessment: The published course outcomes, required assessed work, and degree-level rubric govern; the verified syllabus supplies assessment weights.
Specialization 9 credits
APO201 Scripture and Christian Truth Claims3 credits
Evaluate contextual biblical support for Christian truth claims and distinguish evidence from assertion.
Prerequisites: THE201, THE204.
Workload: At least 135 documented learning hours.
Assessment: Submit a source-supported study, an applied ministry or teaching product, and an oral explanation or assessed discussion; demonstrate the stated course outcomes.
APO202 Faith Questions and Christian Dialogue3 credits
Compare substantive questions about Christian belief and respond with accuracy and respect.
Prerequisites: THE201, THE204.
Workload: At least 135 documented learning hours.
Assessment: Submit a source-supported study, an applied ministry or teaching product, and an oral explanation or assessed discussion; demonstrate the stated course outcomes.
APO203 Christian Worldviews and Public Witness3 credits
Analyze competing worldviews fairly and develop a responsible Christian response.
Prerequisites: THE201, THE204.
Workload: At least 135 documented learning hours.
Assessment: Submit a source-supported study, an applied ministry or teaching product, and an oral explanation or assessed discussion; demonstrate the stated course outcomes.
Final project or portfolio 3 credits
APO204 Apologetics Portfolio3 credits
Prepare and orally defend a source-supported apologetics portfolio responding to substantial objections.
Prerequisites: All preceding courses in this certificate; faculty-approved project or portfolio plan.
Workload: At least 135 documented learning hours.
Assessment: Submit the final portfolio or supervised project, source-supported reflection, and oral presentation; earn C or higher and at least 3 in each undergraduate rubric dimension.
Course sequence
- Complete the foundation courses before specialization. Complete all other required courses before the final project or portfolio.
- Obtain faculty approval of the final plan; supervised projects require an approved supervisor and learning agreement. No prior ministry experience substitutes for assessed credit.
Final project and examination
Prepare and orally defend a source-supported apologetics portfolio responding to substantial objections. Final assessment requires C or higher and a score of at least 3 in every undergraduate rubric dimension.
Academic standards and transfer requirements
Each semester credit requires at least 45 documented learning hours: approximately 15 hours of instruction or equivalent faculty-guided engagement and 30 hours of independent work. A 3-credit course requires 135 hours; a 6-credit course requires 270. Shorter terms do not reduce workload.
Undergraduate and certificate courses require C or higher and a cumulative GPA of at least 2.00; graduate and doctoral courses require B or higher and at least 3.00. Grades: A 90-100, B 80-89, C 70-79, D 60-69, F below 60. Complete at least 67% of attempted credits within 150% of the published program credits. Existing repeat and appeal procedures continue.
Each syllabus specifies measurable outcomes, readings, learning activities, workload, prerequisites, assessment weights, accessibility, and integrity rules before teaching. Assess Scripture and theology, evidence and method, ministry application, and ethics and communication. Final projects require at least 3 on the four-level rubric in every dimension, the minimum course grade, and accepted revisions.
Bachelor students complete at least 30 credits through GDICU, including all 12 advanced field and capstone credits. At least half of each certificate and master degree, and every required culminating project and GDICU-supervised practice component, must be completed through GDICU. All doctoral credits are completed through GDICU. Transfer requires documented content, level, workload, and outcome equivalence; C minimum undergraduate, B minimum graduate.
Count each course once within a credential. Approved certificate courses may apply once to a bachelor degree after admission and a course-by-course equivalency review. Undergraduate work cannot become graduate credit. Previously awarded graduate-degree work cannot be reused in another graduate award. Experience, attendance, ordination, or office alone earns no academic credit.
No recruitment, intervention, or data collection begins before proposal approval and documented institutional ethics review, consent, confidentiality, safeguarding, and site permissions where required. A theological text or archival study also requires source integrity and any access permissions. Existing examination, one-revision, and appeal policies continue.
Academic requirements do not open applications or enrollment. Faculty assignments, complete teaching packages, library access, supervision, accessibility, student support, systems, financial terms, and applicable authorization must be verified before program release. Existing student catalog rights and written transition plans remain in force.
Read the complete academic catalog for the governing program and student policies.
Who may apply
Admission begins with verified preparation.
Secondary-school completion or an accepted equivalent, prior academic records, a Christian learning or ministry-purpose statement, current physical study location, and assessed readiness for college reading, writing, technology, and participation. Any equivalent-preparation exception requires written faculty assessment and an Academic Affairs decision.
Completion standard
Progress must be demonstrated.
Complete all 18 credits in the prescribed course map. Earn C or higher in each applied course and at least 2.00 cumulative GPA. Complete the stated sequence, institutional-study minimum, required supervision, final assessment, and accepted revisions. Prepare and orally defend a source-supported apologetics portfolio responding to substantial objections. Final assessment requires C or higher and a score of at least 3 in every undergraduate rubric dimension.