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Certificate program

Certificate in Biblical Studies

Build a college-level foundation through Old Testament and New Testament survey study.

Program purpose

Preparation for thoughtful, accountable service.

Four Bible-survey courses from the bachelor’s common Christian core.

What you will study

A coherent academic pathway.

The complete program requires 12 semester credits.

  • Four prescribed Bible-survey courses — 3 credits each

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.

Required courses 12 credits

BIB101 Old Testament Survey I3 credits

Survey Genesis through Esther, tracing creation, covenant, Israel, kingship, exile, and restoration. Explain a selected narrative in its literary setting.

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.

BIB102 Old Testament Survey II3 credits

Survey Job through Malachi, distinguishing poetry, wisdom, and prophecy. Explain themes of worship, suffering, covenant faithfulness, judgment, and hope.

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.

BIB103 New Testament Survey I3 credits

Survey the four Gospels and Acts. Compare their major emphases and explain Jesus’ ministry, discipleship, resurrection, and the Church’s mission.

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.

BIB104 New Testament Survey II3 credits

Survey the Epistles and Revelation. Explain their audiences, Christian teaching, church concerns, and hope through contextual reading.

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.

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 evidence of college-level reading, writing, technology, and participation readiness.

Completion standard

Progress must be demonstrated.

Complete every prescribed course, earn C or higher in each applied course, maintain at least a 2.00 cumulative GPA, and complete the applicable supervised project.

Current status

Curriculum adopted. Enrollment not yet open.

Enrollment will begin only after faculty, learning resources, student support, technology, financial terms, and applicable authorization requirements are documented and officially released.

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