fbpx

Admission Policy & Requirements

Admission Policy

Winebrenner Theological Seminary’s admission policy does not permit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, disability, or age. Applicants should not be antagonistic to the statement of faith and must agree to adhere to the “Standards of Life” Catalog policy contained herein.

Application to the Seminary implies an intention to be ‘equipped as a leader for service in God’s Kingdom.’ The educational objective of all students is the same: pursue wholeness, gain knowledge, and be equipped to change lives.

Admission to the Seminary is by approval of its Admissions Committee upon receipt of a completed application form, application fee, transcripts, and any other program-specific documents. Applicants may complete their application online via the Winebrenner website. The Admissions Office will send applicants written notification of acceptance to or rejection from the Seminary.

Any student interrupting his or her program at Winebrenner for greater than one year must apply for readmission to the program. Readmission must be initiated by the student and includes submitting a completed new application form, updated transcripts if any additional courses have been completed since the previous matriculation period or if previous enrollment was more than five years ago, and application fee. Students being readmitted will need to fulfill the requirements of the Winebrenner catalog in effect when they are readmitted.

Admission Requirements
Doctor of Ministry

Applicants for the Doctor of Ministry degree program must meet the following prerequisites:

  1. Applicants must possess an ATS accredited Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree or an accredited Master’s degree with a minimum of 51 credits in an area related to one’s ministry setting or vocational calling.  Students without an accredited M.Div. degree need to possess an accredited Master’s degree with a minimum of 51 credits in an area related to one’s ministry setting or vocational calling. The following content areas must be reflected in the Master’s degree completed (Biblical Studies and Interpretation, Theological and Historical Studies, Spiritual Formation and Ministerial Studies). All course work must be demonstrated by official transcript. All candidates admitted by MA Evaluation will be required to attend an interview with members of the Winebrenner faculty.
  2. Applicants must give evidence of ability to do doctoral-level work as indicated by a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) at the graduate level.
  3. Applicants must have three years of ministry experience. Applicants with less than three years of ministry experience may provide proof of alternative life experience for three or more years in other types of professional, business and/or military service.
  4. Applicants must be involved in a current ministry context and remain in ministry throughout the duration of their doctoral program. It should be noted that ministry settings beyond parish ministry, such as but not limited to, chaplaincy, para-church settings, educational settings, and denomination settings are considered appropriate ministry contexts.
Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Practical Theology & Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling

An accredited Bachelor of Arts or Science degree or its equivalent is required for admission to a master’s program. A Master of Divinity degree or its equivalent is required for admission to the Doctor of Ministry program. If severe limitations in the student’s background are noted by the Admissions Committee, the individual may be required to take additional courses at the undergraduate level before being fully admitted to the program. Depending on the student’s situation, a curriculum plan interview with the Academic Dean may be required as part of the admission process. If an applicant is denied admittance to the Seminary, there is a two-year waiting period before reapplication.

Additional Admission Options 

Applicants without a Baccalaureate degree are encouraged to apply to Winebrenner. There are Alternate Admission Options. Further information on these options may be found in the Academic Catalog. As part of the comprehensive review of official transcripts and life experience, the applicant may be required to complete an academic evaluation interview during the readiness evaluative process.

Probationary Admission Status

Persons applying to a master’s degree program with an undergraduate GPA lower than 3.0 will be required to meet with the Student Success and Records Coordinator and another member of the Admissions Committee prior to the Committee’s decision of whether or not to admit the applicant. Persons who are admitted will be automatically admitted on probation. This status will be removed after the student completes 12 hours of study with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. Students admitted on probation will be encouraged to contact the Student Success and Records Coordinator to help ensure their success.

A student may be placed on dispositional probation upon admission, subject to a majority vote of the admissions committee.