Students from approved seminaries or schools offering ministerial or religious studies at the graduate level will receive appropriate credit for satisfactory work (where the grade assigned was a “B” or better), with an appeal to the Academic Dean for advanced standing in the program. Transfer students may be required to complete an interview with the Student Success and Records Coordinator to review the student’s curriculum plan. A minimum of one full-time academic year of coursework must be completed at Winebrenner to receive a degree.
Specialized programs may have additional transfer policies. Consult the Student Success and Records Coordinator for further details. Students who have completed a degree(s) or coursework from an educational institution that is not accredited by an approved CHEA accrediting body will need to provide proof of the institution’s state charter and/or accreditation from other Christian or governmental accrediting bodies. This policy will also include international students. Each student’s situation will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis to verify the educational equivalency of their degree program and other academic work.
Applicants are given credit or advanced placement for graduate work taken previously which has been transferred to an undergraduate program according to current accrediting standards. Credit may be given for courses taken previously at an undergraduate level according to the standards of advanced placement as currently defined by accreditation standards. Advanced standing may be given up to one-third of the total credits required for a degree, provided the student is still able to demonstrate degree outcomes.
Well-prepared applicants to master’s programs or students in master’s programs may be granted a reduction in program hours for successful completion of a comprehensive examination in Old Testament Foundations and/or New Testament Foundations. These examinations are permitted at the discretion of the Admissions Committee or the Office of the Academic Dean. Each examination has a cost of $75 and must be scheduled through the Student Success and Records Coordinator after permission is received. The examination will be graded by a professor in the discipline area. · A failing grade will exclude the applicant from reduction. · A passing grade will reduce the program by the credit hour value of the course. Successful examinations will count as part of the advanced standing credits percentage of a degree.
Students having obtained a graduate degree (either at Winebrenner or other school with CHEA recognized accreditation) may transfer credits from that degree into an additional degree at Winebrenner, up to one half of the new degree program (two-thirds for the master of divinity program). The Winebrenner transfer policy will govern acceptable courses. The student must have coursework that demonstrates all program level outcomes and might be asked to demonstrate achievement of those outcomes, on a case-by-case basis. Such requests will come from the Academic Dean in collaboration with the program director.
