"The Holy One will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail.” Isaiah 58:11
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
Because the seminary’s mission is to educate students for positions of Christian service, the prospective seminarian is expected to be a person who has professed faith in Jesus Christ as Lord, who accepts the Bible as the basis of the historic Christian faith and who, by conviction, is seeking to find God’s will for both vocation and daily living.
Master of Divinity/Certificate Programs/Master of Arts in Community Leadership
M.Div., Certificate Program, and M.A. in Community Leadership applicants should possess an accredited B.A. or B.S. degree and have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or higher (on a 4 point scale). Exceptions may be made for students in other academic circumstances, which will be determined during the admissions process. The application process includes the submission of:
1. Completed application form
2. Non–refundable $25 application fee
3. Autobiographical statement (questions to be provided)
*4. References from two college professors
5. Reference from pastor
6. Official transcripts of all academic work beyond high school
International Students additionally submit:
7. TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) minimum score 550 (International applicants)
8. Certification of Finances
* Applicants who have been out of the college or graduate school for over five years may instead request references from two business or professional persons.
Deadlines
Completed applications will be considered at any time prior to four weeks before the start of a semester.
Applications are valid for 1 to 2 years before enrollment. All documents submitted become the property of ABSW and are subject to the rules of confidentiality and privacy outlined in the Buckley amendment passed by the U.S. Congress in l987.
To request application materials for the M.Div., M.A. in Community Leadership or Certificate Programs, click here.
Master of Arts (ABSW/GTU)
The Master of Arts (M.A.) is offered jointly with the GTU. Standards and requirements for the degree are set and maintained by the consortial faculty and Deans of the several seminaries that participate in the program. ABSW students enrolled in the program work under an advisor from the ABSW faculty, and their progress through the program is overseen by the Dean and faculty of ABSW. At present ABSW is receiving applications for the M.A. degree in biblical studies, historical studies, systematic theology, and personality sciences.
To request application materials for the ABSW/GTU M.A. program, click here.
Doctor of Ministry
Standard admission requirements for the 40-credit Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) degree program includes a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree or equivalent, a minimum of five years of ministry experience, and present engagement in ministry, a completed application form, $75.00 application fee, personal statement, three letters of reference, and official transcript.
Standard admission requirements for the 60-credit Extended Doctor of Ministry degree program include a master’s degree, a minimum of five years of ministry experience, and present engagement in ministry.
Applicants not holding a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree or its equivalent, but meeting and exceeding all other requirements, may pursue admission to the Extended D.Min. program as a Special Student. Only a limited number of applicants will be admitted as Special Students (not more than 10% of the total student body). An assessment of eligibility will be conducted by the Academic Affairs Committee (AAC) of the Bakke Graduate University.
A D.Min. degree will not be granted to anyone who has not completed at least 60 graduate-level credits.
The Extended D.Min. program requires additional graduate courses, e.g., Old Testament Theology & Praxis, New Testament Theology & Praxis, Global Christian History & Praxis, and Hermeneutics. If the applicant has completed these courses at graduate level prior to entering the D.Min. program, they may be asked to complete other courses to fulfill the 20-hour graduate credit requirement.
To request application materials for the D.Min. Program, click here.