Instructional Policies | Asia-Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary

Instructional Policies

CHANGES IN DEGREE PROGRAMS

At the time of initial registration the student is to make a declaration of intention as to the degree to be pursued. This can be changed by permission of the Academic Dean and the director of the appropriate degree program.

After the completion of a Master of Divinity degree, students can acquire the M.A. or M.S.T. by taking a minimum of 24 more prescribed credit hours, including a thesis. Likewise, students who complete the M.A. or M.S.T. may acquire the Master of Divinity by taking a minimum of 69 more prescribed credit hours.

STUDENT COURSE LOAD

The normal class load is 12-16 hours per semester. During the summer sessions, the maximum class load is 9 hours overall.
Students who have between 500 and 549 on the English Test should enroll in only 12 hours per semester, and students who have above 549 may enroll for a maximum of 16 per semester.
Students are expected to spend three hours out of class in study for every one-hour in class.
A full-time student is considered one who takes at least 12 hours per semester for credit. Only students who have a full time classification may reside on campus. Audited courses do not count toward this requirement. In case of married couples, at least one is to have "full time" classification, while the spouse is to register for a minimum of two classes for either credit or personal enrichment (at least 5 hours).
During the summer, those who reside on campus are required to take at least two courses. For married couples living on campus, nine hours must be taken between both husband and wife in the summer.
If a student is taking or has completed the Thesis Seminar, and does not need twelve hours for graduation, he or she may pay a "thesis continuation" fee equivalent to the amount necessary for full-time residence on campus, for a maximum of one semester.

BIBLE CONTENT EXAMINATION

All students are required to take and pass a Bible content examination. This test is given at the beginning of each semester, during Registration week. In-coming students should take this test. Those who pass it have an option as to whether or not to take the Introduction to Old Testament and Introduction to New Testament courses. Those students who opt out of these Introduction courses are required to take other Bible subjects. Study guides for the Bible Content examination are available from the Academic Dean's office.

COURSE OPTIONS

BIBLICAL LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT

Students should have finished six hours of biblical languages, including at least four hours of New Testament Greek, before enrolling in Bible exegesis subjects. Students who have not taken biblical languages at the undergraduate level are required to take Introduction to Biblical Languages and New Testament Greek II. With the permission of the Academic Dean, those students who have had biblical languages at the undergraduate level may take other subjects in the area of Bible rather than Introduction to Biblical Languages and New Testament Greek II.

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION ELECTIVE

Students who have not taken Christian Education at the undergraduate level must take "Foundations of Christian Education" (CE 103), while those who have taken Christian Education at the undergraduate level may elect to take any other course in the area of Christian Education.

CHRISTIAN ETHICS REQUIREMENT

Students who have not taken Christian Ethics at the undergraduate level must take "Introduction to Christian Ethics" (PR3), while those who have taken Christian Ethics at the undergraduate level may elect to take any of the other Christian Ethics courses, including Christian Social Ethics and Theology and Ethics of Communication, or Values and Moral Development.

DOCTRINE OF HOLINESS REQUIREMENT

Students who have not taken the Doctrine of Holiness at the undergraduate level must take "Doctrine of Holiness" (T11), while those who have taken Doctrine of Holiness at the undergraduate level may elect to take another course in holiness, including Homiletics of Holiness, or Biblical Holiness in Asia-Pacific Contexts, or Wesley's Theology.

MISSIONS ELECTIVE

Students who have not taken Missions at the undergraduate level should take "Introduction to the World Mission" (M1), while those who have taken a missions course at the undergraduate level may elect to take any other course in the area of missions. Certain subjects in the area of Pastoral Ministry or Evangelism may substitute for this requirement with the approval of the Academic Dean.

NAZARENE HISTORY AND POLITY

All students are required to take courses in the seminary's prescribed core curriculum, whether or not they have had such or similar courses at the undergraduate level. Exception is made for non-Nazarenes, who may option out of taking History and Polity of the Church of the Nazarene, substitute Denominational Studies. Nazarene students who have already taken a course in Nazarene History and Polity at the undergraduate level may choose to take, instead, the History of Nazarene Missions.

MUSIC COURSES - CHORAL PRACTICUM (Seminary Choir)

This course is offered occasionally, and earns one-half hour graduate credit per semester, but meets at least one hour each week. Only one hour maximum will count toward the student's graduate program (as an unregulated elective), only after enrollment in the course over two semesters.

MUSIC COURSES - APPLIED MUSIC

Only one hour of Applied Music (e.g. piano) will be counted toward the student's graduate degree program; and only one hour of Applied Voice will be counted toward the student's graduate degree program--both as unregulated electives. One-half hour credit will be given per semester and credit will be given only after enrollment over two semesters. A recital is required.

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DIRECTED STUDIES

A directed study is a course in the existing curriculum conducted outside the normal classroom setting to help a student meet a graduation requirement that could not be scheduled otherwise. The following stipulations and guidelines apply:

The subject must be required for the student's graduation.
The student must be unable to take the course when the class is normally scheduled.
The directed study class must be approved by the professor, the Academic Dean, and the faculty.
Taking directed study courses is possible only after completion of at least one half of the graduate subjects in a student's program.
The student must spend at least as much time on the subject as would be expected in a regular class.
A syllabus with specific requirements and course outline must be submitted to the Academic Dean's Office by the professor at the time of registration.
The course must be completed within the semester. The final due date is in effect. If an incomplete grade is needed, proper request must be made according to policy.
The student and professor should meet periodically throughout the semester. The first meeting should be within the first week of the semester.
Normally, the course will be conducted while the student is in residence.

INDEPENDENT STUDY

Independent Study is a research or project oriented course that is not a part of the existing curriculum, conducted outside the normal classroom setting, in order to help advanced students maximize their abilities for graduate study. The following guidelines apply:

The student must carry a GPA of 3.4 based on a minimum of 32 hours of graduate courses.
The course must be one that is not available in the existing curriculum.
The course must be approved by the professor, the Academic Dean and the Faculty.
The student must spend at least as much time on the subject as would be expected in a regular class.
A detailed syllabus with specific requirements and course outline must be submitted to the Academic Dean's Office by the professor at the time of registration.
The course must be completed within the semester. The final due date is in effect. If an incomplete grade is needed, proper request must be made according to policy.
Each student is limited in taking courses in this manner accordingly: up to 15 hours for M. Div., and up to 9 hours in the M. A. and M.S.T. programs.
No more than two classes may be taken in this manner per semester.
The professor must receive periodic progress reports from the student. It is recommended that these be weekly.
The student may accomplish this course off-campus if adequate library facilities are available

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SUPERVISED MINISTRY

Supervised Ministry provides the means by which one develops ministerial identity and acquires skills for ministry while serving Christ and his church.

PHILOSOPHY

It is the purpose of Supervised Ministry to provide supervised settings in which ministers-in-training can practice, explore, and reflect upon the profession of ministry. hrough work with people in real situations of Christian service, the student is exposed to opportunities for developing professional competence in various Christian ministries. To insure quality supervised ministry experiences, students will be assigned to approved ministry sites by the Director of Supervised Ministry.

Supervised Ministry is a holistic approach to theological education seeking not only learning but formation in the lives of students. Learning suggests the communication of techniques, skills and methodologies. Formation, on the other hand, refers to the journey of development, enablement and self-discovery. Specifically, contextualization of ministry practice is encouraged. Thus, the Supervised Ministry program seeks to form and transform the students' intellectual pursuits, technical skills, spiritual development, and theological astuteness.

The principle of learning by doing under supervision is an ancient and valued one. This was the method used by Christ in the training of the twelve as well as the sending of the seventy. Of the apostles it is written: "And he chose twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them forth to preach" (Mark 3:14). Thus, the Master prepared the twelve by supervising them in the work of ministry. APNTS utilizes this model in its Supervised Ministries program.

GOALS

To bring seminarians to discover personal identity as Christian ministers.
To bring together the activities of thinking and acting theologically, along with allowing life to inform theology.
To relate students to a supervision process that will support personal and spiritual growth, critical reflection, shared ministry, and professional competence.
To develop within students an ongoing self-assessment process, utilizing self-perception and feedback from others for the purpose of stimulating further growth.
To offer seminarians an opportunity to serve Christ and his church while preparing for full-time Christian service.
To encourage seminarians to reflect creatively upon their broader context of ministry and issues of contextualization of ministry practice.

ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS

A total of six credits in Supervised Ministries are required for graduation with the Master of Divinity. These are divided into two separate three-credit courses.

The M.A. (RE) and M.A. (CC) require two credits. The Master of Arts in Christian Communication with a concentration in inter-cultural communication requires three credits in cross-cultural supervised ministry and six credits in cross-cultural internship. The Master of Science in Theology with a concentration in Christian ministries requires six credits in Supervised Ministry, and the Master of Science in Theology with
concentration in Missions requires six credits in crosscultural internship.

Generally Supervised Ministry courses will be taken toward the end of the degree program so that seminarians will have already acquired biblical, historical, theological, and theoretical foundations for ministry before taking on an academic supervised ministry experience. In many cases the ministry will begin as participation and helping in some on-going ministry of a church or para-church organization. This involvement in ministry may help students in securing a ministry assignment with more leadership responsibility for the purpose of Supervised Ministry. It will also provide a continuous "laboratory" to apply and test what is being learned in the classroom setting.

Some may wish to split their two courses between a local church and a non-parish setting such as a hospital, jail or community development program. Those interested in missions are strongly urged to take a cross-cultural assignment for at least one of the required courses. Group seminars, ministry participation, verbal and written reflections and evaluations, reports, analyses, supervisory conferences, case studies, and time commitment will all be a part of the Supervised Ministry course experience. The course will be treated as other courses of the Seminary curriculum with a high level of academic and professional performance expected. Grading will be according to the usual course grading system.

The emphasis is upon field education, not fieldwork. This means that the basic immediate purpose of the program is educational in nature. Thus, credit is given only for supervised experience. While APNTS expects and encourages students to become actively involved in the work of ministry, this does not in itself constitute a basis for granting academic credit for this work. No credit will be given for ministry experience prior to the completion of at least one full year of academic work for M.Div. students (30 credit hours), and one full semester (15 credit hours) for M.A. and M.S.T. students. Normally students should take Supervised Ministry in their last year of study. All Supervised Ministry courses require a minimum of 200 hours of participation for every three hours of credit.

CLINICAL PASTORAL EDUCATION

Supervised Ministry may be fulfilled by taking an approved six-credit course in Clinical Pastoral Education. CPE is especially recommended for those contemplating pastoral ministry or chaplaincy.

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INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

The APNTS internship program is divided into two integral parts: Internship I and II. These are designed to be taken in immediate sequence and offer six semester hours of credit combined. The internships are designed to be taken virtually anywhere in the world, provided the setting will enhance the student's program and, in most cases, contribute to the topic chosen by the student for a thesis. Internships are undertaken under direct on-the-site supervision, and the general oversight of an APNTS faculty member. The site will be approved by the faculty supervisor and the Academic Dean.

This program provides: (1) the means by which one may develop practical missionary identity, (2) the environment for acquisition of some missionary skills while serving Christ and his church, and (3) the human models for doing missionary work. Students should be aware that while this program is primarily academic in nature, there is the dual purpose of learning and serving while engaging in the internship.

PHILOSOPHY

It is the purpose of internships to provide supervised settings in which students can explore, observe, practice, and reflect upon missionary work. Through work with people in real-life situations involving Christian service, students will be exposed to opportunities for developing competence and character in missionary work.

Like Supervised Ministry, this program reflects an integrating philosophy of theological education, seeking both formation and transformation in the lives of students.

PREREQUISITES

Students should have at least one or more semester of successful course work before applying for the Internship Program. Normally students will take the internship during the final semesters of their programs. Students must have permission from their program directors as well as from the Academic Dean to enroll in the Internship.

THESIS AND INTERNSHIP

Students may plan to coordinate the internship with their thesis. This will require the thesis topic and prospectus to have been approved, and a thesis advisor to have been appointed before an internship can be undertaken.

Students writing a thesis in relation to their internship should have completed at least Research Methods and either Statistics or Sociological Analysis before beginning the Internship.

REQUIREMENTS

Before students begin on-the-site training, the faculty supervisor will assign and discuss readings. Certain assignments will be due before students embark to their sites, and other assignments will be due after the on-site training has ended. While undertaking the Internship, the immediate supervisor and the faculty supervisor will assign readings to students. Generally, the onsite supervisor will meet with students in an agreed-upon schedule and give direction to the fieldwork of the students. The on-site supervisor will file a written report and evaluation of the student with the faculty supervisor.

The duration of an internship is normally three to four months. It must include a minimum of 300 hours of active supervised participation in approved mission work. All transportation costs for the internship will be the responsibility of the student. The students, likewise, will provide for all food, housing and personal expenses. Students will sign a waiver of liability both for APNTS and for any participating organization. Students must give proof of medical insurance, including accident and death coverage, to the satisfaction of APNTS. Students must present a copy of a complete physical examination with a physician's signed statement that the student is physically and mentally capable of completing the proposed internship. Passports, visas and related matters are the responsibility of the student. Any internship sites involving the Church of the Nazarene will have the approval of the Regional Director, the Field Directors involved, and, in some cases, the local District Superintendent.

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THESIS

Faculty members will serve as advisers to thesis writers. Thesis advisors are assigned by the Academic Dean and the Program Director based upon the topic and prospectus prepared by the student in the Research Methods or Thesis Seminar classes. Insofar as possible the topic should be submitted in writing to the Academic Dean and Program Director by the time of enrollment in the Thesis Seminar. The Dean will notify the faculty of thesis topics. Minor modifications in the topic may be handled by the thesis adviser, while major modifications should be approved by the Academic Dean and Program Director.

The obligations of the thesis advisers include the following:

The advisers will help to guide students through the processes of research, reflection and writing.
The student may expect to meet with the adviser on a regularly scheduled weekly basis.
The thesis adviser will work together with the student in the preparation of the Proposal, which will be defended by the end of the Thesis Seminar class.
The topic of the thesis should be within the range of the advisor's area of competence.

The thesis adviser is responsible to:

Enable the student to structure the paper in accordance with an acceptable and appropriate format;
Direct the student to available sources;
Help the student to state arguments and conclusions fairly and independently of the sources;
Monitor student progress;
Return thesis drafts to students within one week.

The thesis adviser is not responsible to:

Correct English grammar or spelling (though the adviser may notate such);
Write or significantly revise any segment of the thesis;
Take initiative in tracking down either sources or students.

The obligations of the students include the following:

Submit a thesis proposal in acceptable format to the Program Director during the Thesis Seminar.
Submit drafts of the thesis to the adviser at lengths of no more than thirty pages per week.
Make sure that the thesis has been read for English corrections.
Type the thesis in correct format (Chicago Manual of Style [Turabian]).
The student must heed the advice of the advisers and readers at each stage of the thesis's development. This is not to imply, however, that the thesis adviser will necessarily agree with the conclusions of his or her student.
If irreconcilable differences develop between the student and the adviser, a conference should take place with the Academic Dean, who may arrange for the student to work under another professor. This could take place if any part of the adviser/student obligations break down.
Final responsibility for the development of the thesis rests with the student.

FORMAT

Theses should normally follow these chapter headings:

(I) Introduction to the Problem
(II) Review of Related Literature and Studies
(III) Methodology of Research
(IV) Presentation, Analysis and Interpretation of Data
(V) Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations

THESIS DEFENSE.AND SUBMISSION

Each M.A. (R.E.), M.A. (C.C.), and M.S.T. student is required to defend his or her thesis before a committee selected by the Academic Dean and which includes the student's advisor, a representative of the Philippine Commission on Higher Education, and at least two other professors. Students should be able to relate their research to the entire scope of their Seminary education--to the biblical, historical and theological foundations of the Christian church, and should be able to relate the practical implications of their research for the church and its ministry in the world.

The thesis will be read by a panel chosen by the Academic Dean and including at least two faculty members (normally the same faculty members who sat on the thesis proposal defense), and a CHED representative, and defended orally before this committee no later than three weeks prior to graduation. The thesis defense is scheduled by the Academic Dean upon the recommendation of the thesis adviser. The Academic Dean has the right to determine whether or not the thesis is ready for defense.

Photocopies of penultimate drafts for thesis defense readers should be distributed no less than two weeks before the scheduled defense. The photocopies should be given in a loose binding.

The thesis panel has four options in its final deliberations regarding a thesis, and, under the guidance of the thesis defense Chair (either the Academic Dean or someone duly appointed) the panel must reach a consensus on one of these four categories:

PASS: No corrections or typographical errors only. A letter grade can be assigned.

CONDITIONAL PASS: Minor corrections only are needed. A letter grade will be provisionally assigned, but the grade will be recorded as "I" until the corrections indicated by the panel members are rectified.

NOT PASSING AT THIS TIME: Major corrections are needed. The student will face another defense panel. The grade is "I."

THE THESIS IS NOT WORKABLE: The student should significantly improve the data gathered, or the data-gathering procedures, or find another research project. The grade is "F." The student must enroll in Thesis Writing again.

THESIS DEADLINES

The deadlines for submitting the final thesis are as follows:

The panel members forward their corrected and annotated copies of the thesis to the student and, within two days of the defense, the panel secretary will forward to the student the official notes of thesis defense, listing the required changes.
The Advisor must approve the final thesis.
The final, corrected copy, incorporating all the corrections of the committee, and at least five copies of the Approval sheet are to be submitted to the Academic Dean by March 25 in order for the student to
graduate.
For the processing of the Special Order number, at least four final copies, bound in red, must be submitted to the Registrar.
If the thesis has received a CONDITIONAL PASS and the student does not submit the corrected copies by March 25, the student has one year from the date of the defense to submit the thesis in final corrected form, which then must be approved by the adviser, the panel members and the Academic Dean.
If the student's thesis is deemed NOT PASSING AT THIS TIME, or NOT WORKABLE, the student has one year to present the thesis in final form and face the panel once again.
If the student in any category does not submit the corrected thesis within one year of the original defense he or she is ineligible for graduation. To reactivate eligibility the student must re-enroll in nine units of graduate-level work at APNTS in addition to the completion and defense of the new or revised thesis.

NON-CREDIT COURSES FOR PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

These courses are offered occasionally for campus residents who are not enrolled in a degree program, but whose husbands or wives are. They are aimed to help spouses become more assimilated into the campus community and to help them in their family and supportive ministry roles.

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PRACTICES WITHIN CLASSES

CLASS ATTENDANCE

The matter of student attendance is under the jurisdiction of each professor, who will state at the beginning of each semester the attendance requirements for the course and the penalties for any failure to comply with the stated policy. All students are expected to attend class regularly, and the reasons for any exceptions to this must be made in writing to the Academic Dean. Excused absences include illnesses (for which the student should secure a note from a doctor or the school nurse), or a death in the immediate family. Professors may recommend to the Academic Dean that a student be withdrawn from a course if it is considered that the student has been absent excessively. Excessive absences are considered twice the number of hours for which the course gives credit. (E.g., for a three hour course, absences from six or more hours of class is excessive.) Professors have the right to request additional work for any of the sessions missed by students. No children or other persons who are not officially enrolled are permitted to attend classes.

FORM FOR TERM PAPERS

Course papers shall conform to the standards of the Chicago manual of style as outlined by Kate Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Thesis, and Dissertations . Endnotes may be employed. Instructors have the prerogative of keeping all class papers and tests as their personal property.

UNETHICAL ACADEMIC PRACTICES

Academic honesty is expected of all students at Asia-Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary. It is an integral part of the educational process, where learning takes place in an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect. Each student is responsible to maintain high standards of academic ethics, personal honesty, and moral integrity. Infractions of honest academic behavior will be dealt with fairly and firmly.

EXAMPLES OF INFRACTIONS

Plagiarism, using another's statements or thoughts without giving the source appropriate credit;
Cheating on an exam;
Unauthorized multiple submission of papers;
Submitting for credit a borrowed or purchased paper;
Defacing, or unauthorized removal of course materials either from the classroom or library;
Dishonesty in reporting reading;
Signing the roll or submitting an in-class assignment for someone who is not present in class;
Excessive copying of class notes from another student, unless there is an excused absence and permission from the instructor.

PENALTIES

For the first offense, teacher/administrative options, depending on type of infraction and severity: (a) a warning given to the student, and note of the same to the Academic Dean; (b) rewrite the paper; (c) failing grade on paper or exam.
Second offense - same teacher/administrative options apply, with the addition that a failing grade for the course(s) may be given.
Third Offense - failing grade for the course and/or immediate dismissal from the Seminary at the recommendation of the Academic Dean to the Administrative Council.

FACULTY ASSISTANTS

Faculty members may select, with the approval of the whole faculty, students to serve as assistants. If otherwise eligible, the student assistant will receive Student Work Assistance Program (SWAP) compensation for this.

STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS

All degree requirements, including the thesis, must be completed by the end of three years from the time of the last full-time registration. A penalty of three semester hours will be added after two years of failure to fulfill requirements. After the statute of limitations is passed (third year) the student must reapply for admission to a degree program, and acceptance will require special action of the faculty as well as further requirements to be designated by the program director.

STUDENT CLASSIFICATIONS

Student classification is determined by the number of graduate credits the student has accumulated. The following may be used as a guideline for such classification:

For M.Div. students

Junior Fewer than 30 degree credits
Middler 30 - 59 credits
Senior 59 credits and above

For M.A. and M.S.T. students

Junior Fewer than 24 degree credits
Senior 24 credits and above

CHANGES IN REGISTRATION

The time allowed for making changes in course registration without penalty is the period beginning with the first Monday after registration week and continuing until Friday of that week. The process may be accomplished through the Registrar’s office. Mere absence from class sessions will not constitute withdrawal. Unauthorized withdrawal from any course will result in the recording of failure on the student’s record.

Courses cannot be dropped after the period mentioned except by special permission from the instructor and the Academic Dean. Change of registration cards may be secured from the Registrar’s office or Academic Dean. No classes may be changed after the Friday preceding Reading and Research week each semester.

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TRANSFER AND WITHDRAWAL

TRANSFERRING BETWEEN DEGREE PROGRAMS

A transfer between degree programs must be done through both the Academic Dean’s and the Registrar’s Offices. No action on the transfer can be taken until an application is properly completed, submitted and approved.

TRANSCRIPTS AND RECORDS

Personal information about a student is not released without the written consent of the student. Transcripts are released only upon the written authorization of the student. All accounts with the Seminary must be paid before such a release can be made.

TRANSFER OF CREDITS FROM OTHER SEMINARIES AND GRADUATE SCHOOLS

Courses that have been taken previously at a recognized theological seminary or graduate school may be transferred to APNTS. Those courses that meet the specific requirements of the student’s study program may be applied toward the degree. However, no more than one-half of the hours required for a degree may be transferred.

CROSS-REGISTRATION AT OTHER SEMINARIES

Full-time students at the Seminary may, by cross registration take up to nine semester hours during any academic year at any of the seminaries affiliated with the Asia Graduate School of Theology.

WITHDRAWAL FROM THE SEMINARY

Withdrawal from the seminary during the school year must be made in writing to the Registrar’s office. Neglecting to do this may result in failing grades in the student’s present courses and affect reentry to study. To receive an honorable dismissal from APNTS, the student must have satisfied all financial obligations to the Seminary and have a record of satisfactory conduct. In the event of justifiable withdrawal from APNTS, a refund of tuition will be granted as follows:

Before classes begin 100%
1 - 3 weeks 100%
4 - 6 weeks 80%
7 - 9 weeks 60%

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GRADING POLICIES

GRADING SYSTEM

These letter grades are used for final course marks and for the permanent record:

A Indicates diligence and originality, an effective grasp of material beyond memorization, and a high degree of freedom from error. (This is equivalent to 94-100%). A is 96-100%; A- is 94-95%.

B Indicates an above-average quality of work, an industrious attitude, a thoroughness in what is undertaken with considerable insight into the course material (85-93%). B+ is 92-93%; B is 87-91%; B- is 85-86%.

C Indicates work that is average, tending to be mechanically correct, and satisfactory completion of assignments, but lacking in consistency, originality, insight and depth (75-84%). C+ is 83-84%; C; is 77-82%; C- is 75-76%.

D Passing. Indicates work that is below average, but passing. It may be given for lack of initiative, lack of responsibility, or inability to grasp the significance of the material. (70-74%).

F Failure. Indicates failure to do satisfactory work, and also means loss of credit in the course.

I Incomplete. Means that course requirements were not completed. Incomplete grades will be given only in cases of emergencies (e.g., death in family, hospitalization). Requests for Incomplete should be made in writing to the Academic Dean by the Friday before Reading and Research week. The faculty, in consultation with the professor(s), will approve or disapprove the request in writing with a copy of the response forwarded to the professor(s) involved. No grade may be issued otherwise. If the “I” is not removed by the end of the eighth week of the next semester, or by the end of the summer session (if the second semester), the course grade becomes “F.” In the case of Thesis Writing, the “I” will be removed when the thesis is submitted and defended before the panel, and the final copy is printed, bound and presented to the Academic Dean.

W Withdrawal. Means official withdrawal from a course while making a passing grade in that course.

WF Withdrawal failing. Means that the grade was not passing at the time of official withdrawal.

P Satisfactory. Passing grade used occasionally where there is little documentary basis for evaluation of the quality of work. Credit is given but the grade point average is unaffected.

AU Audit. Enrollment and participation in the course. Students are expected to attend classes, but are not required to submit assignments or take tests. No credit granted.

Quality points assigned to the various grades for the purpose of determining grade-point average (GPA) are as follows:

A 4.0 C+ 2.3 W (no rating)

A- 3.7 C 2.0 WF (no rating)

B+ 3.3 C- 1.7 P (no rating)

B 3.0 D 1.0 Au (no rating)

B- 2.7 F 0

The “+” and “-” are given on student report cards, and for grade earned after the first semester, 1990-91, are used in the computation of the GPA and are listed on the permanent record.

REPEATING CLASSES

If a course in which failure has occurred is repeated and successfully passed, only the new grade will be used in calculating the grade point average, though the original grade remains on the transcript. Courses prescribed for graduation must be repeated if failed. Required courses in which “D” has been earned may also be repeated to raise the GPA.

Again, the original grade remains on the transcript, but is not used in the computation of the GPA. Otherwise, courses may not be repeated for credit.

Undergraduate courses (such as English) do not count toward a student’s graduate GPA. But all graduate level courses, even those taken to fulfill pre-seminary deficiencies, will count toward the graduate GPA.

ACADEMIC WARNING

An Academic Warning is issued to students who receive less than a 2.0 GPA in any given semester.

ACADEMIC PROBATION

A student must establish an average of “C” (2.0) or higher in the first semester and maintain this average through the course of study. At the close of each semester the faculty reviews the quality of each student’s work in order to take special note of the students with academic problems. The Academic Dean places on academic probation:

(a) students with preseminary deficiencies; (b) students with an overall graduate GPA below 2.0; (c) those who have not yet passed the theological English test; and, (d) those who have received below 2.0 in two successive semesters. The Academic Dean advises such students to show marked improvement in the next semester’s work, and if improvement is not then considered satisfactory, the student is not permitted to continue as a student at APNTS.

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EXAMINATION POLICIES

CLASS EXAMINATIONS

Class examinations must be taken on time unless there are medical or authentic emergency situations, such as a death in the immediate family.

BIBLE CONTENT EXAMINATION

All students are required to pass the institutional Bible Content examination prior to graduation.

FINAL EXAMINATIONS

Final examinations are to be taken at the time announced by the Dean’s Office unless previous arrangements have been made and permission granted through both the professor of the course and the Academic Dean. A student is not expected to write more than two examinations in one day. Final examinations may be rescheduled by petition to the Academic Dean, two weeks in advance of the examination period. Rescheduling merely for personal convenience will not be granted. In the event that an emergency prevents a student from taking the examination, arrangements by the Academic Dean may be made with the instructor for taking the examinations at an alternative hour.

All fees must be paid in full before final examinations may be taken. Students must present an Examination Permit to each professor before taking the final exam.

For graduating master’s students who have maintained at least a “B” average in a course, professors have the option as to whether or not to require students to take the final examination of the class.

WRITTEN QUALIFYING COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATIONS

M.A. (R.E.), M.A. (C.C.), and M.S.T. students are required to pass a three-to-four-hour examination focusing on their area of specialization. The examinations will help to assess the student’s preparation for leadership in these areas. The faculty may recommend additional courses if deficiencies are indicated. The examinations must be taken before the beginning of the student’s final semester and/or before enrollment in Thesis Seminar, whichever comes first. The examinations must be passed before graduation.

EXIT INTERVIEWS (Master of Divinity)

Master of Divinity students are required to undergo an exit interview with faculty members at the beginning of their last semester of study.

Faculty members will try to ascertain whether institutional goals and objectives have been met, i.e., whether the graduating student has been prepared well at APNTS and is ready for ministry on intellectual, spiritual and personal levels.

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HONORS

HONOR SCHOLARSHIPS

A President’s Scholarship is awarded to full-time students who earn a grade point average of 3.9 to 4.0 in graduate-level courses in one semester. The scholarship will be applied to the student’s account in the semester following (excluding the summer session), in which the student is enrolled full-time.

An Honor Scholarship is given to a full-time student who has a semestral grade
point of 3.4 to 3.89 in graduate-level courses. The scholarship will be applied to the student’s account in the semester following (excluding the summer session), in which the student is enrolled in at least twelve hours of study.

HONORS PROGRAM (Master of Divinity program)

Students who achieve a grade-point average of 3.4 in 30 hours of graduate courses will be eligible to apply to the Academic Dean for the honors program, for approval by the faculty. The “Honors Student” will be permitted to pursue a course of study in which there is a special interest. Required courses may be waived, except those relating to the thesis (including Methods of Research, and Statistics). However, the “Honors Student” is expected to show proficiency on the written comprehensive examinations in all required areas of study.

Students in the Honors Program anticipating ordination are reminded of their responsibility to choose courses wisely in preparation for this as given in the Ministerial Sourcebook of the Church of the Nazarene.

Courses taken without the necessary prerequisites must be by permission of the instructor. Fifteen hours are required for the honors student in a particular area of concentration, i.e., biblical studies, Christian faith and heritage, or Christian ministry.

The Honors Program does not apply to students enrolled in the M.A. (R.E.), M.A. (C.C.), or M.S.T. programs.

ACADEMIC GRADUATION HONORS

Graduation “Honors” are computed on the basis of the grade-point average for all graduate-level courses in which the student is enrolled at APNTS, or for which transfer credit from other schools has been granted. Three levels of honors have been established:

Summa cum Laude 3.90 - 4.00
Magna cum Laude 3.75 - 3.89
Cum Laude 3.40 - 3.7

GRADUATION

The Board of Trustees upon the recommendation of the faculty reserves the right to deny a degree, if in their estimation the student does not show character and personality traits that indicate readiness for Christian ministry.

An application for graduation must be filed at the beginning of the semester in which students expect to complete their course of study.

Graduation exercises are held annually after the second semester. Participation is expected. Any candidate for graduation who because of sufficient hardship is not able to attend shall present to the Academic Dean in writing a request for permission to graduate in absentia.

A student must have an average of “C” (2.0 on a 4.0 scale) or higher in order to qualify for graduation. Only those students who have an average of “B” (3.0) or higher will be recommended for advanced study beyond the M.Div., M.A. or M.S.T.

For graduating students, all course work (except final exams), including remedial requirements and work from Incomplete grades must be submitted by the semester’s Due Date. In the event this deadline is not met, students forfeit their chance to graduate that year. All bills to the seminary must be paid in full before a diploma is issued. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that all requirements for graduation have been met by the Monday prior to commencement exercises.

Only students who have completed all the degree requirements will be permitted to graduate. Students completing their requirements prior to the close of the Seminary year will receive a letter of completion and will be asked to return for commencement exercises. A student may be permitted to participate in graduation exercises as a “Summer Graduate” if there are nine or fewer credit hours remaining, and if these can be completed during the summer. All M.A. and M.S.T. students must have successfully defended their theses in order to participate in graduate exercises.

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