Academic Information

Academic Association

Geneva Reformed Seminary currently holds full membership in the Association of Reformed Theological Seminaries (ARTS). ARTS is a private association of Reformed schools of theology whose mission “is to bring glory to God, to contribute to the building-up of His Body and the progress of His Kingdom, and to preserve and advance the reformed tradition by providing a context where member institutions can hold one another accountable for fulfilling their individual stated purposes” (Handbook for Accreditation). For more information about ARTS, visit their web site: www.artseminaries.org.

The grading system

Incomplete work: A temporary grade of “Incomplete” will be given at the professor’s discretion when the student’s situation warrants it. An “I” may not be given if the student simply fails to complete assignments due to negligence. The student must complete the work by the midway point of the next academic term or the “I” will be changed to “F.”

Withdrawal: Withdrawal from a course can only be by permission of the seminary president. Withdrawals before the midway point in the term incur no academic penalty and are subject to a prorated refund. Withdrawals after the midway point in the term will not be refundable.

Pass: This grade is assigned to satisfactory work in non-credit deficiency or remedial courses.

Unacceptable: This grade is assigned to unsatisfactory work in non-credit deficiency or remedial courses.

Audit: This grade is assigned for non-credit enrollment in a credit class. Attendance in class is the only requirement. Note that once audited, a class cannot be taken for credit.

Academic probation

Candidates for both the B.D. and M.Div. must have a 2.00 GPA for graduation. Failure to maintain that overall GPA at any point during the program will place the student under academic probation for the following term. If the GPA is not raised to the minimum after the next term, the student’s candidacy will be terminated.

Grade reports, transcripts, and diplomas

Students will receive a printed report of grades at the end of each academic term. Grade reports will be withheld from students whose accounts are not in order. Arrangements can be made with the treasurer to establish an orderly payment schedule and thus insure the release of grade reports. Transcripts will be released upon request by the student to another institution at no charge, provided the student’s account with the seminary is settled. Diplomas will be issued when all academic requirements have been satisfied and when the student’s account with the seminary is settled.

Graduation requirements

To receive either the Master of Divinity degree or the Bachelor of Divinity degree, the student must complete 96 credits of work while maintaining a 2.00 grade-point average based on a four-point scale. The 96 credits translate into 130 clock hours of class time.

Upon completing the Master of Divinity or Bachelor of Divinity, candidates for ministry in the Free Presbyterian Church will be required to complete a year’s internship in a local congregation. The presbytery retains the right to assign the candidate to the particular place of service.

General course requirements

The typical school year operates on a trimester schedule, consisting of three ten-week terms with a three-week modular course after the fall term. Not every course will be offered every year, but a schedule of classes will be offered each term to accommodate as many students in each class as possible. However, classes will be offered on such a cycle as to insure each student a full load every term and to insure every student the means of fulfilling degree requirements within three years.

The academic program consists of studies in four major departments. Each department has core, required classes as well as electives. Elementary Greek is offered on a non-credit basis for students deficient in basic Greek. Advanced Greek and Hebrew exegesis courses are available for qualified students. Remedial English is available on a non-credit basis and may be required for students who are deficient in writing skills.

Depending on student needs and special course offerings, substitutions are possible, but a typical course for the B. Div. or M. Div. program would follow this pattern:

Academic Load

Each trimester includes 10 weeks of classes followed by a week of exams. A full-time load for a trimester would consist of 9–12 credit hours. A credit hour consists of 80 minutes of class time per week for the 10-week session. Modular courses involve an equal amount of class time even though they do not extend for the 10-week period. In order to meet course objectives, students should expect to spend on average a minimum of two hours outside the classroom for every hour spent in the classroom.

Library services

GRS has a continually expanding library, consisting currently of over 8,000 volumes. In addition, a local university with approximately 300,000 volumes has extended GRS students full library privileges. GRS also has computer stations with Internet access available for student use.