Special Credit Options

Transfer Credit

Coursework with a B- grade or above from an accredited graduate school may be transferred.  See page 43 of the MTS Catalog for additional information.

Advanced Standing/Validation Exam Credit

MTS offers a limited set of validation examinations to students who desire to earn graduate academic credit based on undergraduate coursework completed at a Bible or Christian liberal arts college, extensive personal study, or other nontransferable learning. An examination fee is charged for each validation exam. For validation exam information, please contact the MTS office located on the first floor of Fitzwater Hall.

Validation examinations for academic credit are offered for the following courses:

 BI 5504 Hermeneutics 1    NT 5503 New Testament Greek 1 
 BI 5505 Hermeneutics  2   NT 5504 New Testament Greek 2       
 BI 5506 Old Testament Exposition 1  OT 5503 Biblical Hebrew 1
 BI 5507 Old Testament Exposition 2  OT 5504 Biblical Hebrew 2
 BI 5508 New Testament Exposition 1  SF 5506 Biblical Spiritual Formation
 BI 5509 New Testament Exposition 2  ST 5501 Systematic Theology 1
 ED 5500 Teaching Principles  ST 5504 Systematic Theology 2
 HT 5500 Church History  ST 5505 Systematic Theology 3
 OS 5502 Theology of Intercultural Ministry  

Validation Credit

Validation credit must be of a B- grade level and from an accredited undergraduate/graduate program or the equivalent. Validation course credit does not reduce the required academic hours in the graduate program. It allows the student an exemption (waiver) from a required course and permits the selection of an elective course. The maximum hours of special credit allowed in each program are explained in the following chart:

Program  Hours Transfer Credit (T)

Advanced Standing/

Validation Exam (ASV)

T + ASV Limit
M.Div. 96 48 16 48
M.A.B.S. 60 30 10 30
M.A.C.E. 60 30 10 30
M.A.I.S./U.S.  60  30 10 30
M.A.M.L. 60 30 10 30
M.A.S.F.D. 60 30 10 30
M.T.S.  60  30 10 30
M.A.C.P. 58 29 9 29
G.C.B.S. 30 12 5 12
G.C.I.S. 21 2 2 2
G.C.M.L. 18 0 0 0
G.C.S.F.D. 19 1 1 1
G.C.U.S. 21 3 3 3

 

Note: Advanced Standing, Transfer and Validation credit combined cannot exceed 50 percent of the total credits required for any program.

 

Directed Study Credit 

Students enrolled in a Graduate Certificate are allowed a maximum of three credits of directed study. Students enrolled in a Master of Arts or the Master of Ministry are allowed a maximum of six credits of directed study. Students enrolled in the Master of Divinity are allowed a maximum of nine credits of directed study.