It is often impractical for certain prospective students to complete their undergraduate degree in order to have the opportunity to enroll in seminary. This is often the case for a person who has significant ministry experience and has engaged in self-study, but does not have formal training. Or for a person who is older, perhaps mid-career, or someone who opted to complete a program at an unaccredited institution. Our policy allows us to evaluate whether a student’s work/study /service/ministry might be considered equivalent to an undergraduate degree. Such students have the option to apply to Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary under our “Mature Admission” policy.
Our standard entry route for Mature Admission students is the Graduate Certificate in Christian Studies or Certificate in Urban Ministry. We require the following:
For students applying for Mature Admission, we recommend you use the application’s required autobiographical essay and personal statement essay to demonstrate your ability to produce clear and correct writing.
For students who have earned the equivalent of a Bachelor’s Degree (120 credits) from an unaccredited institution, please contact us to learn how you can apply directly for a Master’s Degree.
Mature Admission students may be accepted to the Certificate in Christian Studies with additional conditions and provisions, often including a requirement that they enroll in our CT500 Theological Writing and Research course during their first semester. This arrangement is intended to help the mature student begin graduate level work at a reasonable pace and commitment level, and to succeed in their program. Under this policy, we have seen the majority of our Mature Admission students flourish in their programs.
Students demonstrating sufficient academic progress in the Certificate in Christian Studies may go on to apply for a full degree program. As many as 5 of the 6 courses are transferable into the majority of our degrees.
As you consider the path forward as a Mature Admission student, please keep these considerations in mind:
Questions? Our team looks forward to connecting with you. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to [email protected]!