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Standards of Scholarship for All Master’s Degrees at SPU

Admission Requirements

 Policies Concerning the Graduate Certificate in Christian Studies Program

• The application process for the certificate program will be the same as the MDiv and MA degree programs – with one exception. If the student is unable to produce an academic reference, an employer reference will be accepted. For those who cannot supply an academic or employer reference due to life circumstance, an interview with the Dean, the ADGS of SOT or one or more members of the SOT GAC will be an acceptable substitute.
• Admission to the certificate program will follow the same grade point average requirements as the MDiv or MA Applicants for the certificate program are required to have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 in their undergraduate or most recent graduate coursework. Applicants whose grade point average is below 3.0, but who are otherwise deemed qualified for graduate theological study at SPU by the GAC will be admitted to the program, and continued in it, according to the same procedures and policies governing admission to, and continuation in, the MDiv and MA degree programs.
• A graduate certificate student will be able to transfer into the MDiv or MA programs by notifying the Dean or ADGS of the SOT, provided his or her cumulative grade point average is at least 3.0.

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• Rolling admissions are in effect; see the website for specific deadlines.
• Each member of the GAC reads the applicant’s file and indicates whether he or she recommends admission, recommends admission with reservations, or recommends rejection.
  • The GAC evaluates applicants on the basis of their application materials. Previous coursework, academic achievement, professional experience, emotional and spiritual preparedness, and personal goals are all used in the evaluation.
  • Weighting of Criteria: Admission will be determined by GAC on a case by case basis, with all criteria, as stated in previous bullet point, weighted equally.
• After all members have rendered their verdicts, the GAC Chair will then communicate the GAC verdict to the Dean, who will also review the file and record a verdict.
  • If any member of the GAC and/or the Dean of SOT and/or the ADGS believes that additional information is needed before a fair decision on an application can be reached, he or she may ask the Director of the Seminary to communicate with the applicant as soon as possible in order to secure it. If a split vote by the GAC is returned, or if serious reservations about the applicant are expressed by one or more members of the GAC and/or the Dean of SOT and/or the ADGS, which cannot be resolved by informal conversations or email exchanges among the members of the GAC and the deans, the chair of the GAC or one of the deans may request that either or both of the following steps be taken, in order that a unanimous decision on the applicant might be reached:
    • A face-to-face or teleconference interview between the applicant and at least one member of the GAC plus one of the deans.
    • A meeting of the GAC and one or both of the deans.
  • If a recommendation to reject the applicant is unanimous, the applicant will receive a letter from the Director of the Seminary.
  • Documentation of GAC deliberations are attached to the file.
• Acceptance into the program.
  • Admission to (or rejection from) the program is made by the GAC.
  • The GAC’s decision is confirmed or denied by the Dean, or the Dean’s designee (usually ADGS).
  • Decision is communicated to the applicant via an email alert to log in to the application platform.
    • Application files are stored centrally.
    • Upon acceptance:
      • Enrollment Operations receives a notification and sets up the student account on Banner.
      • Students are automatically sent notifications of acceptance and the Welcome Packet. The SPS Program Coordinator sends an additional hard copy of the Welcome Packet soon thereafter.
      • The Director of the Seminary typically calls students within a week of their acceptance into the program.

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• Applicants who wish to apply graduate-level coursework completed at a regionally accredited university, divinity school, or seminary into the MA or MDiv programs must provide applicable transcripts and syllabi. Applicants may transfer up to 26 quarter credits from another ATS-accredited institution into any of the 78-credit MA degree programs and up to 36 quarter credits into the 108-credit MDiv degree program.
• To receive transfer credit, each course must be at least three graduate quarter credits and be equivalent to courses taught in the School of Theology at SPU. Each course will be considered on a case-by-case basis as to the fulfillment of specific curricular requirements. A minimum grade of B will be needed for transferred work. All courses applied toward the graduate degree must be taken within seven years of admission. In all cases, the final 36 MDiv credits or 26 MA credits must be taken at SPU.
• Applicants who (1) have been granted a master’s degree from another regionally accredited university, (2) have taken graduate level coursework in theology or a field related to the cross-disciplinary courses offered in some MA tracks, or (3) have taken coursework related to the MDiv degree will have their transcripts evaluated during the admissions process.

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Students holding a master’s degree from an accredited institution may earn a second master’s degree at Seattle Pacific under the following conditions:

• The student meets the normal admission requirements for admission to the University and to the specific degree program.
• The student meets all degree requirements for the second degree.
• Credits earned by the student while taking his or her first master’s degree may be used to meet the requirements of the second master’s degree, provided those credits were taken within seven years of admission to the second degree program.
• Regardless of how many credits from the first master’s degree are counted toward the second master’s degree, the student will in any case complete a minimum of 27 credits on his or her approved program of study at SPU after being admitted for the second degree. Of these 27 credits, at least 15 will be in 6000-level courses.
• The specialization in the second master’s degree program will be different from that of the first master’s degree. The student may work toward two master’s degrees simultaneously.

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• A student, who has completed a Master of Arts (or equivalent degree) from an institution belonging to the Association of Theological Schools, may petition to have up to 57 credits earned toward said degree apply toward a Master of Divinity degree at Seattle Pacific Seminary. The following conditions obtain:
• An official transcript from the institution granting his or her MA degree must be on file at SPS.
• He or she must have attained a grade of at least B (= 3.0) in any graduate theology course which he or she is petitioning to apply toward an SPS MDiv, and may be asked to submit the syllabus of that course to ensure that the material covered therein is equivalent to the SPS course from which he or she is asking to be exempted.
• Any course in the SPS MDiv curriculum which is equivalent in topic and credit count to a course taken for the student’s MA may qualify for exemption.
• The ceiling of 57 credits is computed by adding the minimum number of credits that an SPS student who earns both an MDiv and an MA must earn, and then deducting the minimum number of credits that an SPS student must earn for a standalone MA. Thus: 108 cr. [minimum number of credits for MDiv] + 27 cr. [minimum number of credits for a second MA, per Policy 6 above] – 78 cr. [minimum number of credits for first MA] = 135.

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Students who have taken one or more undergraduate courses in Bible, church history, theology or ethics (either courses or a minor in theology or a related discipline) from a regionally accredited undergraduate institution may petition for a substitution of one or more SPS “academic core” courses (i.e., THEO 6010, 6020, 6030, 6040, 6050, 6060, 6070, 6080, and 6090) such that they take another course (e.g., elective) instead. To qualify, the following conditions must ordinarily be met.

• Only 5-quarter-credit or 3-semester-credit upper division undergraduate courses qualify to allow a student to substitute other courses for specific graduate core courses.
• Only courses taken within three years before admission to the SPS qualify allow a student to substitute other courses for specific graduate core courses.
• Only courses in which a grade of A- (= 3.7) or better was achieved qualify to allow a student to substitute other courses for specific graduate core courses..
• A maximum of three 3-credit graduate core courses (maximum of 9 credits) can be substituted for upper division undergraduate courses.
• Note: the substitution of a core course for elective courses does not reduce the total number of graduate credits a student must complete for his or her degree.
• Whenever possible, a student who substitutes a core graduate course for another course will be expected to replace that course with another in the same general field (e.g., a Bible course with another Bible course, or a theology course with another theology course). In cases where no other graduate course is available in our curriculum (e.g., church history), the ADGS or faculty advisor will assist the student in selecting a suitable alternative.
• This substitution process does not decrease the number of credits required for the degree.
• Note: In rare cases, one or more of these conditions may be waived by the Dean of SOT or the ADGS, though in such cases a written rationale for the waiver, supported by adequate documentary evidence, must be furnished by the student.

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• A student who has graduated from a regionally accredited undergraduate institution with a major in theology or some related discipline (as determined by the SOT Dean or the ADGS) may petition for “advance standing” (as defined in Educational and Degree Program Standard ES.7.4 of the Association of Theological Schools). To qualify, the following conditions must ordinarily be met.
  • An official transcript from the institution granting his or her baccalaureate degree must be on file at SPS.
  • He or she must have attained a cumulative undergraduate grade point average of at least 3.0 (= B).
  • He or she must have attained a grade of at least A- (= 3.7) in any upper division undergraduate theology course which he or she is petitioning to have counted toward an SPS master’s degree, and must submit the syllabus of that course, to ensure that the material covered therein is equivalent to the SPS course from which he or she is asking to be exempted.
  • Only 5-quarter-credit or 3-semester-credit upper division undergraduate courses qualify to exempt a student from graduate core courses.
  • Only courses taken within three years before admission to the SPS qualify to exempt a student from graduate core courses.
  • SPS courses eligible for exemption are restricted to those in the “academic core” (i.e., THEO 6010, 6020, 6030, 6040, 6050, 6060, 6070, 6080, and 6090).
  • No more than fifteen credits of graduate work will be awarded to students qualifying for advance standing. That is, the student must complete at least 93 credits of graduate work to complete the MDiv or 63 credits of graduate work to complete the MA.
  • Note: In rare cases, one or more of these conditions may be waived by the Dean of SOT or the ADGS, though in such cases a written rationale for the waiver, supported by adequate documentary evidence, must be furnished by the student.

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• Students who apply for admission SPS, and who are accepted, may defer matriculation for up to one full calendar year from the entry quarter and year indicated on the application form. After one year, if the student does not begin the program, the application becomes inactive. If the student wishes to begin the program in the future, he or she must reapply at that point.
• Any financial aid package offered to the student between the time that he or she is admitted to the program and the time that he or she notifies the School of his or her intention to defer matriculation will be revoked and the student will need to reapply for scholarships and financial aid by the deadline of the year in which the student decides to matriculate. 

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• A student will be required to re-apply to SPS if he or she is away from the university for more than four quarters. Students do not apply for readmission to SPS if they take a leave of four or fewer quarters.
• To re-apply for the admission, students must complete the “Graduate Application Short Form” and send it to Graduate Admissions. Once the student’s application is received, it will be forwarded to the ADGS for review and approval. The ADGS will let Graduate Admissions know of the decision, and then Graduate Admissions will facilitate the re-admissions process.

Policy on Probationary Admission to Master’s Degree Programs and Academic Probation

• Applicants with exceptional qualifications and recommendations who meet all requirements of the admissions requirements except the stipulated minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 may be considered for admission to graduate education at the University on a probationary status.
• Students admitted on probationary admission start their first quarter on academic probation. They may take no more than 9 credits/quarter on academic probation.
• Upon admission to the program and before their first quarter begins they must meet with their faculty advisor to fill out the academic probation plan and ensure there is a plan to achieve grades above the probation threshold (CGPA 3.0). An electronic copy of this plan must be sent to the ADGS.
• Students have three active quarters on academic probation to raise their CGPA above the probation threshold. Any quarter with a CGPA higher than a 3.0 resets the time on academic probation to zero.
• Students on academic probation should follow the SPU policies concerning academic probation. First quarter academic probation students should meet with their faculty advisor. Second quarter academic probation students should meet with their faculty advisor and the ADGS. Third quarter academic probation students should meet with their faculty advisor, the ADGS, and the Dean of the SOT.

• The academic probation plan will be filled out by the student and signed by the following individuals, and electronically submitted to the ADGS to save in the student’s electronic file:

• First quarter: faculty advisor
• Second quarter: ADGS
• Third quarter: Dean of SOT

• After three active quarters on academic probation, the student will be academically dismissed from SPS.
• A graduate student at SPU cannot graduate with a CGPA below 3.0.

Policy on Provisional Admission to Graduate Degree Programs

• Undergraduate students who are within 45 quarter credits of completing a bachelor’s degree program may apply for admission to a master’s degree program at the University. Such students may be given advance admission to a master’s degree program if the student satisfies all the other criteria for admission.
• Upon completion of the bachelor’s degree and the presentation of final transcripts, the student’s admission status may be changed from provisional admission to full or probationary admission, provided all standards for such admissions are met. It will be the responsibility of the student to supply final transcripts and apply to the University’s Admission Office for a change in status.

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• Students who have been admitted to a graduate degree program in another accredited institution may enroll, with the approval of the Dean of SOT, the ADGS, and the Graduate Admissions Committee, for up to 18 credits at Seattle Pacific University.
• To gain admission as a Visiting Graduate Student the applicant must 1) complete and submit to the Admissions Office the standard graduate application form and 2) submit a letter from the Dean’s Office of the student’s home institution stating that the student is in good standing at the institution.

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• Qualified individuals desiring to take a particular 6000-level course but not planning to work toward a graduate degree or certificate may register for the course only with the advance approval of the Dean or the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies of the School from which the desired course is to be taken. Such students will be classified as graduate non-matriculated students. Permission to register as a non-matriculated graduate student is always on a space available basis.
• If a non-matriculated graduate student later applies for admission and is admitted to SPS, the credits earned in a course as a non-matriculated graduate may be used in meeting master’s degree requirements only if: (1) a grade of B or better was achieved in the course, and (2) the course was taken within a three-year period before admission to the program. In no case may more than nine credits be used toward master’s degree requirements.
• Non-matriculated students fill out the SPU registration form designated for them, and can only register at the times approved by the university. 

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• Persons may audit courses in SPS with the permission of the Dean or Associate Dean of Graduate Studies (ADGS) of the School of Theology (SOT) and the instructors of record.
• Auditors register in person in Student Academic Services in Demaray Hall 151 before 4:30pm on the fifth day of the quarter. Auditors pay the same tuition, but do not submit graded assignments (tests, papers, etc.) and do not receive academic credit.
• Permission to register as an auditor is always on a space available basis.