Academic Policies

Core Practicum Objectives and Learning Outcomes

Seattle Pacific Seminary features within its MDiv and MA curriculum a required practicum to be taken, when possible, in the first year of enrollment. This course is listed in the catalogue thusly:

THEO 6930 Graduate Core Practicum (1-2 cr.):

This course (“GCP”) is an integral part of the graduate core curriculum and is distinct from, but still closely related to the three triads of “academic” core courses (i.e., Bible I, II, III; Global Christian Heritage I, II, III; and Theology/Ethics I, II, III). Under normal circumstances, each student will take two credits of GCP in each of the three quarters of his/her first academic year, for a total of six credits. GCP is intended to help students make connections between the “academic” work they are doing in their core courses and the “abbey” and “apostolate” dimensions of their theological formation. Each student will work out an individualized learning contract with the designated Practicum Coordinator that will address vital areas of character, spiritual formation and missional competence. Ordinarily, this contract will require the student to design and execute a project that will integrate what he or she is learning in the “academic” core courses his/her personal spiritual growth and professional development as a minister of the gospel.

The practicum is, in short, the primary integrative curricular component in the initial year of the SOT graduate programs. The practicum is meant to integrate content learned in the classroom (the “academy” component of the program), vocational development (the “apostolate” component) and spiritual formation (the “abbey” component). Understood in classical terms, the practicum is meant to wed the student’s efforts toward orthodoxy, orthopraxy, and orthopathy, sometimes abbreviated as the realms of “head,” “hands,” and “heart.” The necessity of all three might be illustrated by noting what happens when they are separated:

• Orthodoxy without orthopraxy is dead “faith without works.”
• Orthodoxy without orthopathy is religious formalism.
• Orthopraxy without orthodoxy is directionless pragmatism.
• Orthopraxy without orthopathy is Pharisaic legalism.
• Orthopathy without orthodoxy is shallow emotionalism.
• Orthopathy without orthopraxy is empty sentimentalism.

Without integration, students will lack the education, training and formation (each of which ought to be implicitly included in the other two) needed as they prepare for the vocation of ministry, whatever that ministry might be – in the church, in higher education or public service, in the business world or in the arts, in a para-church or non-profit organization, as a chaplain or teacher, etc. The academy, apostolate and abbey are all needed to help develop within the student a vibrant and grounded faith that risks changing the world for the Kingdom of God.

Objectives and Outcomes

These objectives and outcomes are meant to help SPU School of Theology administration and faculty understand how practica function within the overall graduate curriculum.

Objective #1: Integration through Interpersonal Interaction

Integration of academy, apostolate and abbey

• The student will practice integration of academic subject matter, practical ministry and spiritual formation through one-on-one and group interactions.
• In these interactions, the student will practice answering the question: How does each of these three realms of study affect the others?

Outcomes

• Through weekly reflections, the student will discuss and discover connections among his or her education, training and formation.

Objective #2: Integration through Application

Integration of theory and practice

• The student will practice applying the subject matter learned in the particular classes taken toward ministerial vocation, spiritual formation and/or Christian life.
• In this application, the student will practice asking the question: How does academic content inform the practice of ministry, the formation of spirituality and the living out of faith?

Outcomes

• Through the production of a final project under the direction of the practicum coordinator, the student will demonstrate an application of academic subject matter for the practice of ministry, spiritual formation and/or Christian life.
• A project proposal will be presented to the practicum coordinator for approval, at which time the coordinator will help refine the parameters of the project.
• The project may use any medium, but it must be accompanied by written explanation that details how the subject matter from the quarter’s core classes informed the production of the project. In short, the student must show how the project applies class material to the practice of ministry, spiritual formation and/or Christian life.

Objective #3: Integration through Vocational Discernment

Integration of education and identity; integration of individual and community

• In light of his or her education and formation, the student will practice reflecting upon the role of vocation and Christian community in the development of Christian identity.
• In this discernment, the student will practice asking the questions: What particular shape is my vocation taking? How is this related to the church? How am I being prepared to carry out my calling to bring about the fullness of the Kingdom of God? How might my vocation participate in the mission of Jesus Christ in acts of faith, love, hope, service, justice and mercy?

Outcomes

• Through the writing of a one-page paper on the self-understanding of Christian vocation, the student will better understand how his or her education, training and formation prepares him or her for a particular practice of ministry, and how that ministry relates to the church.
• The class meetings and practicum project are expected to contribute to this understanding.

Policy for THEO 6980 Cross-Cultural Immersion Experience

(Adopted by the Graduate Curriculum Committee, February 8, 2011)

Course Description: THEO 6980 Cross-Cultural Immersion Experience (3 cr.):

Explores issues and questions pertaining to ministry across cultural boundaries. Students will have the opportunity to experience and reflect on specific historical and theological issues of culture and ministry as they pertain to a specific locale. This will include engagement with local ministries, developing paradigms of holistic ministry, biblical foundations of missions, theology of religions and community exegesis and development. Course must be approved by the Dean of the School of Theology (SOT) or the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies prior to enrolling.

SOT-sponsored cross-cultural immersion programs:

1. The School of Theology (SOT) will normally offer one cross-cultural immersion (CCI) program for its graduate students approximately once every three years. This program will normally be approximately two weeks long, from the time of departure from Seattle to the time of return.
2. SOT CCI programs will comply with the policies and standards established by the SPU Office of Study Abroad Programs.
3. Sites will vary from year to year.
   1. Whenever possible, an SOT faculty member will accompany the students on the trip, and will work closely with the site director in designing a program that fulfills the learning goals that SOT has established for its courses (see below) and meets its usual academic standards.
   2. In those years when an SOT faculty member cannot accompany the students on the trip, the Dean of SOT, the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies, or some other SOT faculty member designated by the Dean or the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies (ADGS) will communicate with the director of the site to assure that the program fulfills SOT’s learning goals and meets its usual academic standards.
4. As with every SPS course, electronic copies of the syllabus for each section of THEO 6980 will be filed with the ADGS.
5. The work load for the students enrolled in each section of THEO 6980 will be roughly equivalent to that of any other 3-credit, 6000-level course in SOT:
   1. The workload of a typical course computes roughly as follows:
      1. Three hours per class per week for 10 weeks = 30 hours class time; and
      2. Three to four hours homework [reading, homework assignments, preparation for class presentations, etc.] per hour of class = 90-120 hours; and
      3. 30-40 double-spaced pages of written work [research papers, examinations, etc.]
   2. Site directors and SPU instructors are encouraged to use this formula as a rule of thumb when configuring the work load for THEO 6980. It is understood, however, that the amount and nature of the “class time” (or equivalent), “homework” (or equivalent) and written work in a given section of THEO 6980 will depend greatly on the availability of relevant resources and on site-specific circumstances and opportunities.

Permission for SOT graduate students to participate for credit in non-SOT-sponsored cross-cultural immersion programs

1. In rare cases, permission may be granted by the Dean or ADGS for a student to satisfy his or her CCI requirement in a non-SPU-sponsored program. Permission will be contingent on the following circumstances:
   1. A student whose academic and/or professional obligations conflict unavoidably with the scheduling of the SPU-sponsored program for the year in which s/he needs to take it may be allowed to enroll in a non-SPU-sponsored CCI program. (Personal and/or family schedule conflicts will normally not be deemed sufficient grounds for a waiver.)
   2. The student must demonstrate: (1) that the cross-cultural immersion program in which s/he wishes to enroll, is offered or sponsored by an ATS-accredited theological seminary, divinity school or school of theology; and (2) that the number of academic credits awarded for successful completion of that program is at least equivalent to the three quarter-credits awarded for THEO 6980 at SPS.

• A student from abroad who has come to the USA will be expected to fulfill the CCI degree requirement, but in a manner suitable to his/her particular circumstances and approved by the Dean or ADGS.

1. If permission is granted for a student to fulfill his or her CCI requirement by enrolling in a program that meets the above criteria, it will be the student’s responsibility (1) to satisfy whatever admission requirements may be associated with that program and/or the seminary that offers or sponsors it, and (2) to see to it that the credits are duly transferred from that seminary to SPS.
2. SPS students who participate in CCI programs for which no academic credits are awarded by an ATS-accredited seminary, divinity school or school of theology shall not be considered to have satisfied the CCI requirement for their SPU degree.

SPS Syllabus Boilerplate

University Mission Statement:

Seattle Pacific University seeks to be a premier Christian university fully committed to engaging the culture and changing the world by graduating people of competence and character, becoming people of wisdom, and modeling grace-filled community.

School of Theology Mission Statement:

The School of Theology at Seattle Pacific University aspires to embody God’s diverse kingdom, equipping the people of God to be transformative agents in the world through the gospel of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Seattle Pacific Seminary Student Learning Outcomes and Objectives:

Academic Integrity Policy:

SPS students are expected to follow the SPU Academic Integrity Policy, as stated in the current Graduate Catalog. Guidelines for handling any cases of suspected infractions are stated in the same place.

Style Guide: 

The official SPU School of Theology style guide is:

• Billie Jean Collins, Bob Buller, and John F. Kutsko, eds., The SBL Handbook of Style: For Biblical Studies and Related Disciplines, 2nd ed. (Atlanta: SBL Press, 2014), REF PN147 .S26 2014.

   All written work submitted for SPS courses shall use the method of citing sources, as well as other stylistic conventions, described in that Handbook. For an online summary of SBL style, as well as any suggested interpretations or SOT-approved exceptions, see:

• The SBL tab on the SPU LibGuide Citations Styles.
• Failure to cite sources, and to cite them in accordance with the official style guide, is considered a breach of the University’s Academic Integrity Policy (see above), and may be penalized accordingly.

Information Ethics:

The Computer and Information Systems website includes a Computer Acceptable Use Policy, which provides guidelines for the appropriate use of instructional technology, digital media and the Internet. The SPU Library website includes an online video tutorial on Information Ethics, which offers guidance on “how to use various types of information appropriately for papers or projects.” [For guidance on how to cite such resources, please see the SBL Handbook of Style.] Students are expected to heed these guidelines, and faculty are expected to penalize infractions for the same reason, and with the same severity, as they would penalize other infractions of the University’s Academic Integrity Policy (see above).

School of Theology Inclusive Language Policy:

The Christian gospel aims to provide a clear witness to the revelation of God through Jesus Christ. For this reason, the words we choose are influential and significant. Because language related to race, gender, class, and nationality has a particular power to liberate or to marginalize other human beings, our words ought to exhibit the sort of grace-filled sensitivity to human dignity that is part and parcel of the Christian gospel (James 3:1-18). In particular, the School of Theology at Seattle Pacific University believes that language about God and people should mirror these biblical truths: that God created both male and female in God’s image (Genesis 1:27); that God formed male and female into a working partnership to steward all of God’s creation (Genesis 1:28); and that God loves every one equally without respect to race, gender, class, or nationality; yet all are equally in need of God’s forgiveness and equally transformed by God’s grace into new creatures because of Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 2:3-6). The use of nondiscriminatory language substantiates these truths and fosters a community where “there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for all are one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). The social practices of Seattle Pacific University’s Methodist heritage exemplify these biblical truths. Rooted deeply within Methodism is the active participation in the lifting of oppression in any form so as to extend and implement the freedom of the gospel to all whom God has created and seeks to redeem. The record of Wesleyans on behalf of those on the margins is impressive and honorable and should be furthered by the modern offspring of Wesley in word and deed. Therefore, it is the policy of the School of Theology at Seattle Pacific University to use nondiscriminatory language in our syllabi, publications, and communications. (The grammatical particulars about nondiscriminatory language are spelled out in The Everyday Writer.) Moreover, when writing and speaking about God, the School of Theology encourages the use of a wide variety of images found in Scripture and the Christian tradition, such as rock, sovereign, light, mother eagle, shepherd, creator, father, and so on. By drawing on the richness of these biblical images, we position ourselves to deepen our understanding of God’s manifold attributes more fully and to help form God’s multiform people into a more inclusive community.

Attendance Policy for Graduate Classes:

Preparation for class, faithful and punctual attendance at class, and active participation in class are integral elements of education at SPS, and accordingly are mandatory. Students may not miss more than two sessions for a once-a-week quarter course, four sessions for a quarter course that meets three times a week, or one class session for a one-week intensive course without penalty on their final grade, unless valid, documented excuses are presented to the professor within two business days of the missed session. Appropriate penalties will be assessed by the professor, and normally explained in the course syllabus. Advance notice to the professor is considered a professional courtesy, and should be given whenever possible. Valid excuses for missing class include are restricted to illness and other personal or family emergencies. Absences and tardiness due to church-related activities (e.g., mission trips, conferences, weddings, funerals, mid-week services, committee meetings, adult education classes or prayer groups), work-related activities (e.g., special meetings, overtime hours or emergency fill-ins for other employees) or non-emergency activities with family or friends (e.g., weddings or vacations) are not excused, nor should faculty be expected to penalize themselves for unexcused student absences by assigning make-up work that they would then have to grade.

Policy for Students with Disabilities:

If you have a specific disability that qualifies you for academic accommo­dations, please contact Disability Support Services to make your accommo­dations request. Once your eligibility has been determined, DSS will send a letter to your professors indicating what accommodations have been approved.

Inclement Weather School Closure Policy:

• Full Closure: All classes are canceled and all offices are closed. The Library, Campus Dining Services and the Student Union Building will be operational on a limited schedule.
• Late Start: Indicates that classes begin at 9:30 a.m. and offices open at 9:30 a.m. Classes beginning at 8:00 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. are canceled. All other classes will operate as scheduled. Chapel will be held if planned.
• For Evening Classes and Events: Allowing for weather changes during the day, a decision will be made by 2:00 p.m. for evening classes and events. Call the Emergency Closure Hotline for the updated information.
• The Emergency Closure Hotline (206) 281-2800 always provides current and complete information.

Reports of Threats, Crimes and Sexual Misconduct:

Seattle Pacific University is committed to providing a safe learning and working environment on campus. As part of this, university employees are generally required to report information they receive about threats, crimes, and sexual misconduct involving students to the Office of Safety and Security or the university’s Title IX Coordinator. Information that must be reported includes both verbal and written statements (e.g., spoken in class or submitted in a written assignment), whether by a victim or by a third-party. Types of incidents that must be reported include physical assault (including domestic or dating violence), sex offenses (e.g., rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment), stalking, robbery, burglary, motor vehicle theft, arson, hate crimes, and arrests for weapon, drug, or liquor law violations. If you are a victim of any of the offenses listed above, you are strongly encouraged to report the matter promptly to a professor, the Office of Safety and Security, or the university’s Title IX Coordinator so that the university can offer you support and notify you of available resources. If you are a victim and would like to speak with someone confidentially, you can arrange to speak with a counselor at the Student Counseling Center or you can make an appointment outside of class with a pastoral counselor.

SPU Emergency Response Information:

• Report an Emergency or Suspicious Activity: Call the Office of Safety & Security (OSS) at 206-281-2922 to report an emergency or suspicious activity. SPU Security Officers are trained first responders and will immediately be dispatched to your location. If needed, the OSS Dispatcher will contact local fire/police with the exact address of the location of the emergency.
• Lockdown / Shelter in Place – General Guidance: The University will lock down in response to threats of violence such as a bank robbery or armed intruder on campus. You can assume that all remaining classes and events will be temporarily suspended until the incident is over. Lockdown notifications are sent using the SPU-Alert System as text messages (to people who have provided their cell phone numbers as described below), emails, announcements by Building Emergency Coordinators (BECs), announcements over the outdoor public address system, and electronic reader board messages.
  • If you are in a building at the time of a lockdown:
    • Stay inside unless the building you are in is affected. If it is affected, you should evacuate.
    • Move to a securable area (such as an office or classroom) and lock the doors.
    • Close the window coverings then move away from the windows and get low on the floor.
    • Remain in your secure area until further direction or the all clear is given (this notification will be sent via the SPU-Alert System).
  • If you are outside at the time of a lockdown:
    • Leave the area and seek safe shelter off campus. Remaining in the area of the threat may expose you to further danger.
    • Return to campus after the all clear is given (this notification will be sent via the SPU-Alert System)
  • Evacuation – General Guidance
    • Students should evacuate a building if the fire alarm sounds or if a faculty member, a staff member, or the SPU-Alert System instructs building occupants to evacuate. In the event of an evacuation, gather your personal belongings quickly and safely proceed to the nearest exit. Most classrooms contain a wall plaque or poster on or next to the classroom door showing the evacuation route and the assembly site for the building. Do not use the elevator.
    • Once you have evacuated the building, proceed to the nearest evacuation assembly location. The “ Think. Act.” booklet posted in each classroom contains a list of assembly sites for each building. Check in with your instructor or a BEC (they will be easily recognizable by their bright orange vests). During emergencies, give each BEC your full cooperation whenever they issue directions.
  • Additional Information: Additional information about emergency preparedness can be found on the SPU web page at http://www.spu.edu/info/emergency/index.asp or by calling the Office of Safety & Security at 206-281-2922.

Theology Librarian:

Steve Perisho, MDiv, ThM, MLIS (206/281-2417; sperisho@spu.edu)

Graduate Coach

A Graduate Coach is available for an average of 10 hours per week to assist any SPS student with his or her studies. Priority is given to students on probationary admission, students placed on academic probation, students for whom English is a second language, students whose instructors have specifically requested that their assignments be checked by the Coach before submission, and first-year students not belonging to any of the prior categories. The coach is tasked with reviewing and processing class material, assisting with specific assignments, conducting strategy sessions for managing workloads, helping students to develop their writing skills, facilitating individual and group study sessions, and editing writing assignments.