Standards and Admissions

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Last updated: Sep 20, 2022 by Skinner-Creek, Ashley
3 min read

Follow this link to view the Standards of Scholarship for All Master’s Degrees at SPU

Follow this link to view Seattle Pacific Seminary's 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 Seminary Director, 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 Seminary Director, provided his or her cumulative grade point average is at least 3.0.

 

Seattle Pacific Seminary Admissions Committee Process 

Rolling admissions are in effect; see the website for specific deadlines.

Each member of the GAC (Graduate Admissions Committee) 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 believes that additional information is needed before a fair decision on an application can be reached, he or she may ask the Seminary Director 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, 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.
    • 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 SOT Office Manager and Events Coordinator sends an additional hard copy of the Welcome Packet soon thereafter.
        • The Seminary Director typically calls students within a week of their acceptance into the program.