Western Reformed Seminary offers eight different degrees. A Bachelor of Arts degree or its academic equivalent is required to receive a Masters degree in any of the six Masters programs; an Associate of Arts degree or its academic equivalent is required to receive the B.D. or B.R.E. degrees. In addition to the eight degrees offered, WRS makes it possible to work on those degrees via distance learning through our Pastoral Mentorship Program (PMP).
Western Reformed Seminary is privileged to teach a wide range of departmental studies, from Old & New Testament to Nouthetic Counseling & Pastoral Studies. The links below will take you to these departments, as well as give a description of each of the classes that are part of the degrees at WRS.
Enrollment Status
Full-time Students
A full-time student is one carrying a minimum of twelve credit hours per semester in the day programs. In the case of the evening program, this status is given to a student taking the maximum number of available courses required by the M.R.S. program during that term.
Transfer Students
Students transferring from other recognized graduate institutions may schedule an appointment with the Academic office for the purpose of transferring credits earned in courses parallel to those prescribed by WRS. The final determination will be made by the Administration in consultation with the relevant Department Chairmen on the basis of the student’s transcript, his previous institution's catalog, and the caliber of his work after one semester at WRS. M.Div./B.D./M.R.E. candidates must spend no less than two full semesters (32 credit hours) in residence, M.B.S./M.T.S./M.C.M. candidates no less than 24 credit hours in residence, and M.R.S. candidates no less than 10 credit hours in residence in order to be eligible for their respective degrees.
Special Students
A special student is one not seeking a seminary degree. This category of students includes auditors and those taking a few select courses for personal enrichment.
Auditors
Students not seeking academic credit may enroll in any number of courses with few exceptions: conversational language classes may not be audited and degree students may not audit propaedeutic classes required for their programs. If an auditor attends at least 75% of the class sessions, a transcript will be kept for the auditor indicating that regular class attendance was maintained. Privileges of auditors include class attendance and participation in discussions, acquisition of class materials, and full use of the library.
Foreign Students
Western Reformed Seminary is recognized by the U.S. Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement as an academic school approved for issuing F-1 student visa applications.
By law, a non-resident foreign student seeking admission to WRS must be able to document proof of his personal financial support (and his or her immediate family's support if family members accompany him or her) while in the U.S. This documentation will be submitted to the student's American consulate when applying for a student visa. Forms to apply for a student visa will be supplied by WRS after the enrollment application and fee are received.
Foreign students making application from countries whose mother tongue is not English must document their fluency in English. This may be done by means of submitting the results of a TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) examination to the Registrar or by a letter of commendation from an English-speaking acquaintance whom the Seminary would recognize as being capable of evaluating the student's level of proficiency. Some foreign students may be admitted to WRS on a one year probationary basis dependent on their level of achievement and progress in use of the English language.
Preliminary Tests
M.Div., B.D., M.R.E., and M.B.S. candidates are encouraged to acquire training in the appropriate biblical languages before entering seminary in order to launch directly into biblical studies. For those desiring exemption from certain language courses, preliminary tests may be taken at registration in order to display the student's level of proficiency.
Academic Status
Grading
A letter system is used for purposes of recording grades. An A, B, C, or D is a passing grade, while an F represents failure and necessitates repeating the course. For purposes of averaging, percentage equivalents and grade points are as follows:
- A = 95-100 = 4.0
- A- = 93-94 = 3.7
- B+ = 91-92 = 3.3
- B = 85-90 = 3.0
- B- = 83-84 = 2.7
- C+ = 81-82 = 2.3
- C = 75-80 = 2.0
- C- = 73-74 = 1.7
- D = 68-72 = 1.0
- F = 67-0 = 0.0
A course grade may be listed temporarily as Incomplete. All students are to complete the work for their course(s) by the end of the month during which final exams are held, or, in the case of the Pastoral Mentorship Program, by the end of August. If the course is incomplete after this point, the student will be charged a 30-day course extension, assessed at 20% of the course(s) tuition cost. A maximum of two extensions are allowed; if the course is still incomplete after this time, the course will be finalized and any incomplete assignments will receive a failing grade. In the case of the PMP, should the student request to be withdrawn from the course before the extensions expire, a “W” may be granted with the approval of the academic dean.
A course average from 65-67 will entitle the failing student to the possibility of raising his grade average to a 68 by successfully completing a make-up examination or assignment. The make-up must be arranged by the student, at the convenience of the professor, to be taken no later than two weeks after the beginning of the next semester.
Semester grades will be supplied within 30 days after the end of the semester. A transcript (“progress report”) of all course work is kept up-to-date and is made available to all students with current accounts.