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GRACE News/Activities
1/21/2011 - What in the World is God Doing Prophecy Conference
This exciting conference will feature dynamic teaching designed to spur on thought-provoking dialogue. 8am to 5pm Saturday January 21, 2012. Click Here for more info.10/28/2011 -Appreciating GRACE Students: Our Joy and Crown
Attention Students! You are invited to participate in a day where we will love on our students. You are invited to enjoy food, refreshments, entertainment and a chance to win a few prizes as well! Plan on joining us at one of the Student Appreciation Events listed below:
Also, beginning the week of October 31st, we will bless our students with snacks at each classroom location.
07/1/2011 - Student Orientation
The first Student Orientation will commence this August, 2011. This will be a time of getting to know one another and great fun as we welcome students into the fold of GRACE. New students are required to attend, current students are highly encouraged to attend. Students can choose to attend one of the three orientations hosted at different locations the evenings of:- August 9- The Woodlands-
- August 11- Beaumont Campus
-August 16- Main Campus-Southwest Houston
06/16/2011 - Golden Triangle Pastor's Luncheon
Golden Triangle (Southeast TX) Pastor's Luncheon: Thursday, June 16th 11am-2pm. Area pastors and church/ministry leaders are invited to attend this special lunch even to learn more about GRACE and how we are committed to invest in the spiritual growth of Southeast Texas. Please register online here. For details, call 877-476-8674.06/16/2011 - Ambassadors of GRACE Team
We welcome this elite team of students who support the ministry and activities of GRACE. An Ambassador of GRACE will be coming soon to a classroom near you.05/26/2011 - GRACE's First Graduation
Thursday, May 26th 7:00pm Lanier Theological Library (Stone Chapel). Please make plans to join us as we recognize the great achievements of our graduates. A reception will be held at the Lanier Dining hall following the graduation ceremony. Please register online here. For details, call 877-476-8674.05/26/2011 - Inaugural Graduation Ceremony
Join us for our Inaugural Graduation Ceremony at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 26, 2011, at the Lanier Theological Library, 14130 Hargrave, Houston, Texas 77070. This will be a joyous and worshipful celebration as we award graduate degrees to our seminary's first masters degree program graduates and also award certificates to several certificate program graduates. We will have a short ceremony followed by a fun celebration and fellowship that you don't want to miss. Come celebrate with us! RSVP now!05/2/2011 - Registration for summer is now open
Click here to register today!
Frequently Asked Questions
We're eager to answer your questions. We know that it is important to have the right information to make an informed decision. Therefore, we've captured the most commonly asked questions and present them, here, for your review.
If your question isn't covered here, please feel free to email or call our offices:
General Questions
History
Admissions & Registration
Distance Learning
Degree Programs
Enrichment
Financial
Foreign Students
Accreditation Status
General Questions
Q. Do I need to have a Bible background to attend GRACE?
A. The
only
educational
prerequisite
for
attending
GRACE
for
audit
or
for
a
Certificate
Programs
is
a
high
school
diploma.
For
degree
program
student,
bachelor's
degree
must
be
earned
before
you
complete
your
seminary
degree.
Q. Do I need to have a bachelor's degree to attend the seminary?
A.
In order to receive a seminary degree from Grace School of Theology, you must first obtain a four-year bachelor's degree. However you may take courses for credit toward your seminary degree concurrent with your bachelor's degree program.
Anyone
with
a
high
school
diploma
may
take
courses
for
non-credit
or
for
a
Certificate
Program.
Q. Do you offer any bachelor's degree programs?
A. No. We have three master's degree programs and certificate programs. However, The College of Biblical Studies (CBS) and Grace School of Theology offer some dual credit courses in which you can earn credit towards a bachelor's degree from CBS and master's degree (or certificate) from GRACE.
Q. I'm a bit apprehensive about going back to school at my age. Can I do it?
A. Our students come from a variety of age groups including many retirees. Many are starting seminary after years in the business world, and some are taking classes for the first time since high school.
Q. I would like to try a class. I'm not sure if seminary is for me. Is there a way to try it out?
A. The best way to get a feel for seminary is to take a class.
Q. Is the seminary affiliated with any particular denomination?
A. No. We are an evangelical, non-denominational seminary. We refer you to our doctrinal statement for further information responsive to this question.
Q. Where do I get the books required for my courses?
A. Most students buy their seminary books online (e.g., www.amazon.com) or buy or borrow them from another student. Some required books are no longer available new but must be purchased used. These can usually also be found via www.amazon.com but sometimes take several weeks to arrive after ordering.
We also encourage students to share books when feasible, which can be accomplished by joining us on FaceBook and networking with other students.
Q. What is the average price of books for any particular course?
A. Unfortunately, this is impossible to answer, because professors and their syllabi differ and change. You should expect to pay in the range of $50 to $200 for books for each course and roughly half of that if you buy used books. You may request a syllabus in advance of registering for a course in order to determine the price of required books.
History
Q. Why is the seminary called Grace School of Theology?
A. We began under the name "Houston Seminary" in the fall of 2002 but soon learned that an unconstitutional Texas law prohibited the use of the word "seminary" in an institution's name or description without state approval. While waiting for challenges to that law to succeed, we changed our name to Grace School of Theology which both fit within the framework of Texas law and fairly described our institution. The Texas Supreme Court overruled the unconstitutional law in the fall of 2007, but we elected to keep our name as is.
As the concept of salvation by works has crept into evangelical theology, we want to make clear by our name that we are founded by and for free grace and that we stand against theology claiming in any way that eternal salvation is obtained by anything other than receiving the free gift salvation by believing in Jesus Christ for it.
Q. When and by whom was Grace School of Theology founded?
A. Dr. David Anderson founded the seminary in 2002 with the help of Dr. Bill Yarger and Dr. Kem Oberholtzer.
Q. Why did you feel it was necessary to start another seminary given that there are so many already in existence? A. At the time Grace School of Theology was founded, there were no other seminaries committed to maintaining the purity of the free grace Gospel by maintaining faculty uniformly committed to teaching it. Today, several new free grace seminaries likewise exist, but Grace School of Theology seeks to lead the effort.
Q. How is this seminary different from other evangelical seminaries?
A. We
differ
primarily
in
four
important
respects:
(i.)
we
focus
on
the
free-grace
perspective
in
all
our
coursework
and
culture;
(ii)
we
teach
a
consistent
and
uniform
system
of
theology,
(iii.)
we
are
committed
to
maintaining
affordable
tuition
without
sacrificing
our
high
quality
of
education;
(iv.)
our
student
to
professor
ratio
is
significantly
better,
and
(v.)
our
tuition
is
lower
than
most
Texas-based
seminaries.
Admissions & Registration
Q. How do I apply for admission?
Complete
the
preliminary
application
by
clicking
the
appropriate
green
button
on
the
Registration
page
click
here>>>
You
will
then
be
given
access
to
our
online
student
management
system
called
populi.
Through
populi,
you
can
complete
your
application
for
admission
and
register
for
classes
during
the
registration
periods.
Q. What application fees are associated with applying for the first time?
A. New students are required to pay a one time $30 application fee.
Q. Can I attend classes before my application for admission is approved?
A. Yes, you may begin taking classes for credit after you have submitted your application but before you are approved for admission to a degree program. If your application for admission is ultimately denied, you may receive a refund of tuition and fees if you wish to discontinue the classes.
Q. What is the deadline for applications for admission?
Applications should be submitted on or before the first class meeting of the first course taken by the student.
Q. How do I get "official" transcripts sent to GRACE?
A.
Call
your
institution's
registrar's
office,
or
check
the
schools
website,
and
have
the
school
send
your
official
transcript
directly
to
the
GRACE
registrar.
Alternatively,
you
can
request
a
copy
of
a
Transcript
Request
form
from
our
Student
Services
Office.
Send
request
to
info@gsot.org.
Q. What is the deadline for course registration?
A.
The
Registration
Deadline
to
add
a
class
is
indicated
in
the
Financial
Page
of
the
website.
Q. How do I register for classes?
A.
Registration
for
classes
must
be
completed
online
at
www.gsot.org.
Q. Do I need to take courses in any particular order?
A. Generally, no. Some courses have prerequisites which are clearly stated in the course description in the course catalogue and on our website. The degree plans may have a suggested order for taking classes, but it may be impractical based on course offerings to take the courses in the exact order suggested. We generally recommend that Bible Study Methods (Hermeneutics) be taken as early as possible.
Q. Does GRACE accept transfer credit?
A.
Transfer
of
credits
occurs
on
a
case-by-case
basis
at
the
discretion
of
Grace
School
of
Theology.
Generally,
GRACE
accepts
transfer
credits
from
accredited
graduate
schools
provided
that
the
transfer
grade
is
B
or
better,
and
fits
within
the
student's
degree
plan
at
GRACE.
Undergraduate
course
will
not
transfer.
Have
your
official
graduate
transcripts
forwarded
to
the
registrar,
and
notify
the
registrar
of
your
request
that
the
transcripts
be
reviewed
for
possible
transfer
of
credits.
Q. Can I get any credit for life, ministry, or educational experience apart from "credit transfer?"
A. No.
Distance Learning
Q. Why is distance learning so popular?A. Distance learning is popular because modern technology has enabled a level of student interaction with a professor and classmates in an environment that closely parallels the traditional classroom.
Q. Are distance learning programs as good as traditional, on-campus programs?
For the motivated student, distance-learning programs are an equally effective means of providing instruction.
Q. Will employers recognize degrees from distance learning seminaries or universities?
A. The recognition of any degree depends largely on the employer. A degree is worth what an employer judges it to be worth. Having stated that, distance learning has quickly become a standard teaching method across virtually every state and private university and seminary.
Q. Can distance-learning credits transfer to other colleges?
A. Transferring of any course credits, including distance-learning, depends entirely on the institution you might consider. Contact the school that you wish to receive transferred credits, to obtain their credit transfer policy.
Q. Are there any on-campus requirements to the GRACE degree programs?
A.
The
entire
MABS
and
MDIV
degrees
may
be
earned
entirely
online
or
you
may
take
any
combination
of
online
and
on--]campus
courses
required
by
your
degree
plan.
Degree Programs
Q. What degree programs are available?
A.
The
MABS
and
MDIV
degrees
may
by
earned
entirely
online.
Q. Can I earn my entire degree online?
A. The M.A.B.S. and M.Div. degrees may by earned entirely online.
Q. Do you offer a bachelors degree?
A. No. All of our courses are at the graduate level.
Q. Will I be assigned a mentor?
Certificate
and
Degree
Plan
students
are
required
to
sign
up
for
mentoring
courses
throughout
their
time
at
GRACE.
These
non-credit,
no-cost
Mentoring
courses
must
be
taken
before
a
Certificate
or
Degree
will
be
issued.
Q. How long does it take to complete the programs?
A.
Generally,
a
full
time
course
load
will
enable
a
student
to
finish
the
MABS
program
in
2
years,
the
MDIV
program
in
3
years,
and
the
THM
program
in
4
years.
On
average,
full
time
students
take
on
average
9
credit
hours
per
semester
and
part-time
students
take
from
2
to
5
credit
hours
per
semester.
The
amount
of
time
to
degree
completion
is
up
to
the
student,
we
encourage
out
students
to
take
the
courses
at
a
pace
that
allows
them
to
maintain
a
balanced
life
and
stay
engaged
in
their
local
church
and
community.
Q. Do I need to take courses in any particular order?
A. Generally, no. Some courses have prerequisites which are clearly stated in the course description in the course catalogue and on our website. The degree plans may have a suggested order for taking classes, but it may be impractical based on course offerings to take the courses in the exact order suggested. We generally recommend that Bible Study Methods (Hermeneutics) be taken as early as possible.
Q. Does GRACE supply my textbooks or do I buy them myself?
A.
Textbooks
are
purchased
by
the
student,
and
most
books
are
available
from
a
variety
of
physical
and
on-line
sources.
Enrichment/Audit
Q. What is the difference between taking a class for audit and taking a class for credit?
A.
If
you
take
a
class
for
audit,
it
cannot
be
counted
towards
a
degree.
An
audit
student
has
no
obligation
to
complete
any
of
the
assigned
course
work,
but
may
pick
and
choose
what
he/she
may
wish
to
do.
Q. What is the difference between taking a class for enrichment and taking a class for credit?
A. If you take a class for enrichment, it cannot be counted towards a degree. An enrichment student has no obligation to complete any of the assigned course work, but may pick and choose what he/she may wish to do.
Q. Is there a way to turn an enrichment course into a credit course?
A.
On
or
before
the
date
and
time
of
last
class
meeting,
you
may
request
that
your
registration
be
converted
to
credit
rather
than
for
non-credit,
provided
that
you
have
completed
all
of
the
course
requirements
for
a
credit
student
up
to
that
date
and
time
and
that
you
submit
payment
at
that
time
for
the
difference
in
tuition
and
fees.
However,
conversion
of
your
registration
for
any
particular
course
from
non-credit
to
credit
is
at
the
discretion
of
the
course
professor.
After
a
course
is
completed,
it
is
too
late
to
convert
it
from
non-credit
to
credit.
Financial
Q. What does it cost to attend Grace School of Theology?
Tuition: Credit tuition is currently $100 per credit hour, and audit tuition is currently $50 per credit hour. Most classes are three credit hours. Hence, tuition for a three credit hour course is $300 for credit or $150 for audit (see financial page for details).
Books: You should expect to pay in the range of $50 to $200 for books for each course and roughly half of
that if you buy used books. You may request a syllabus in advance of registering for a course in order to
determine the price of required books.
Logos Bible Software:Credit students are required to purchase the Scholars version of Logos Bible
Software. GRACE credit students receive a significant discount on Logos if purchased through our student
management site called Populi
Total: The total cost to obtain a 64-credit hour MABS is currently approximately $9,000, inclusive of books, tuition, and fees, assuming it is completed in seven semesters. The total cost to obtain a 94-credit hour MDIV is currently approximately $13,000, inclusive of books, tuition, and fees, assuming it is completed in eleven semesters. However, tuition and fees are subject to change at any time without notice.
A. Limited scholarships are available. We offer a 3-payment installment plan. If you are interested in receiving tuition assistance, please see program details on the Financial Page. Check out our Ambassador Program!
Q. Do your classes qualify for G.I. Bill reimbursement?
A.
Classes
at
GRACE
currently
do
not
qualify
for
G.I.
Bill
reimbursement.
Q. What methods of payment do you accept? A. GRACE prefers debit or credit card payment via VISA or MasterCard through our student management site, Populi. Money orders or checks can be sent directly to our P.O. BOX as well.
Foreign Students
Q. I live outside of the United States. Can I still become a student?
A.
It
is
possible
to
take
distance
learning
classes
from
any
location
in
the
world,
provided
you
have
internet
access.
We
also
welcome
foreign
students
to
come
to
Houston
and
study
on
campus,
but
we
are
currently
unable
to
sponsor
foreign
students
for
purposes
of
obtaining
a
student
visa.
Q. Are any of the classes or degree programs offered in foreign languages?
A.
Check
the
current
semester
schedule
for
classes
offered
in
Spanish.
Q. Will my education be more expensive since I live outside of the United States?
A. All tuition is charged in US dollars regardless of where a class is taken. Therefore, depending upon the monetary exchange rate, your education may be lower or higher than if it were completed within the United States. The cost of obtaining and shipping books internationally may be higher — again, depending upon the location.
Accreditation Status
Q. What is the status of GRACE accreditation?
A. Please review the Accreditation section of this website.