The St. Louis Theological Seminary's academic programs are based on these principles:
Quality
Scope and Depth
and the Word of God
Seminary Curriculum
Curriculum for Seminary
The Seminary division of St. Louis Theological Seminary offers graduate
studies. Courses in the Seminary division are designed to equip
students with an in-depth and comprehensive knowledge of the Bible from
a dispensational viewpoint and the skills necessary for ministry with
an emphasis on God's Word as the absolute authority in all matters in
Christian life.
OLD TESTAMENT THEOLOGY (3 Hours)– A study of the primary themes
throughout the Old Testament and the involvement of God in developing
His plan of redemption.
OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETS (3 Hours)- A study of the ministry of
each prophet, with emphasis on their message, their time and place in
Israel’s history.
GENESIS (3 Hours)- A detailed exegesis of this book, with emphasis on its reliability and importance in the Canon.
CREATIONISM (3 Hours)- A study of the scientific reliability of
the Bible’s account of the origin of the Universe. Emphasis will be
given to the debate between Evolution, Intelligent Design, and Young
Earth.
NEW TESTAMENT THEOLOGY (3 Hours)- A study of the primary
themes throughout the New Testament and the continued development of
God’s plan of redemption.
ESCHATOLOGY (3 Hours)- A study of the basic tenets of
premillennialism, with emphasis on the mystery aspect of the Rapture
and the end time prophecies concerning Israel.
ECCLESIOLOGY (3 HOURS)- A study of the origin of the church, the “Body of Christ,” and its mission.
REVELATION (3 Hours)- A study of the significance of the “Day of the Lord,” with emphasis placed on the wrath to come.
PAULINE EPISTLES (3 Hours)- A study of the special revelation
given to the Apostle of the Gentiles concerning this present
Dispensation.
THEOLOGY PROPER & BIBLIOLOGY (3 Hours)- A study of the
attributes of God and the argument for the inerrancy and inspiration of
the Scriptures.
APOLOGETICS (3 Hours)- A study of the defense of the Christian faith and doctrine.
CHURCH HISTORY I (3 Hours)- A study of the origin of the church, the Ante-Nicene period and the Post-Nicene period.
CHURCH HISTORY (3 Hours)- A study of church history from the Medieval Period and the Protestant Reformation, to present day.
MISSIONS (3 Hours)- A study of the importance of Missions and
the local church’s responsibility toward outreach, both foreign and
domestic.
EVANGELISM (3 Hours)- A study of the need for evangelism and our calling as Ministers of the Word of Reconciliation.
PERSONAL EVANGELISM (3 Hours)- A study of the methods and objectives of personal evangelism.
PASTORAL ETHICS (3 Hours)- A study of the recognition of the
calling and responsibility of ordained men. Emphasis will be placed on
recognizing the plethora of moral theories that exists in our world
today.
CHRISTIAN ETHICS (3 Hours)- A study of values and virtues from a Biblical perspective.
Certificate Program
A high school diploma or GED is recommended but not
required for the Certificate Program. Prospective students without a
high school diploma or GED must consult with the Director of Academic
Affairs prior to submitting an application. Credits from other
institutions for undergraduate courses in related studies approved by
Director of Academic Affairs
with grade of "C" or better may be transferred to meet Certificate
requirements. Credits can also be earned through Proficiency Exams that
demonstrate thorough knowledge of the subject
matter that is covered in a specific course offered by the Bible
College. "Dispensational Theology I & II" and "Acts
Dispensationally Considered I and II are required. Satisfactory "S" and
unsatisfactory "U" grades are awarded in the Certificate program; only
"S" grades receive credit toward a Certificate.
Certificate of Biblical Studies
Graduation requires a total of 78 credit hours with a maximum of 26 MLE Credits and a maximum of 26 PME Credits.
Undergrad. Programs
Applicants entering the Undergraduate Programs must have completed a high school diploma or GED. Credits from other institutions for undergraduate courses in related studies approved by the Director of Academic Affairs in which a “C” or better was received may be transferred to meet undergraduate requirements. Credits for courses in the Certificate Program at STLTS in which an “S” grade was received may be used to meet undergraduate requirements; the “S” grade received in the Certificate Program will be considered a “C” grade when used to meet undergraduate requirements and in calculating the GPA. Credits earned for the Associate degree will be applied to meet the requirements for the Bachelor degree. Credit can also be obtained through a Proficiency Exam that demonstrates thorough knowledge of the subject matter covered in a specific course offered by the Bible College. All undergraduate students are required to take “Dispensational Theology I & II,” “Acts Dispensationally Considered I & II,” “Terminology, Language Skills, and Writing,” and three credit hours of a Missions course. A minimum 2.0 GPA is required for credits earned at STLTS.
Associate of Biblical Studies
Graduation requires 60 credit hours with a maximum of 20 MLE Credits and a maximum of 20 PME Credits.
Bachelor of Biblical Studies
Graduation requires 120 credit hours with a maximum of 40 MLE credits and a maximum of 40 PME Credits.
Auditing Program
There is no educational prerequiste for students who
audit Bible College courses. Auditors do not participate in graded
written assignments or exams. No credit hours are awared for courses
that are audited.
Distance Learning
Undergraduate-Level Courses
All of the courses listed in the Course Description
section are available for students to begin in the Distance Education
structure at any time. Students should consult with the Director of
Academic Affairs about other courses that are being developed as they
may include a student's area of special interest.
Graduate Degrees
Mission
The mission of St. Louis Theological Seminary’s Graduate Programs is to offer courses designed to equip students with an in-depth and comprehensive knowledge of the Bible from our dispensational viewpoint and the skills necessary for ministry with an emphasis on God’s Word as the absolute authority in all matters in Christian life.
Programs of Study
Graduate Program
The prerequisite for the Graduate Program is completion of a Bachelor degree. Credits from other institutions for graduate courses in related studies approved by the Director of Academic Affairs in which a “C” or better was received may be transferred to meet Master requirements. Credit can also be obtained through Proficiency Exams that demonstrate thorough knowledge of the subject matter covered in a specific graduate-level course offered at STLTS. All degree-seeking graduate students are required to complete the requirements for the graduate-level courses of “Dispensational Theology I & II,” “Acts Dispensationally Considered I & II,” “Terminology, Language Skills, and Writing,” and three credit hours of a Missions course. Credit earned for one Master degree will be applied to the requirements for the Master degree at the next level. A minimum 2.5 GPA is required for credits earned at STLTS. A thesis of publishable quality written in the Turabian style is required for each Master degree; one thesis may be used to fulfill the requirement for only one degree.
Master of Biblical Studies requires 36 credit hours with a maximum of 12 MLE Credits and a maximum of 12 PME Credits and a 20-page thesis;
Master of Theology requires 60 credit hours with a maximum of 20 MLE Credits and a maximum of 20 PME Credits and a 35-page thesis;
Master of Divinity requires 90 credit hours with a maximum of 30 MLE Credits and a maximum of 30 PME Credits and a 50-page thesis.
Audited Courses
There is no educational prerequisite for students who audit Graduate courses. Auditors do not participate in graded written assignments or exams. No credit hours are awarded for courses that are audited.
Audited Courses
Audited Courses (Bible College and Seminary)
There is no academic prerequisite for applicants who audit courses.
Certificate of Biblical Studies
Bible College - Certificate of Biblical Studies
A high school diploma or GED is recommended but not required for the Certificate Program. Prospective students without a high school diploma or GED must be consult with the Director of Academic Affairs prior to submitting an application .
Credits from other institutions for undergraduate courses in related studies approved by Director of Academic Affairs with grade of “C” or better may be transferred to meet Certificate requirements. Credits can also be earned through Proficiency Exams that demonstrate thorough knowledge of the subject matter that is covered in a specific course offered by the Bible College. “Dispensational Theology I & II” and “Acts Dispensationally Considered I & II” are required. Satisfactory “S” and unsatisfactory “U” grades are awarded in the Certificate program; only “S” grades receive credit toward a Certificate.
Certificate of Biblical Studies
Graduation requires a total of 78 credit hours with a maximum of 26 MLE Credits and a maximum of 26 PME Credits.
Associate of Biblical Studies
Bible College - Associate of Biblical Studies
Applicants entering the Associate program must have a high school diploma or GED.
Students must have earned a total of 90 credit hours for the Bachelor of Biblical Studies. A minimum 2.0 GPA is required for credits earned at STLTS.
Bachelor of Biblical Studies
Bible College - Bachelor of Biblical Studies
Applicants entering the Bachelor program must have a high school diploma or GED.
Students must have earned a total of 120 credit hours for the Bachelor of Biblical Studies. A minimum 2.0 GPA is required for credits earned at STLTS.
Master of Theology
Seminary - Master of Theology
Applicants entering the Master program must have a Bachelor degree. Completion of one or more undergraduate courses in the Bible College may be recommended or required by the Vice President of Academic Affairs for students who have little or no previous background in Biblical studies.
Students must have earned a total of 60 credit hours for the Master of Theology. A minimum 2.5 GPA is required for credits earned at STLTS.
Master of Divinity
Seminary - Master of Divinity
Applicants entering the Master program must have a Bachelor degree. Completion of one or more undergraduate courses in the Bible College may be recommended or required by the Vice President of Academic Affairs for students who have little or no previous background in Biblical studies.
Students must have earned a total of 90 credit hours for the Master of Divinity. A minimum 2.5 GPA is required for credits earned at STLTS.
Life Experience Credit
STLTS recognizes that knowledge is gained through various forms of ministry and is valuable to a person's service to the Lord Jesus; therefore, skills acquired through full or part-time Christian service will be awarded credit hours in the Seminary and Bible College programs of STLTS. Requests for Ministerial Life Experience Credit must be made in writing and include supporting documents to the Vice President of Academic Affairs who will make the determination of the number of credit hours awarded. Ministerial Life Experience Credits are based on points designated for different types of service. The equivalent of one credit hour is 33 points. A maximum of 26 credit hours may be awarded towards the Certificate of Biblical Studies, a maximum of 40 credit hours may be awarded the Bachelor of Biblical Studies, and a maximum of 9 credit hours may be awarded towards the Master of Theology. No grade is reported for Ministerial Life Experience Credits; "MLE" will appear on the transcript. Ministerial Life Experience Credits are not calculated in the GPA.
Senior Pastor
full time:
5.0 points for each year served
part time:
2.5 points for each year served
Associate Pastor
full time:
3.0 point for each year served
part time:
1.5 points for each year served
Minister of Youth, Education, or Music
full time:
3.0 points for each year served
part time:
1.5 points for each year served
Other Church Position
full time:
2.0 points for each year served
part time:
1.0 points for each year served
Para-church Organizations
full time:
3.0 points for each year served
part time:
1.5 points for each year served
Book Published by Independent Publisher
50.0 points each
Book Published through Vanity Press
35.0 points each
Articles Published
20.00 points each
Proficiency Exams
STLTS recognizes that knowledge is gained through dedicated Bible
study; therefore, credit hours will be awarded to a student who, in
lieu of taking a STLTS course, takes a Proficiency Exam and receives a
passing grade. The Proficiency Exam is designed to demonstrate the
student's thorough knowledge of material that is covered in a specific
course that is offered in the Seminary or Bible College. The
Proficiency Exam grade becomes the final grade for the course. The exam
grade will be used in calculating the GPA for credits earned at STLTS.
The number of credit hours awarded is equal to that of the specific
course offered at STLTS. Requests for Proficiency Exams are made during
course registration each semester.
Academic Year
The academic year consists of two semesters. One semester is a
fifteen-week period. One credit hour is equivalent to one hour of
coursework per week.
Traditional Education
All Bible College and some Seminary courses will be offered in the
traditional education format that consists of 28 sessions with additional
out-of-session assignments. Sessions consist of class meetings and study
labs. Class meetings are scheduled on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:00
p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Study labs are question-and-answer group discussions
that are scheduled on Tuesdays and Thursday from 1:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Times for class meetings and study labs for specific courses will be
announced at registration each semester and are subject to change due to
the availability of teachers.
Distance Education
Seminary division courses are designated to be completed entirely through
the distance education format.
Bible College courses may be completed
through the distance education format in lieu of attending sessions; however,
attendance at class meetings is recommended. Coursework is expected to
completed within one semester.
Audited Courses
Auditors do not participate in graded written assignments and exams. No
credit is awarded for courses that are audited.
An "O" will appear on
the transcript as the grade for audited courses. The "O" is not
calculated in the GPA.
Incomplete Coursework
Students who are unable to complete the requirements for a course
within the semester will receive an incomplete "I" grade .
Arrangements
for completing the course must be made with the teacher of the course.
Students are expected to complete the course requirements by the end of
the next semester. Requests for an extension of the next-semester
deadline must be made in writing to the attention to the Vice President
of Academic Affairs with a copy to the Director of Admissions. Students
must notify the Director of Admissions of all extensions approved.
Withdrawal Policy
A student who finds it necessary to withdraw from a course or from
enrollment in a program of study must notify the Vice President of
Academic Affairs in writing with a copy to the Director of Admissions.
A "W" will appear on the transcript for any course not completed at the
time of withdrawal. The "W" will not be calculated in the GPA.
GPA Formula
Formula for Calculating Grade Point Average
GPA's are separated by programs of study. Only grades for credit hours
earned by completing coursework or by Proficiency Exams at STLTS are
used in computing a student's GPA. The formula for calculating GPA is:
(1) The final grade for a course equals the grade point
for that course multiplied by the number of credit hours for that
course equals the total grade point for that course.
(c) = (a) x (b)
(2) The sum of the total grade points of all STLTS courses equals the total grade points for all courses being averaged.
(d) = (c) + (c) + (c) + (c)
(3) The sum of the credit hours for all STLTS courses equals the total credit hours being averaged.
(e) = (b) + (b) + (b) + (b)
(4) The total grade point for all courses being averaged divided by total credit hours being averaged equals the STLTS GPA.
GPA = (d)
÷ (e)
Transcripts
Incoming Transcripts
Students must request official transcripts from schools previously attended
as required to meet prerequisites. Official transcripts from other schools
must be sent directly to the Director of Admissions.
Outgoing Transcripts
Official transcripts from STLTS are sent directly to other institutions at the
student's written request. Only a copy of the official transcript is provided
to the student. Requests for transcripts are made to the Director of
Admissions and must be accompanied by the appropriate fee.
Repeating a Course
When a student repeats a course, only the repeated course grade will
appear on the transcript.
However, the original grade will be retained
in the student's academic file. Only the repeated grade will be
calculated in the GPA.
Academic Dishonesty
Any student proven to have committed academic dishonesty will receive
an "F" grade for the course. Other disciplinary action is at the
discretion of the Advisory Council. Forms of academic dishonesty
include but are not limited to:
plagiarism (using as one's own the writings or ideas of another), including
failure to use quotation marks or other conventional markings around
material quoted from another source or paraphrasing a specific passage
without indicating its source;
falsifying information, including submitting another's work as one's own; and
dishonesty during examinations, including receiving written or oral information
from a fellow student, as well as referring to written materials not authorized
by the proctor.
Grade Change
Students may request a change of the final grade recorded for a course.
Students are encouraged to discuss the matter first with the teacher
who taught the course. Students may make a request for a grade review
to the attention of the Vice President of Academic Affairs. Requests
for a grade review must be in writing and include copies of all work
completed for that specific course. The matter will be brought before
the Advisory Board for a decision. Students must notify the Director of
Admissions of any grade change approved.
Grading System
The faculty may record a plus or minus after each passing grade where
appropriate; this recording will be placed on the student's permanent
record, but it will not be considered part of the student's GPA. The
designation of grades and points appearing on transcripts is:
Academics 
The St. Louis Theological Seminary's academic programs are based on these principles:
A high school diploma or GED is recommended but not required for the Certificate Program. Prospective students without a high school diploma or GED must be consult with the Director of Academic Affairs prior to submitting an application . 
Applicants entering the Master program must have a Bachelor degree. Completion of one or more undergraduate courses in the Bible College may be recommended or required by the Vice President of Academic Affairs for students who have little or no previous background in Biblical studies. 
