Teacher Education (Secondary Social Studies) Seminary Track

Students who are admitted into the Seminary Track program begin taking Seminary classes after their first year of study at Boyce College. After their first year, students officially begin working towards both the B.A. and M.Div. concurrently. After 5 years of full-time study, qualified students will graduate with both his or her B.A. and M.Div.

Seminary track students who are subsequently admitted into the concurrent Master of Divinity program will earn two degrees in as little as five years. The two degrees are the:

• Bachelor of Arts in Biblical and Theological Studies
• Master of Divinity

The Seminary Track is ideal for students who feel called to vocational ministry and desire to train at the seminary level. In addition, the Seminary Track program is designed for students who desire to take the next step in their calling by pursuing rigorous theological education that will help equip future ministry leaders to be academically capable and spiritually mature.

If you’re uncertain about whether you feel called to ministry or not, our president, Dr. Albert Mohler, and others have provided an extremely helpful e-book about how to know if the Lord is calling you to ministry.

Students who feel called to ministry are often encouraged to complete their Master’s of Divinity following the completion of their undergraduate degree. The Seminary Track helps merge a student’s academic pursuits into one five-year program. With one five-year program, students will be able to save approximately 2-3 years of education compared to completing a four year degree and then a three year MDiv. In addition, The Seminary Track program can save students upwards of $15,000-20,000 by condensing their education into our five-year program.

For students considering the Seminary Track, there are two paths to gain entrance into the program:

Track 1 – Standard Entry (following one year of study at Boyce)
Students desiring to pursue the Seminary Track after their first year at Boyce may pursue admittance into the program after completing a minimum of 24 credit hours. Students wishing to begin the Seminary Track program must maintain a 3.5 GPA throughout their first year of study (at least 24 hours) and then undergo a character evaluation before gaining entrance into the program. After their first year of study, the student may complete the application process with his or her academic advisor.

Track 2 – Transfer Student Entry
If a student has completed 24 hours at the undergraduate level before transferring to Boyce, they may apply for acceptance into the program after one semester of study at Boyce. If a student is transferring to Boyce with less than 24 completed undergraduate hours, they must first reach that minimum threshold to be able to apply for admission into the Seminary Track program.

Students are able to begin the admissions process during their second semester at Boyce or once they are considered “in progress” for at least 24 credit hours. This often occurs during the month of December for the Spring semester or June for the Fall semester. Students will go through their academic adviser to receive the application information.

The character evaluation is intended to assess the Christian maturity of candidates and to consider their potential for success in graduate level study since the rigorous nature of this program will demand a lot of the student.

Students not admitted to the seminary track are encouraged to consider some of Boyce College’s other excellent undergraduate degree options. Students can complete a traditional Boyce College bachelor’s degree and then enroll in the Alumni MDiv, finishing both degrees in as little as 6 years.

Students who choose not to enroll in the Seminary Track will be able to transfer all of his or her Boyce College credit into the Biblical and Theological Studies bachelor or many other programs at Boyce.

Students who enter the seminary track pay the standard tuition rate for Boyce College during their first year of study. If students are admitted into the concurrent MDiv after completing their first year of study, the remainder of their tuition costs are paid through a program fee over the next four years. A down payment of $1,000 is due after the admissions process to secure a student’s spot in the concurrent degrees. Then the balance of the program fee is paid monthly over the next 44 months. Students who do not complete both degrees during the 44 month period are subject to a continuation fee of $1,000 per year.

Yes. Seminary track students may apply for Boyce College scholarships and must meet basic eligibility requirements including full-time study at the Louisville campus. Seminary-track students can apply for the need-based General Scholarship or the merit-based Academic Excellence Scholarship. Students who are members or members in-progress at a Southern Baptist church can qualify for the SBC tuition rate, which reduces tuition significantly.

Seminary track students earn the credit hours toward their undergraduate degree in several ways. First, many classes will be taken at the undergraduate level. In addition, Seminary Track students will earn some of their hours through credit-by-examination tests at the conclusion of their semesters of study.

Seminary track students are considered undergraduates until they reach 120 credit hours, with full-time status is 12 credit hours per semester. Once they reach 120 credit hours, seminary track students are considered masters-level students, with full-time status changing to 9 credit hours per semester.

Yes, seminary track students get the best of both worlds—the full undergraduate student life experience combined with the opportunity to achieve their academic goals more quickly. Seminary track students live in undergraduate housing, take undergraduate courses throughout their degree, and can participate in Boyce College’s robust student life program.