By Evan Riekhof – Marketing Coordinator
MOUNT VERNON – Brewton-Parker College (BPC) President Dr. Steve Echols signed an articulation agreement earlier this academic year with New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (NOBTS) President Dr. Jamie Dew. This articulation agreement was created to help students in BPC’s Christian Studies program save time and money as they work toward their Master of Divinity (M. Div.).
Through this agreement, students can experience a seamless transition as they apply undergraduate coursework to the Accelerated Master of Divinity program at NOBTS. By applying the college credit from their undergraduate classes that students take while attending BPC, the program will reduce coursework redundancy and the time it takes to complete the Master of Divinity. Qualifying courses from BPC will be applied to the 84-hours required for the Accelerated M. Div. at NOBTS. The program ideally involves three years of study at Brewton-Parker College and then two more years at NOBTS. This five-year program reduces the normal amount of time to receive these two degrees by two years. In addition to saving time and tuition by the accelerated program, Georgia students are eligible to apply for substantial scholarships at NOBTS when they go to the main campus to study.
Brewton-Parker President Steve Echols noted, “This innovative accelerated program offers an opportunity for BPC ministry students to complete their education two years earlier and to receive the training to help them fulfill their calling much faster than was possible before. BPC is grateful to President Dew and NOBTS for making this possible.”
Students who have graduated from Baptist colleges and universities may qualify to receive up to 25% of their M. Div. through the Accelerated M. Div. program. Likewise, NOBTS credit will count toward the bachelor’s degree at Brewton-Parker College. The two schools have worked together to identify the courses from BPC that are considered equivalent to the courses at NOBTS. NOBTS can match those courses with the M. Div.
Students interested in this accelerated program are required to meet a few standards. First, BPC students and graduates have to meet additional requirements to qualify for the Accelerated M. Div. In addition, students must apply to NOBTS and meet the admissions requirements for the school. Once students earn a “B” or higher in a qualifying course, they receive credit toward an equivalent master’s course. The credits can only be applied to the Accelerated M. Div. program within five years of a student’s baccalaureate graduation.
As BPC continually seeks to transform the lives of its students, it is excited to offer such opportunities. In this way, the college is helping students find their purpose and pursue their calling as quickly and affordably as possible. The college looks forward to more opportunities in the future to continue fostering its mission to equip the whole student for lifelong learning and service in Christ. For information about this program, please contact the Brewton-Parker College admissions office at 912-583-3265 or by email at admissions@bpc.edu.
