Academic Life

Programs

Advanced Certificate in Christian Ministries

Pastoral

This is a three-year program designed to prepare students for church ministry leadership while gaining a deeper knowledge of the Scriptures.

Counseling

This is a three-year program designed to prepare students for church counseling while gaining a deeper knowledge of the Scriptures. 

Missions

This is a three-year program designed to prepare students for Missions while gaining a deeper knowledge of the Scriptures. 

Church Music

A program for Church Musicians, Vocalists, and Worship Leaders designed to help each individual grow and further develop their calling within worship ministry. 

Christian Education

This is a three-year program designed to prepare students for Christian education while gaining a deeper knowledge of the Scriptures. 

Youth and Children’s Worker

Two years of theoretical training followed by an internship year.

Foundation Course

This course lasts for one year and provides basic preparation for Church Ministry and for further study.

The Foundation Course must be successfully completed by all before they can be recommended for further study by the faculty. In the second and third school years courses are assigned according to the specific course of study, although there can be some overlapping. 

Academic Year

The academic year is divided into two semesters of 16 teaching weeks, during which students should take a minimum of 22 hours of classes per week. The year begins on 1st September and runs to 30th June the following year. 

1. Required Courses

All required courses must be successfully completed, and a cumulative G.P.A. of 2.0 or above must be attained for graduation. This includes all Foundations Courses, electives in a major, Practicum, Internships, and all courses which are evaluated with a grade. The course of study (incl. submission of the thesis) must be completed within five years of the first registration at ETS.
In case of serious illness, an extension may be granted by application in writing to the Academic Dean.
If a student fails a course, a re-sit examination, which covers the entire course content has to be taken, within one month of the end of the semester when the failed course was offered. Alternatively, the course must be re-taken the following year, or when it is offered again, and completed successfully.

2. Electives

In addition to the required subjects, the student may also choose certain electives. Within the first week of a semester, the elective may be dropped without penalty. Should a student drop an elective after the second week of the semester, a grade of “W” (Withdrawal) is given and there is no refund of any fees applicable to that course. This does not apply to courses canceled by the Seminary. The minimum number of students for whom electives will be offered is four. 
Elective courses may be audited by those who agree to abide by the same absence and financial policy as all other students. The examinations are not taken and no credit is given, only a grade of participation will be recorded. Music courses (voice and instrumental) may not be audited.

3. Advanced Placement

Advanced placement is possible in two ways:

All advanced placement must receive the approval of the Academic Dean.

Practical Ministries

Practicum and internships in Church ministries constitute an important part of the total educational experience of a student at ETS. As a regular part of their training students will therefore be expected to fulfill practical ministry as described under the different programs of studies. This program is organized into three separate categories.

Field Ministry

This ministry is to be seen as a support ministry for learning purposes of already existing church ministries.
The placement of the student for this continuous practical ministry will be done in cooperation with the director, the local pastor, and the student, according to the area of ministry and studies of the student.
The description of responsibilities in each of these ministries will be given to the student at the outset of the ministry by the local pastor or co-worker. The student will become a part of the congregation in which the student ministers. Reports shall be submitted to the Practicum Director regularly.

Practicum

All students who attend ETS are required to participate in an eight-week extended practicum in each of the first three years. The practicum is normally planned for January and February and may be divided up into various activities or be one continuous activity, in one or more churches or institutions.
These practicums will be assigned in cooperation with the director, pastor, or co-worker of the local church or institution, and the student. Each student may voice his/her preference and become involved in his own placement, in close cooperation with the director.
Before the student leaves for the practicum, check the following items:

Travel expenses

In general, the student pays the travel expenses for his internship himself. This is communicated to the churches and they are asked to contribute to the costs. Likewise, the churches are asked to provide a small amount of pocket money. Any travel and service expenses should therefore be logged with receipts.

Reports on the Practicum

Please return to ETS the filled-out report forms within 14 days after a particular ministry.

Staying at ETS

The costs of room and board in the school during the above-mentioned time are not included in the room and board charges for the academic year, except during those times when a student is assigned to a practicum ministry in the school. Permission to remain outside semester time is only granted in exceptional circumstances.

Professional Practicum

Length

The professional practicum begins on 1st September and continues until 31st August of the following year (full-time practicum). Ten weeks a year are permitted for vacation, research, and writing. In individual cases, this time schedule can be modified with the school’s permission.
The practicum can be extended into a two-year practicum (part-time practicum) if the student is involved in another occupation during the internship time.
Missions majors must serve their internship year outside their home country.

Location of Practicum

It is primarily the responsibility of the student to find an internship site. This decision however must be done in dialogue with the school. The practicum can take place in a local church or in a trans-denominational organization. The on-location internship supervisor must be qualified.

Requirements of the Practicum

A full-time professional practicum should consist of a 40-hour week. (This does not include personal devotions, etc.). The part-time practicum consists of a 15-hour week and contains subject-oriented requirements.

Attendance Policy

Duty of Attendance and Class Participation

Each student is expected to attend regularly and punctually all classes in which he/she is enrolled. Students are expected to participate fully in class, the abuse of personal computers may result in disciplinary measures.

Excessive Absences

An excessive absence is when a student misses more than one class per semester without an excuse. Each excessive absence leads to a 3% reduction in the final grade for the corresponding course.

Exemption from Required Courses

An exemption from required courses can be granted during the first week of classes in certain, justified cases. If grounds for the exemptions are for health reasons, a medical statement will be necessary.

Hindrances to Class Participation

When a student is unable to attend class due to reasons beyond his/her control (e.g. illness, accident), the school should be notified immediately as to the reason for his absence and the probable length of the absence. If the student notifies the school orally, he/she must bring a written statement upon return. He/she must also notify the teachers involved about the inability to attend. Absences of more than three days due to illness require a written doctor’s excuse. It is the student’s responsibility to make up work or assignments missed through illness or absence.

Leave of Absence

A leave of absence from classes is possible in individual, justified, exceptional cases. The notice must be given to the Academic Dean at least two days before the absence. The recognized reasons for a leave of absence are:

  1. Attending a co-worker and/or leadership conference of the church or denomination (up to five class days per year).
  2. Important personal reasons (death in the immediate family; extreme illness in the student’s household, so long as the necessity of the student’s care is temporary; an appointment with the doctor or dentist which can only be held during class hours).

Makeup Policy

For each absence from class, the student has the responsibility to make up the work that he/she missed. Exams must be made up in agreement with the teacher.

Tardies

Students arriving more than five minutes late to class are considered tardy. Three tardies are counted as one absence.

Examination Policy

1. All academic and practical courses are evaluated by the individual instructors according to the grading system listed below:

    100 - 93 = A (excellent) 4.0 quality points
    92- 90 = A- 3.7 quality points
    89- 88 = B+ (good) 3.3 quality points
    87- 83 = B 3.0 quality points
    82- 80 = B- 2.7 quality points
    79- 77 = C+ (average) 2.3 quality points
    76- 70 = C 2.0 quality points
    69- 67 = C- 1.7 quality points
    66- 65 = D+ (sufficient) 1.3 quality points
    64- 55 = D 1.0 quality point
    54- 0 = F (insufficient) 0.0 quality points

2. Scholastic records of each student are reviewed at the end of each semester at a meeting of all faculty members. The educational continuance of each student is determined at this meeting.
If a student at the end of the first, third, or fifth semester has an insufficient grade average (as noted below), he/she will be placed on academic probation. The student has until the end of the second, fourth, or sixth semester to improve the grade average. If the student does not improve his record, the school has the right to dismiss the student from the seminary.
    a. A grade point average of 1.5 – 2.0 at the end of the first and second semesters.
    b. A grade point average of 1.75 – 2.0 at the end of the third or fourth semester. 
    c. A grade point average of 1.9 – 2.0 at the end of the fifth semester.
Students who are completing any academic program must have a 2.0 grade point average in order to graduate. A grade report will be issued to every student within two months of the end of the semester.

3. Cheating in examinations is contrary to the Christian principles of honesty and integrity. If a student is caught cheating the following steps will be taken:
    a. The examination will be marked as 0, and the Dean notified.
    b. The student may appeal to the Discipline Committee.
    c. A second offense may involve an appearance before the Discipline Committee.

4. Plagiarism is a serious form of academic misconduct and will be dealt with in the same way as cheating.

5. The quality point system allows for computing the academic standing of the student by multiplying first the quality points obtained in a course by the respective number of semester hours of the respective course and then by dividing the total number of quality points obtained by the total semester hours attempted by the student. The grade point average will be based on the following scale:
    4.0 - 3.5 excellent
    3.49 - 3.0 good
    2.99 - 2.5 average
    2.49 - 2.0 sufficient
    1.99 - 1.0 poor
    0.99 - 0 insufficient

6. Grades are determined by the instructor for every course at the end of the semester on the basis of at least two examinations, papers, or other criteria.

7. The grade "I" (incomplete) may be given by the instructor under special circumstances. It must be removed within six weeks after the end of the semester or become an "F" (failed).

8. Evaluation of spiritual formation, practicum, internship, and school choir and sports is on a pass/fail basis.

9. A grade report is issued to the student after every semester; the overall academic standing appears on the student‘s transcript. An official transcript will be sent to another institution upon the written request of the student. A fee of 10 € will be charged per transcript. No transcript or diploma will be issued before all debts with the school have been settled.

10. A diploma is conferred after the successful completion of both the academic and practical training, with its respective examinations. The ECTE Qualification in Church Ministries (EQF Level 6) will be awarded upon satisfactory completion of all studies within five years of the first registration at ETS.

11. Students who leave school during the semester will receive a "W“ (Withdrawal) for each individual course. The student would need to retake all the required courses if he/she decides to return.

12. Audited courses are listed as “AU” (Audit) on the grade report and do not affect the grade point average.

Work Restrictions

  1. Students enrolled for full-time studies at the European Theological Seminary are expected to accept no employment or regular ministerial engagements beyond their studies, assigned field ministries, and assigned house duties.
  2. Application for exceptions to this rule must be made in writing to the Academic Dean during the first week of each semester.
  3. The following reasons may be used for seeking such exceptional permission:
    a. If the student receives no or insufficient government aid and has no other regular source of income to cover school fees.
    b. If there exists some other unusual financial hardship.
  4. Permitted extracurricular work or ministry may not require more than ten hours per week and not more than two evenings and/or afternoons on school days (Monday through Friday) per week.
  5. The permission for extracurricular work and ministry may even be reduced lower by the school when the student‘s academic record or personal situation makes it necessary.
  6. Non-German students while in Germany are permitted to work up to two months per year outside of school to earn money. However, a work permit from the government is required before beginning such employment.