General Information
Do you have the call of God on your life?
Welcome to American Bible Colleges where learning the Bible is as easy as A.B.C.
ABC offers students programs for Certificates, Diplomas, Associates, Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctorate Diplomas which may transfer for degrees; through course tracks such as Theology, Ministry and Biblical Studies.
We also offer diploma programs such as ‘Bible Builders’ which takes the student through the Bible in an efficient manner; and ‘Leading Today’s Church’ which will become vital to you as you take the helm in ministry. These courses are designed to help you with becoming more effective and confident in God in your ministry.
If you would like to answer your call from God, we would like to help you understand what He is asking and provide quality training and education to better serve our Lord. With convenient home study bible classes and bible training, International Seminary is sure to help you achieve a higher education.
Acceptance of Credits and Degrees
No college can guarantee the acceptance of credits or degrees since each student is evaluated and then accepted or denied based upon a number of individualistic factors. For instance, courses in theology would not normally be applied toward a degree in physical education; therefore, those credits, even if they were from a regionally accredited college, would not be transferable. Other factors that influence the acceptance of credits or degrees include the grade point average, entrance exam score, the degree major, ability to pay, etc.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in a 1978 study, documented acceptance of nontraditional or non-regionally accredited programs.
Of the thousands surveyed, 97 percent were admitted to the traditional graduate school of their choice, 94 percent experienced no problems in graduate school admission because of having an unaccredited degree, and 99 percent of the holders of nontraditional degrees felt that their degree was as good as, or better than, a traditional degree. In addition to this, a survey of the top personnel officers at 81 large corporations indicated they felt that a nontraditional degree was just as useful as one from a traditional school with a “strong reputation.” As the report said, these findings “run counter to some popular beliefs.”
Source: Sosdian, Carol P. and Laure M. Sharp, The External Degree as Credential: Graduate’s Experiences in Employment and Further Study, Washington D.C., U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, 1978.
For the most part ABC graduates experience acceptance of their degrees when it comes to job placement, career advancement, or acceptance to graduate school. ABC graduates have been accepted in several positions in Gospel ministry, and currently serve in some capacity as ministers of the Gospel of Christ.
ARE YOU ACCREDITED?
No. For most of our students, accreditation is not relevant since they are in ministry and are pursuing their degree for religious or personal reasons. Of more importance to our students is the acceptance of our degrees and credits by religious organizations, and we have been accepted by virtually every major faith group. Our students have been accepted into many areas including the U.S. military.
I AM A FOREIGN STUDENT – CAN I GET A STUDENT VISA TO COME TO THE UNITED STATES AND ATTEND CLASSES ON CAMPUS?
No. Since most of our programs are available through home study, residency is not a requirement, so we do not qualify nor offer student visas.
OTHER COLLEGES WILL ENROLL ME INTO A MASTER DEGREE EVEN THOUGH I DO NOT HAVE A BACHELOR DEGREE. WILL YOU?
No. Enrolling into a master degree program without the prerequisite bachelor degree is not normally how a university operates. We do not allow students to enroll in a master degree without having an earned bachelor degree first. By doing this in a manner that is academically sound, your degrees are more valuable to you, and will not hinder you in your later educational pursuits, nor will it come back to haunt you.
MY DEGREES (OR CREDITS) ARE FROM A NON-ACCREDITED COLLEGE. WILL YOU ACCEPT THEM?
ABC accepts credits and degrees from many non-accredited colleges. We would need to perform an evaluation to determine if we can accept them. This evaluation requires a copy of an official transcript of your studies.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO EARN A DEGREE?
ABC follows the same procedure as a Regionally Accredited University. Our Certificate programs range from 3 months to 6 months of study. Diplomas require 1 year of coursework.
Degrees: Normally an Associate’s degree requires two years, Bachelor’s 4 years, Master’s depending on track 5-7 years, and Doctorate 6 years and up again depending on track desired.
IF I HAVE QUESTIONS OR NEED HELP, DO YOU HAVE REAL PEOPLE AVAILABLE?
Yes. Depending on what type of help you need or what your question may be, we have several different people who will be able to help you. We have a full staff of employees ready to assist you in all areas. You can get help through the phone, email, fax, or regular mail.
DO YOU HAVE AN ANNUAL COMMENCEMENT?
Yes. Email for further details.
ACADEMIC QUESTIONS
DO I HAVE TO ATTEND ANY CLASSES?
For 99% of our students, the answer is no. You can complete any program with us without leaving your family, your ministry, or your current job.
CAN I DO MY WORK THROUGH THE INTERNET?
At this time, we use the Internet primarily as a communication tool. The work is not currently submitted via email, but through regular mail. We are working on changes to our methods that will allow students to submit their work by email, but it will be a while before this takes place.
HOW IS MY WORK COMPLETED?
Most students complete their courses in the privacy of their own homes at their pace.
The courses involve completing the commentaries provided, reading required scriptures as well as outside reading related to the course, homework, quizzes and a final exam, as well as completing a research paper. This process is repeated until all program requirements have been met. The Master’s program requires a Thesis and the Doctoral program requires a dissertation.
CAN I GET CREDIT FOR EXPERIENCE?
Yes.
CAN I EARN A DEGREE WITHOUT TAKING ANY ADDITIONAL COURSES?
No. There are minimum work requirements for every degree so some courses will be required. All of our students must complete the first year course fundamentals. We can perform an evaluation to determine what is required for you.
IS THERE A TIME LIMIT FOR COMPLETING A PROGRAM?
We offer one course per month and most are three credit courses. We do assign a due date for the next due course, but if you have a problem and need more time, we do provide extensions.
CAN I DO A MASTERS DEGREE AND A DOCTORAL DEGREE CONCURRENTLY?
No. A student must posses the lower degree while pursuing the higher degree. We recommend that all energy is put into one program at a time. Then, once it is completed, all energy can be put into the next program. Not only does this provide a normal space of time between degrees, it also allows you to keep your focus on one course at a time.
I DON’T WANT TO DO A FULL DEGREE PROGRAM. CAN I TAKE JUST A COURSE OR TWO?
Our degree level courses are available as a Certificate program. With this program you pay an enrollment fee, and for the courses you wish to take. At completion, a Certificate is issued; however, there are no credits available at the Certificate level.
FINANCIAL QUESTIONS
DO YOU HAVE ANY SCHOLARSHIPS?
At this time, our scholarship fund is depleted. However, since we keep all financial arrangements internal, we can allow you to prepare a written proposal of how you can pay the tuition. Perhaps you need to make a couple of payments to pay the enrollment fee, or maybe you need to stretch the payments out longer than our extended payment plan offers.
To be considered for a scholarship an individual must first be enrolled as a student. Then they may prepare and submit the proposal for scholarship in writing to our Directors for review.
Denying a request is a very rare occurence.
WHAT DO YOU CHARGE PER CREDIT HOUR?
All costs and payment plan options are reflected on our current Tuition Payment Plan.
WHY ARE YOUR PRICES SO INEXPENSIVE?
Our cost is much less than what state universities charge, and only a fraction of what private colleges charge. The main reason for this is we operate debt-free, and have no property or building mortgage.
DOES THE TUITION INCLUDE THE COST OF BOOKS?
No. The tuition listed for each program covers the tuition cost and course materials. For our textbook we use the Bible itself. We do require reading each course from various books related to the subject matter which can be defined in your Student Handbook.
The cost of books can vary greatly depending on a couple of factors. The first factor is the program in which you are entering. The first three years of the undergraduate program are completed primarily with lecture material that is included in the tuition cost. There are some outside reading requirements, but the book cost for any of those programs is usually under $100 for the year. Many of our students use local libraries (public and private) and are able to complete their studies without buying any books at all. Others are striving to develop their own personal libraries and will spend more on books than they do on tuition.
HOW DO I SEND MY TUITION PAYMENTS?
Tuition payments may be made via check or credit/debit card.