Advanced Standing

Requests for advanced standing or transfer credit must be submitted with official transcripts and course descriptions to the registrar when applying for admission.

From Other Graduate Schools

Advanced standing may be granted for approved courses completed at accredited graduate institutions other than AGTS. Advanced standing is interpreted as those courses brought in at the beginning of the program.

Concurrent enrollment in other graduate institutions for the purpose of transferring credits into the AGTS program must be approved in advance by the AGTS academic dean (contact the Registrar’s Office).

Cumulative advanced standing credits may not exceed one-half of the M.Div., one-half of the professional M.A., nor up to one-half of the academic M.A. (See Residency Requirement.)

Courses accepted for advanced standing are expected to be equivalent to the course descriptions in the AGTS catalog and to appropriately fit the degree program being pursued.

The minimum grade acceptable is C from accredited schools (B from nonaccredited schools if approved by the seminary).

From Completed AGTS Degree

What courses can transfer?

• Applicable, approved courses from an M.A. to an M.Div. (up to 24 hours from an academic M.A.; up to 30 hours from a professional M.A.)
• Applicable, approved courses from an M.Div. to an M.A. (up to 24 hours toward an academic M.A; up to 30 hours toward the professional M.A.)

Toward M.Div. Equivalency for Doctoral Studies

What courses can transfer?

• Credits from any institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Higher Education or foreign accrediting body may be accepted as long as one masters degree was received from an ATS/CHEA accredited institution, or one accredited by a foreign accrediting body. (min. GPA—B; lower GPA's will require special consideration)
• Correspondence/Distance Learning: No more than 36 hours earned through correspondence/distance learning (exceptions must be reviewed by the Admissions Committee.)
• Pastoral Clinical Education: Valid/supervised pastoral clinical education from an institution recognized by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc. Accreditation Commission.

See M.Div. Equivalency for more information.

Toward Doctor of Ministry

What courses can transfer?

• Up to six advanced standing doctoral credits may be accepted from ATS/CHEA accredited institutions or those recognized by a foreign accrediting body (min. grade—B).

Toward Doctor of Missiology and Ph.D. in Intercultural Studies

What courses can transfer?

• Up to eight of the doctoral transfer credits may be accepted from ATS/CHEA accredited institutions or those recognized by an approved foreign accrediting body (min. grade—B). If a person holds an earned doctorate in a related field (e.g. Doctor of Ministry), a maximum of 12 credits may be transferred to the Ph.D.

Advanced Standing Limitation

In preparing for graduation, the student must satisfy the residency requirement. The combined total of credits received for advanced standing, master’s level program reduction (if applicable) and credit through Distance Learning Courses or directed research cannot exceed the limitations imposed by the residency requirement.

Transfer of Credits to Other Institutions

Accredited seminaries and graduate schools normally reciprocate in the transfer of credits that satisfy their requirements. Transfer of credit, however is always at the discretion of the receiving institution. It is the student's responsibility to confirm whether or not credits will be accepted by another institution.

Updated: Monday, June 28, 2010 1:07 PM