1. Bachelor of Christian Ministry
Description: The purpose of this module is to acquaint the user with the Bachelor of Christian Ministry.
This Module will help familiarize you with the “ins and outs” of the Bachelor of Christian Ministry degree.

2. WBU Mission: University Core Values: Commitment to Student Learning
 Wayland Baptist University exists to educate students in an academically challenging, learning-focused and distinctively Christian environment for professional success and service to God and humankind.
University Core Values:
 The following core values are at the heart of the degree planning process:
Commitment to Student Learning
Excellence and Innovation
Service to Our Communities
Integrity, Diversity, Trust, and Respect
Personal, Professional and Spiritual Development
Stewardship of Our Resources
Planning and Accountability
This is a reminder of the WBU Mission and University Core Values. These should be considered with every task performed and every decision made within the university

3. Learning Outcomes:
Upon the completion of this training module, the user will be able to identify, understand, and apply the rules and steps found within the university’s guidelines in order to complete a degree plan for the Bachelor of Christian Ministry degree. This module will ensure the proper governance of the university’s programs and ensure that our student population is being advised correctly.
After reviewing this module, the advisor should be able to identify the purpose of the Bachelor of Christian Ministry degree, the courses within the major, ministry related electives and professional development. The goal is for the advisor to have a good grasp on the purpose behind the major and have the knowledge to market the major to the appropriate student population. The advisor should also be able to provide details to the student about the transferability of credit and commonly used course substitutions.

4. Purpose of the Bachelor of Christian Ministry Degree
The Bachelor of Christian Ministry Degree is designed to afford both academic and professional depth for individuals who possess recognized competence in a ministry. The degree is available to students age 21 and over with experience in churches and related ministries, providing a rich overview of history, theology and Biblical study in order to better prepare students for ministry work.
The Bachelor of Christian Ministry degree is focused on students, aged 21 years or older, who come into the degree with either full-time or part-time experience within the church. Students interested in this degree should have a desire to continue their work within the church setting in the fields of children ministry, youth ministry, or adult ministry. Students who also seek to continue on to achieve a Master level or Doctorial level degree within the field of ministry should pursue this undergraduate degree.

5. Bachelor of Christian Ministry Degree Components:
The Bachelor of Christian Ministry Degree is a 124- semester hour degree designed to afford both academic and professional depth for individuals who possess recognized competence in a ministry.
This program integrates university degree requirements with appropriate experience.
A minimum of 36 semester hours must be in upper-level credit (courses numbered 3000 and above).
The Bachelor of Christian Ministry Degree is a 124 hour degree, integrating university degree requirements with appropriate experience. 36 hours must be upper level.

6. Bachelor of Christian Ministry Degree General Education:
ENGL 1301 and hours
HIST 1303 and 1304, or 2301 and hours
MATH 1304 or higher hours
EXSS hours
RLGN 1301 and hours
Wayland Baptist University will not accept RLGN 1301 Old Testament History or RLGN 1302 New Testament History, or their equivalents, from any institution except other Baptist institutions to meet the core requirement in any Wayland degree. If a student has taken RLGN 1301 Old Testament History and/or RLGN 1302 New Testament History, or their equivalents, at any institution except other Baptist institutions, then the student has two options to meet the core requirement: (1) take RLGN 1301 and/or RLGN 1302 at Wayland or (2) take RLGN 4306, 4316, 4317, or 4318 in lieu of RLGN 1301; and/or take RLGN 4306, 4320, 4322, or 4324 in lieu of RLGN RLGN 4306 may be an option for either RLGN 1301 or RLGN 1302 as stated above, but may not count for both on the same degree plan. No other RLGN/RLED courses may substitute for either RLGN 1301 or The Dean of the School of Religion & Philosophy must approve any exception to this policy. RLGN Old Testament History or RLGN 1302 New Testament History, or their equivalents, taken at non- Baptist institutions, may be transferred as elective credit with approval of the Dean of the School of Religion and Philosophy and the Registrar.
Here is an overview of the general education requirements for the BCM degree. Keep in mind that RLGN 1301 and RLGN 1302, or their equivalents, will not be accepted from any other institution unless they are a Baptist affiliated institution. If a student has taken either of these courses from a non-Baptist institution, he/she has two options in order to meet the core requirement. Please read carefully below in order to understand these two options.

7. Bachelor of Christian Ministry Degree General Education:
SCIENCE hours
POLS hours
Math/Science hours
COMS 1301, 1303, 2302, or hours
Math/Science/Foreign Language hours
COSC hours
Students may opt to test out of COSC 2311, see course description in catalog.
Ministry related courses hours
See approved list of Ministry-related courses.
ORIE hours
GRAD hour
UNIV 1101 ( catalog) hour
GRAD 0001 ( catalog) hours
Here is a continuation of the General Education requirements for the BCM degree. Please note that beginning in the catalog, ORIE 0001 has been changed to UNIV 1101 and is now worth 1 hour of lower level credit. Also, GRAD 4101 has been changed to GRAD 0001 and is no longer worth any credit hours.

8. Bachelor of Christian Ministry Degree General Education:
15 Semester Hours of Ministry-related courses:
Here is an example of the Ministry Related Electives as it appears on the degree plan.

9. Bachelor of Christian Ministry Degree General Education:
Approved list of Ministry-related courses:
ART ART APPRECIATION
BUAD BUSINESS ETHICS
CTED THE ADULT LEARNER
ECON PRINCIPLES OF MACROECONOMICS
ECON PRINCIPLES OF MICROECONOMICS
ECON SURVEY OF ECONOMICS
EDUC CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
ENGL ENGLISH LITERATURE
ENGL AMERICAN LITERATURE
ENGL WORLD LITERATURE
FREN ELEMENTARY FRENCH
FREN INTERMEDIATE FRENCH
GERM ELEMENTARY GERMAN
GERM INTERMEDIATE GERMAN
GREK ELEMENTARY GREEK
GREK INTERMEDIATE GREEK
MGMT PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
MGMT MANAGERIAL COMMUNICATIONS
This an approved list of Ministry-related electives, this is not an exhaustive list of approved electives. If an advisor has a question about a particular elective, they should contact the Dean of the School of Religion and Philosophy.

10. Bachelor of Christian Ministry Degree General Education:
Continued:
MGMT THEORY AND PRACTICE OF SUPERVISION
MGMT ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR
MUSI MUSIC APPRECIATION
MUSI WORLD MUSIC
MUSI AMERICAN MUSIC
PHIL INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY
PHIL ETHICS
PSYC GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY
*Psychology Courses related to Counseling from Wayland’s courses are:
PSYC Developmental Psychology
PSYC Adolescent Development
PSYC Child Growth & Development
PSYC Theories of Personality
PSYC Substance Abuse: Assessment & Treatment
PSYC Psychology of Death & Dying
PSYC Abnormal Psychology
PSYC Psychology of Parenting
PSYC Introduction to Counseling
PSYC Human Sexuality
The next two slides are a continuation of the list of approved ministry-related electives.

11. Bachelor of Christian Ministry Degree General Education:
Continued:
RLGN BASIC CHRISTIAN ETHICS
SOCI INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY
SPAN ELEMENTARY SPANISH
SPAN INTERMEDIATE SPANISH
THEA INTRODUCTION TO THEATRE
SOCI MARRIAGE AND THE FAMILY
RLGN/RLED courses may be used
NOT AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST – OTHER ELECTIVES MUST BE APPROVED BY THE DEAN OF THE SCHOOL OF RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY

12. Bachelor of Christian Ministry Degree Major Requirements:
BCM major-hour requirement will not be reduced from 36 to 30 if an additional major/specialization or minor is added to the degree plan.
30 semester hours out of the 36 will be taken from Upper Level Courses.
24 semester hours out of the 36 will be taken from a set list.
12 of the 36 semester hours will be taken from Electives.
The following 3 slides contain the requirements for the BCM major. Keep in mind that the hour requirement for the BCM major will not be reduced in an additional major or minor is added to the degree plan.

13. Bachelor of Christian Ministry Degree Major Requirements:
Major Core Courses:
RLGN 0001 – Theological Research and Writing Lab must receive credit for the lab
RLGN 1301 – Old Testament History (dual counted in General Education)
RLGN 1302 – New Testament History (dual counted in General Education)
RLGN 4302 – Christian Theology
RLGN/PHIL 4314 – Biblical Interpretation
RLGN/RLED 4315 – The Christian Ministry
RSWR 3345 – Research Writing Methods
Students who need RSWR 3345 for a degree requirement should take it as soon as feasible in the students’ enrollment with Wayland, based on prerequisite being met. This requirement moves from RSWR 3345 to an imaginative literature course, like ENGL3303, if the second half of English they have does not have a literature component.
Plus Three (3) hours from the following:
RLGN 4307 – Church History or
RLGN 4325 – Historical Theology or
RLGN 4330 – Baptist History
Within the major, students have 12 semester hours of electives. However, there are requirements for these electives. Advisors need to ensure that students take the appropriate elective meeting the stated requirement.

14. Bachelor of Christian Ministry Degree Major Requirements:
Major Core Courses:
Plus Three (3) hours from the following:
*RLED/RLGN 3309 Spiritual Formation (students receiving BGCT ministerial financial assistance are required to take RLED/RLGN 3309) or
RLED 4301 Survey of Christian Education or
RLED 4302 Church Administration
Upper Level Old Testament Elective (3 hours)
Upper Level New Testament Elective (3 hours)
Historical, Theological, Educational or Practical Religion Elective (3 hours): Any RLGN or RLED course
Upper Level Religion Elective (3 hours)
Wrapping up the BCM Major requirements, here are the Major core courses.

15. Bachelor of Christian Ministry Degree Major Requirements:
Here’s an example of the Major as it appears on the degree plan.

16. Bachelor of Christian Ministry Degree Electives Requirements:
This elective component consists of 24 semester hours selected to provide depth or breadth to the major and to provide substantive developmental knowledge for the student’s career or personal goals.
If on Ministerial Scholarship the following courses must be completed and placed in this elective block of the degree plan (if not taken in the major).
Please contact the Office of BAS/(BSOE)/BCM Records if a student is on a ministerial scholarship.
RLED 1301 – Introduction to Baptist Ministry
*RLED/RLGN 3309 – Spiritual Formation (students receiving BGCT ministerial financial assistance are required to take RLED/RLGN 3309)
RLGN/RLED 4361 – Supervised Ministry
Advisors need to be aware if their student is receiving the BGCT ministerial scholarship. If students are receiving this scholarship, they MUST take nine credit hours of specific classes.

17. Bachelor of Christian Ministry Degree Electives Requirements:
Here’s an example of the Electives as it appears on the degree plan.

18. Bachelor of Christian Ministry Degree Pastoral Work Experience:
 Pastors are considered self-employed. Three letters of reference will be required from persons thoroughly familiar with the student’s work as a pastor or other minister.
These letters should include such information as:
Dates of affiliation which the student has had with the church
A basic assessment of the student’s performance in ministry
How the student demonstrates concern, compassion, and sensitivity
The student’s ability to communicate in both oral and written format
How well the student leads and maintains harmony
How the student accepts responsibility for personal actions
If this person demonstrates the ability to be a self starter
How the student has or has not shown improvement over time
The letters may also refer to factors not listed above which Wayland may consider pertinent in its granting of academic credit, including specific achievements by the student, ministerial strengths, educational opportunities taken, etc.
These letters of reference may originate with:
Chairs of Deacons, Elders, Boards
Directors of Missions, District or General Superintendents, Bishops, Area and Regional Ministers
Administrators, Chaplaincy Supervisors, CPE Facilitators
Senior Pastors or Ministers for whom the student works
Local congregational leaders including Chairs of Personnel Committee, Church Council, Pastor-Parish Relations Committee, Trustees, or other oversight bodies
Student’s who wish to fulfill their Experiential Professional Development with Pastoral Work Experience must provide the University with three letters of reference from persons who are very familiar with the student’s work within the church. Specific details are listed here about what should be contained within the letters, who can write the letters, and to whom the letters should be addressed to.

19. Common Mistakes:
 Transferring in Lower Level credit hours and not adjusting the number of required Upper Level credit hours.
Transferring in courses from another institution that have not been approved through the University’s courses evaluated or by the evaluator.
Allowing students to take courses without the proper prerequisite or in an incorrect order.
Not advising students of the proper sequence in their class rotation. (i.e. Taking RSWR 3345 at the beginning of their degree)
Allowing students without previous work within a church setting to pursue the degree.
Not ensuring that students on scholarship are taking the required 9 credit hours.
Utilizing Ministry-Related Electives that have NOT been approved.
This is a list of some common mistakes made by the advisor and the student.

20. Summary Review:
 This training module focused on the Bachelor of Christian Ministry degree. At its conclusion, the user should know the core, the Ministry-Related electives, the work experience, and the elective requirements. Advisors should be able to explain the major and its components to interested students and counsel them appropriately based upon the University’s governance.
This training module focused on the Bachelor of Christian Ministry degree. Advisors should be able to explain the major and its components to interested students and counsel them appropriately based upon the University’s governance.

21. Training Record
In order to receive credit for – Bachelor of Christian Ministry, please click the link below. All information must be complete in order to receive credit. You may return to this module at any time for a review.
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We thank you for your service to Wayland Baptist University and dedication to her for future generations.
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