Academic Catalog 2019-2020 
    
    Oct 11, 2024  
Academic Catalog 2019-2020 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]


B.C.M. Co-vocational Min with Gen Business

Co-vocational Ministry with General Business Specialization, B.C.M.



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In the twenty-first century, many ministers encounter the need to be “tent-makers” like the Apostle Paul. The co-vocational ministry major helps the student called to serve in smaller congregations, specialized ministries, or lower socio-economic settings by providing a secondary skill base to enhance personal finances while serving in these settings. The secondary skill set is developed through completion of a specialization in one of the following fields: exercise and sport science (grades EC-12), general business, middle school language arts (grades 4-8), middle school mathematics (grades 4-8), middle school science (grades 4-8), middle school social studies (grades 4-8), or personal training.

Bachelor of Christian Ministry Degree Specific General Education Core Course Requirements - 44 hrs


The Bachelor of Christian Ministry Degree (B.C.M.) is a minimum 124-semester hour degree designed to afford both academic and professional depth for individuals who express a call to ministry. The degree integrates university degree requirements with appropriate experience. A minimum of 36 semester hours must be upper-level credit (courses numbered 3000 and above). Components of the Bachelor of Christian Ministry degree include:

Academic Major


Students seeking the B.C.M. degree will complete the appropriate major requirements as outlined in the School of Christian Studies section.

Experiential Professional Development


The experiential professional development component consists of 12 semester hours designed to provide practical experience as an integral part of the student’s career development. Experiential learning may satisfy a portion of this requirement. Experiential learning must be evaluated and approved by the university. Students who have work experience in full-time, part-time or co-vocational ministry positions may have the work experience evaluated if the ministry position is a paid staff position with formal job requirements. Upper-level electives will be used to meet the experiential professional development requirement in cases where work experience is lacking. Practicums and internships may be placed in this area if they do not relate to the major.

Professional Development


The Professional Development component of the B.C.M. 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. Depth and breadth can be met through a specialization, a minor, or ministry-related courses. Student completing Christian ministry or theological studies majors will complete a minor as a portion of the professional development hours unless the student enters the university with substantial ministry-related transfer credit, as determined by the dean of the School of Christian Studies, or they are accepted into an accelerated program that does not require a minor. Students in the co-vocational ministry major will complete a specialization as part of a composite major in lieu of a separate professional development component. Co-vocational ministry specializations may require additional hours beyond the 24 semester hours, in which case hours will be reduced from the electives block or added to the degree.

Electives


Students may complete the minimum of 124 semester hours required for the degree with courses which complement or extend career preparation or pursue subject fields which hold special appeal. However, before using elective semester hours, students should check with their advisor to ensure that the hours are indeed elective and that upper-level semester hour requirements for graduation are being met.

Co-vocational Ministry - 36 hrs


The co-vocational ministry major requires a minimum of 36 semester hours from the following courses:

Christian Studies Common Core - 18 hrs


The School of Christian Studies seeks a holistic approach to ministerial training, preparing the head (knowledge), the heart (devotion), and the hands (service). This holistic approach begins with a common core for all Christian Studies majors.

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