1. How do I apply to New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary if I want to attend an extension site?
Those wishing to attend an extension center of NOBTS must apply through the main campus in New Orleans and indicate which campus they wish to attend. All applications and other necessary paper work must be submitted to the main campus. To request a catalog and an application, please contact the Enlistment Office at enlistment@nobts.edu or click on the following links to request a catalog or to apply online. A prospective student may contact their local extension center directly or the Orlando Hub at orlandocenter@nobts.edu.
2. How long does the application process take?
Much of the application can be filled out in a short period of time. Parts of the application, however, require you to obtain information from other sources. For example, you'll need reference letters from friends and church leaders and a health certificate from a doctor. Transcripts will also be required. In other words, you need to allow plenty of time for other people to get their information to the main campus. We recommend starting a couple of months before you plan on attending classes, but the application can be completed in a short time if you chase down all the information.
3. What degree plans are offered through the extension sites?
The Associate in Christian Ministry degree is offered at Tampa and in South Florida. In addition to courses being taught in English, courses are also taught in French and Haitian Creole in West Palm Beach, and courses are taught in Spanish and French in South Florida.
The Bachelor of Arts in Christian Ministry is offered in South Florida. Students may take portions of this degree through New Orleans campus workshops and online.
The Master of Divinity is offered at Orlando, Jacksonville, South Florida, Tallahassee, and Pensacola. The Master of Arts in Christian Education is offered in South Florida and Orlando. If a student attends a center not offering the MACE, it is possible to pursue the degree by taking certain courses at the extension center, and through online courses and workshops. Please discuss this possibility with Dr. Doug Watkins at dwatkins@nobts.edu.
4. Can I take all the courses I need at an extension site?
Graduate Students: Effective April 2014, a Graduate student may take all courses at an extension site offered during its course cycles. Other options to consider are week-long workshops offered at the main campus five or six times a year, or Saturday classes that require you to go to the main campus once a month, or summer classes that meet during the summer semester. For information on workshops click here.
Undergraduate Students: South Florida students may complete all of their courses in the Miami area. Tampa students will need to take the following courses from a local college and transfer them to Leavell College: English Composition (3 hours), World History (3 hours), Oral Communication (3 hours), General Mathematics (3 hours), Introduction to Computers (3 hours)
5. Why does it cost more if you are not Southern Baptist?
Approximately half of the seminary's budget comes from the Cooperative Program of the Southern Baptist Convention. Each year about $500 million is given to the Cooperative Program through the 40,000 SBC churches. Thus, any student from a Southern Baptist church receives a tuition discount since their church is supporting the seminary financially. Functionally, each SBC student receives a scholarship of about $4,000-$5,000 a year.
6. Why does it cost more if you are at an extension center rather than on campus?
NOBTS is committed to seminary extension center work because it makes education available to people who would otherwise not receive it. At the same time, the Southern Baptist Convention primarily funds on-campus education. We are only allowed to count a small portion of our off-campus enrollment in the funding formula that supplies approximately half of the seminary budget from the Cooperative Program. Therefore, in order to make the education available at the extension sites which are more convenient to the student, the tuition rate is slightly higher. We are committed to keeping the costs down as much as possible, and we work diligently to do so.
7. Do you offer online courses?
Online courses are offered. Please access www.nobts.edu to see which classes are being offered next semester.
8. May I use undergraduate courses for credit in the master's level program?
You may use certain courses from a Baptist college or Christian college as a conduit for earning credit in the master-level program through workshops or testing. Click here to find out more about the Baptist College Partnership Program.
