Criteria for Admission Decisions
Applications for admission to one of the academic programs of the School of Theology are considered on the basis of the following criteria:
(1) Applicants should have a mature Christian faith, have a history of active participation in a church community, and have begun a disciplined spiritual life. The applicant should give evidence that his or her vocational goals have been examined and tested within a faith community. The program to which the applicant is applying should be appropriate to his or her vocational goals. It is assumed that applicants to the M.Div. program will be postulants for Holy Orders in a diocese of the Episcopal Church or will have the endorsement of the ecclesiastical body to which they belong.
(2) The applicant should have the intellectual ability and academic background to engage the curriculum in a satisfactory way and to fulfill successfully the requirements of the program to which he or she is applying. Evidence of this will include, but not be limited to, transcripts of the applicant’s previous academic work, the applicant’s scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and examples of the applicant’s writing.
(3) The applicant should demonstrate appropriate maturity and emotional stability. The applicant’s family should be stable and the applicant and his or her family must be willing and able to make the adjustments required for life in seminary and in the community of Sewanee.
(4) The applicant should have what the admission committee considers a realistic plan of how the student intends to finance his or her seminary program including the needs of the applicant’s family and adequate medical insurance for self and family. It is expected that the applicant will not be encumbered with significant consumer debt.
Admission to Academic Year Programs
Applicants for admission to a full-time program at the School of Theology observe the following procedures:
*(1) Submit the standard application form available on request from the Office of Admission, along with the fee stated on the form.
(2) Have official transcripts covering all college work and any previous theological study sent to the Office of Admission.
(3) Take the General Test of the Graduate Record Examination given by the Educational Testing Service. (Information on this test may be obtained from the Graduate Record Examination Testing Service, P.O. Box 6000, Princeton, NJ 08541-6000.) Testing is offered year-round on the computer (www.gre.org). The institution code number for the School of Theology is R 1842. If you are unable to take the GRE prior to the April test date, please contact our Office of Admission.
(4) Provide recommendations as indicated on the application form.
(5) Visit the School of Theology for interviews. It is strongly recommended that an applicant’s spouse accompany the applicant for the visit in order to be aware of all ramifications of a possible move, including the availability of jobs, housing, and other matters. It is best to schedule an interview after the application has been received.
(6) After acceptance by the admission committee, send to Office of the Dean, School of Theology, a $50 pre-registration fee, made payable to Treasurer, University of the South. Details regarding financial aid and housing are handled after acceptance.
(7) For full consideration, applications must be completed by April 1 for the Advent term. Persons whose applications are incomplete or who apply after April 1 may or may not be eligible for financial aid or University housing.
For more information about application procedures, please call the Office of Admission at 800.722.1974 (Fax 931.598.1852) or e-mail Ms. Roslyn Weaver, Director of Admission and Community Life:
rweaver@sewanee.edu.
* Applications for admission from potential transfer and non-degree-seeking full-time students are formally considered only after an appropriate placement has been determined. Therefore, transcripts and catalog descriptions of all theological studies previously completed are required as part of the applications process.
Admission to Summer Programs
A separate catalog is available for information on the Advanced Degrees Program. Applicants interested in this summer program should call the Office of Advanced Degrees at 931.598.1282 or 800.722.1974 (Fax 931.598.1852); or e-mail:
theology@sewanee.edu; or visit the Web site:
http://www.sewanee.edu/theology/dminfolder/advdeg.html.
Application for Transfer Students
Applications for admission from potential transfer students follow the same procedures as those listed above. Such applications are formally considered only after an appropriate placement has been determined. Therefore, transcripts and catalog descriptions of all theological studies previously completed are required as part of the application process.
The School of Theology accepts credit for transfer, advanced placement and professional certificates after appropriate evaluation. Such evaluations are currently made by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. All transfer work is evaluated on a course-by-course basis using the following criteria:
• Only graduate (post-baccalaureate) credits will be considered for transfer.
• Credits are accepted only from institutions accredited by agencies recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education.
• No credits are accepted with a grade less than “B.”
• Normally credits are not accepted that were earned more than ten years earlier.
• The Associate Dean assesses the relevance of the course(s) to the School of Theology curriculum.
• The Associate Dean interviews the student with reference to the courses being transferred as part of the evaluation process.
• Transfer students must earn at least half of their credit hours at the University of the South in order to receive a degree.
• When deemed appropriate, final approval for transfer credit may be deferred until the student has completed further academic work at the School of Theology.
• The School of Theology does not award transfer credit for course work taken on a non-credit basis or for life experiences.
