No credit can be given for work which was applied to an undergraduate degree. Such work, however, may be the basis for waiving an introductory level course (300 level) and taking an advanced course in the same area. Students must secure faculty permission from a regular Northern faculty member teaching in the discipline. Written notification to the Registrar is required, stating the courses waived and approval for substitution.
Transferring from Other Graduate Programs
Transfer credit will be considered by the Registrar upon formal request following application to the seminary. For Master’s degree programs, theological work from an ATS-accredited school or from seminaries in other countries which can be legitimately evaluated will be considered for transfer credit. Up to 50% of a previous Master’s degree can be transferred into a Northern Master’s program. Only B level grades or better or “pass” will be considered for transfer. Normally transfer credit that is more than ten years old will not be accepted.
Graduate level credit will also be considered from schools accredited by the US Department of Education for transfer into a Master’s program. Credit for transfer will be determined by the Registrar.
In the case of required Heritage courses for a degree program, transfer credit can only be applied if the Registrar judges a course from another school to be equivalent to Northern’s required courses. The student may be asked to provide a course syllabus for review by the Registrar and the professor from the discipline in question.
Transfer students must take at least 33% (36 credit hours) for MDiv or 50% (33 credit hours) for the MACM at the main campus. If the maximum number of hours are transferred, the student will not be eligible to take on-line courses or courses at locations other than the main campus. There is no residency requirement for the MATM or MANT.
For students in the Graduate Certificate program, transfer credit will be evaluated on an individual basis. Coursework from non-ATS accredited institutions may be considered for transfer. There are no location restrictions, so coursework may be completed at any Northern location.
Transferring from Other Doctoral Programs
It is possible to transfer up to eight (8) hours of doctoral elective credit from an accredited school for work done prior to beginning the D.Min. program. The student must submit an official transcript and a syllabus for each course to be transferred. In addition, the following conditions must be met:
– The course(s) must be doctoral level, completed with a grade of 3.0 (B) or better, and not applied to another earned degree.
– The course(s) must be less than 10 years old.
– The course(s) must relate to the participant’s D.Min. ministry issue. This is assessed in conversation with the D.Min. Director. An additional 3-5 page paper may be necessary to show relevance to the participant’s ministry issue.
Transfer credit will be officially considered after the student has completed eight (8) hours at Northern Seminary and must be approved by the D.Min. Director.