Certificate in Theology and Ministry
“Be transformed by the renewal of your mind.” (Romans 12:2ff)
February 2013 - December 2013
This year's Online Certificate program is full and applications are closed for the year. Pastors of churches interested in hosting a regional gathering of students to participate together starting in August 2013 should contact the program director, Mr. Seraphim Danckaert via email.
Princeton Theological Seminary is pleased to announce the “Certificate in Theology and Ministry,” a
six-part series of online courses taught by PTS professors in 2013.
Faculty and Schedule
February
The Reverend Dr. Dennis Olson, Charles T. Haley Professor of Old Testament Theology
The Old Testament
April
Dr. Ellen Charry, Margaret W. Harmon Professor of Systematic Theology
Introduction to Theology
June
Dr. George Parsenios, Associate Professor of New Testament
The New Testament
August
Dr. Yolanda Pierce, Elmer G. Homrighausen Associate Professor of African American Religion and Literature
Spiritual Practices
October
The Reverend Dr. Darrell Guder, Henry Winters Luce Professor of Missional and Ecumenical Theology
Missional Theology
December
The Reverend Dr. Gordon Mikoski, Associate Professor of Christian Education
Practical Theology
Who Should Apply?
Apply for this certificate if you can commit to the entire year-long course of study and are:
- An ordained or lay pastor without a seminary degree
- Considering a call to full-time ministry or applying to a seminary
- A Director of Christian Education, Care Giving, Youth Ministry, or Music
- An ordained or lay elder, deacon, or clerk of session
- A Sunday School teacher, active church volunteer, or lay leader
What should I expect?
Each course will meet weekly online on Thursday evenings, from 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm EST, for a total of 10 hours of live online
instruction per course. In most cases, courses will last for five weeks, with each class session taking
two hours. All students will have 24-hour access to the certificate website, which will include
archived recordings of the class sessions, digital versions of the assigned readings, a discussion
forum moderated by the teaching assistant (a Ph.D. candidate), related multimedia content, and the
ability to submit assignments, check on one’s progress, etc.
Successful completion of each course requires: (1) reading the assigned reading, (2) attending the live
class sessions (or watching the recording if absence from the live session is necessary), and (3)
submitting two very short reflection papers per course. Further details will appear in course syllabi.
Students should expect to spend an average of 5 to 10 hours per week on reading, assignments, and
class participation during the periods when one of the six classes is running.
Students in the certificate program should plan to complete all six courses in 2013. If circumstances
require a student to miss one or more courses—or the student fails to complete a course—the
student may extend their enrollment for a $50 fee and complete the certificate in 2014.
What do I need?
All students will need ready access to a computer with a reasonably good internet connection. They
are also responsible for purchasing a headset with a microphone. Options are as inexpensive as $10.
How much does it cost?
Thanks to a grant from the Lilly Endowment, the registration fee has been reduced significantly to
$485. The fee covers all six courses and is due by February 1, 2013. It is possible to pay in two
installments.
Will I receive credit?
The certificate is intended for ministerial or personal enrichment and is not credit-bearing.
Students who complete all the requirements will be awarded a frame-worthy
“Certificate in Theology and Ministry,” carrying six Continuing Education Units from the School of
Christian Vocation and Mission, at a special ceremony on the campus of Princeton Theological
Seminary. To receive the certificate a student must complete all six online courses.
How do I apply?
This year's Online Certificate program is full and applications are closed for the year. Pastors of churches interested in hosting a regional gathering of students to participate together starting in August 2013 should contact the program director, Mr. Seraphim Danckaert via email.