Reduced Credit Options

Each of Western Seminary’s degree programs has its own purpose, outcomes, and integrity, as called for in the Standards of Accreditation of The Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools (Standards 2.6, 3.6, 4, 4.3, and 4.6), and each degree program requires the level of academic rigor appropriate to its design and intended outcomes and competencies (Standard 3.2).

At least one-third of any degree granted by Western Seminary will be from credits earned at the school, and typically these credits will be earned within the degree program being sought (the one exception might be a student who, at the last minute and for extenuating circumstances, changes from one degree to another, which is a provision supported by Standard 3.13). In no case will a degree be granted solely on the basis of a combination of transfer credit, advanced standing, and/or credit that is shared with another degree program.

MDiv, MA, and Graduate Studies Diploma students may request an exemption from certain required courses. Students may initiate advanced standing requests by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Advanced Standing

Western Seminary offers two types of advanced standing: advanced standing with credit (reducing the number of credits required for the degree program) and advanced standing without credit (commonly referred to as Advanced Substitution). Advanced Standing without credit enables students to substitute advanced courses for some required courses. In the case of advanced standing without credit, while there is no actual reduction in the credit hours to complete the program, students can build on prior learning experiences with advanced-level educational content. Alternatively, advanced standing with credit applies a student’s prior learning experiences toward the required credits of the degree program, thereby reducing the balance of needed credits to complete the program.

The granting of advanced standing (with or without credit) is based on an assessment that evaluates a student’s knowledge, competence, and skills, which would otherwise be achieved through the completion of the coursework that is part of the degree program being sought at Western Seminary. Students typically seek advanced standing when they have taken undergraduate coursework or completed other notable educational or significant vocational requirements that overlap or partially fulfill the requirements of the degree program at Western Seminary.

Students may be eligible for either advanced standing with credit, advanced standing without credit, or a combination of the two. For example, students with a substantial amount of previous work may have enough qualifying advanced-standing credit to satisfy more than one-third of the degree being sought, which is the maximum percentage that Western Seminary allows (in keeping with Standard 3.13 of The Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools). In that case, the school may opt to apply advanced standing with credit up to the allowable maximum and, as deemed appropriate by the faculty, offer additional advanced standing without credit, which would allow the student to substitute advanced-level courses where applicable. Moreover, students who qualify for advanced standing with credit may prefer the “without credit” option to avail themselves of the advanced-level educational opportunities afforded by their advanced-standing status. Alternatively, a student may have completed previous work, which technically qualifies for advanced standing, but if the course it would replace in Western’s degree program is one of the program’s core courses and required for all students, irrespective of one’s educational background, the school may opt for one of two possibilities: (1) apply advanced standing with credit toward an elective course within the curriculum with which there is sufficient overlap, or, if that is not possible, (2) not apply advanced standing in that instance.

Western Seminary grants advanced standing to students when (1) the undergraduate coursework under consideration is at least 80-percent equivalent to courses and outcomes within the Western Seminary curriculum, (2) they have earned at least a grade of “B” in the coursework under consideration, and (3) they have entered Western Seminary within ten years of the time they completed the coursework under consideration. Alternatively, students may seek to apply a given set of training and/or significant vocational experiences, which may overlap or partially fulfill the requirements of the degree program at Western Seminary. In either case, the school will designate a qualified faculty member to conduct advanced-standing assessments and that person then refers his or her findings to the Registrar, who updates the student’s official transcript. The school may require syllabi, textbooks, and required assignments from courses under consideration for advanced standing to determine if they meet the (minimum) 80-percent equivalency requirement. It is the responsibility of the student to acquire such documentation.

Students may request advanced standing toward the MDiv, MA(BTS), MAML, MAGL, and GSD. Advanced standing may also be granted for the Bible and theology courses only in the MAC. No advanced standing is granted toward the MABL and ThM degrees.

Shared Credit toward a Second Master’s Degree

Shared Credit refers to counting credits from one master’s degree toward those required for a second master’s degree (what some call “stackable credentials”) through the same institution. Shared credit can occur when students complete one program before beginning the second or may occur when they are enrolled in both degrees simultaneously. Students may only be enrolled in up to two degree programs simultaneously. Shared credit is applicable to most degree programs with some limitations pertaining to the ThM and MAC degrees. Here are two common examples of shared credit:

The first example is when a student earns a master’s degree with a smaller number of credits and then seeks another master’s degree with a larger number of credits (for example, first completing a Master of Arts in Ministry and Leadership and then pursuing a Master of Divinity). The credits from the first (smaller) degree may be used toward the second (larger) degree, if (a) at least one-third of the credits for the second (larger) degree are earned while the student is enrolled in that second degree, and (b) the student achieves the learning outcomes and other relevant curricular expectations for the second degree. For example, if the student had first completed a 52-credit MA, and then enrolled in an 82-credit MDiv, as many as 52 of those credits may be used toward the MDiv, if those credits align with the Western Seminary’s MDiv curriculum and if the student meets all other expectations for the MDiv program as well as the other expectations regarding reduced-credit.

The second example is when a student first earns a master’s degree with a larger number of credits and then seeks another master’s degree with a smaller number of credits (for example, first completing a Master of Divinity and then pursuing a Master of Arts in Ministry and Leadership), or first earns one master’s degree and then seeks another master’s degree with an equal number of credits (e.g., the MAML and then an MA[BTS]). In this scenario, a student could not “retroactively” request all the credits of the larger (or equal) degree to be applied after the fact to the smaller (or second) degree, as this would not attend to the integrity of the second degree program (otherwise, one might wonder why the school does not simply grant the MA to every MDiv student, for example). The student can transfer credits counting toward up to two-thirds of the smaller degree, as long as at least one-third of the credits for the second (smaller) degree are earned while the student is enrolled in that second degree, and the student achieves the learning outcomes and other relevant curricular expectations for the second degree.

Students will not relinquish one degree as part of earning a second degree.

Transfer Credit

Transfer credit occurs when Western Seminary accepts credits that were earned at another accredited graduate school in an unfinished degree program. It is distinct from advanced standing (where no transcripts of graduate credit are presented) or shared credit (where credits may be used to earn more than one graduate degree). Transfer credit may not exceed two-thirds of the program’s total credits.

Western Seminary normally accepts appropriate transfer credit from graduate institutions accredited by The Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools or regional accrediting agencies recognized by the Secretary of the United States Department of Education as reliable authorities concerning the quality of education or training offered by the institutions of higher education or higher education programs they accredit. For credit to be granted, the previous work must parallel course content by a margin of 80 percent or higher, as described in Western Seminary’s catalog, judged by comparison of typical course syllabi. The previous courses must be validated by an official transcript with indication of a grade of “B” (3.0) or higher. Courses assigned a passing grade, rather than a letter grade, will qualify for transfer credit without demonstrable evidence that the passing grade in that instance is the educational equivalent of “B” grade or higher. Additionally, students will ordinarily be required to demonstrate currency on the subject matter of potential transfer credit that was earned more than ten years previously.

Courses approved for transfer credit will not be considered in calculating a student’s grade point average.

Transfer Credit Policy Regarding VA Students

Prior Credit, Military Education, and Training Resources

Western Seminary evaluates previous military education and training to ensure students receive credit for enrolled degrees in accordance with Title 38, Code of Federal Regulations, Sections 21.4253(d)(3) and 21.4254(C)(4).

The Registrar’s Office, in partnership with the Admissions Office, receives transcripts and transfer evaluation requests to ensure proper credit is given. The Registrar’s Office maintains the record of military transcript evaluations and credit given. Students may reach out at any point in their academic program to ensure and verify credit, transcripts, and experience has been adequately accounted for.