New Global Students

Global Learning

Photograph of staff and students walking and talkingWe believe that strong relationships with faculty, staff, and fellow students are essential to help you grow through your seminary experience, even in the context of online learning. There are several avenues by which we seek to provide these relationships through our courses at Global.

 

Portland/Global - Threshold Courses

To assist your connection to students, staff, and faculty at Western Seminary, every semester we offer four-day events on the Portland campus which include class time, meals together, and optional trips to Portland and our surrounding region. 

We refer to this time as (Threshold), and it is designed to give you focused time together with faculty, staff, and other students, and to cast a vision for the ultimate goal of your degree program—maturity in Christ and preparation for gospel-centered ministry.  Learn more about your opportunities at our Global website (at the menu bar on the right) or by speaking with your academic advisor.

What types and designs of courses are offered at Global?

1. Standard Design Courses (predominantly asynchronous with some synchronous elements) are created by the original instructor/designer who did the course videos.  The Global staff and the “Instructor of Record” keep the course up to date on each scheduled semester.  

2. “Online LIVE” Design Courses (featuring weekly web conference calls) are prepared to have weekly synchronous meetings with the class.   They may contain a variety of other elements including course videos.  "Online LIVE" classes are open to every Western student and scheduled with distance students in mind.

3. The Threshold Design Courses (residential intensives sponsored by Global) are during one week of each semester.   They are created especially for students at a distance or with time restraints to have an opportunity to take a class at a residential campus (in person).

4. Cohort Design Courses (with face-to-face instruction) The "Cohort" design has students working through their program in a group.

5.  FLEX Design Courses (residential courses with web conference connection) The FLEX section is for those needing the web conference connection to a residential class.   This design only applies to 0-3 courses a semester at the instructor's discretion.

6. Conference Wrap-Around Design Courses (These are courses connected to a conference that must be attended along with other course work)  This design only applies to 0-2 courses a year.

    * If you have further questions about any of these, please contact your academic advisor.

Accessing Your Classes

  • Digital Learning Center (DLC): Access to a website specifically for each course you register for, where you will find your syllabus, a detailed list of activities to complete the course, and links to check off tasks, submit assignments, and engage in discussion forums; these sites open 10 days before the semester starts
  • Videos: If your course has videos you will access them on the Digital Learning Center (DLC)

Connect with Us

  • We look forward to getting to know you! If you have not done so already, reach out to your Academic Advisor to discuss the next steps to begin your studies. Contact information for your advisor can be found in your letter of admission. For answers to questions regarding transfer credit, financial aid, and other topics related to your enrollment at Western Seminary please visit our help site.

Western Help Site