Curriculum
GRADING SYSTEM
The grading system of Elhanan Bible College is as follows:
Excellent:
A+ 100-99 , A 98-95 , A- 94-93
Good :
B+ 92-90 , B 89-88 , B- 87-85
Fair:
C+ 84-82 , C 81-80 , C- 79-77
Passing:
D+ 76-75 , D 74-72, D- 71-70
Fail:
69-0
W - Withdraw
I – Incomplete
1 unit of Credit = 1 semester Hour
40 Credits=Certificate
90 Credits=Associates Degree/Diploma
120 Credits = Bachelor Degree
150 Credits = Master's Degree
210 Credits = Doctorial Degree
It seems that most of the students that the Lord sends us make good grades.
REQUIRED PAPERS FOR EARNED DEGREES
Elhanan Bible College do not require a written paper for the Baccalaureate degree. But in addition to taking the prescribed courses, we do require a Thesis for the Master's degree and a Dissertation for the Doctorial degree.
It takes skill to rally, arrange, and polish your ideas. The paper you write is to provide practice in clearly communicating your thoughts. It is a self-teaching method to develop your ability to effectively express yourself in written form.
If you've ever written anything, you should be able to write a good paper for your degree. First, choose a subject that is particularly interesting to you. It should also be a topic that directly relates to the field your degree will be in. Following is the kind of subjects that would be pre-approved:
- The Person and Life of Christ
- Substance abuse--cause and treatment
- The Holy Ghost & the Gifts of the Spirit
- Divine healing
- Dangers of the “new age” or cults
- Heaven and Hell
- Apologetics—defense of the Christian faith
- The Five Gifts Ministries
- The Protestant Reformation
- Eschatology
- Overcoming Depression
- Ministering to the dying
- Church growth methods
- Church history
- World mission/evangelism
- End-time Apostasy
- End-time Revival
- Angels and demons
- Christianity vs. world religions
Of course, your paper is to represent original independent research, and avoid plagiarism (copying other people's work without giving proper credit). We encourage creative thought---expressing your own insights, ideas, and opinions.
There's not a lot of difference between:
1. An Essay
2. A Treatise
3. A Thesis, and
4. A Dissertation
Educators don't always agree, but the general understanding is as follows:
- ESSAY---a brief personal literary composition on some subject. Shorter and less formal than a thesis, but reflective, analytical, and critical.
- TREATISE---a formal systematic and elaborate literary composition, presenting some serious subject. It is longer and more exhaustive than an essay. A treatment of evidence, principles, and facts, followed by a conclusion.
- THESIS---a formal essay or treatise on a particular subject, presenting some proposition advanced and defended by argumentation. A dissertation offered by a candidate for an academic degree, usually the Master's. A logical premise or postulation (as opposed to a hypotenuse) such as the 95 Thesis of Martin Luther that he nailed to the Church door, protesting Catholic corruptions.
- D ISSERTATION---a formal lengthy treatise on some subject written as partial fulfillment of requirements for a degree, usually the Doctorate; an extended discourse or discussion written in an argument format and learned manner.
You may consult your personal library or any public library. It's advisable to make an outline or list of the points you wish to cover, and arrange them in some plausible order.
We feel content is more important than form, so we do not insist upon strict adherence to any particular formal style, as long as it is readable and understandable. Footnotes at the bottom of pages and a bibliography of references are optional, but we do expect spelling, grammar, and punctuation to be correct.
LENGTH--- Elhanan Bible College requires the Master's Thesis to be at least fifty pages or more and the Doctorial Dissertation to be 100 pages or more. We encourage much longer papers. A regular sheet of paper typed double-spaced is about 250 words.
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Use plain white paper 8 ½ x 11 only
- Type double space, as error free as possible
- One inch margin, on top, bottom, and both sides
- Number your pages somewhere
- Staple or bind it together in some way
- The Top Cover Sheet should contain:
- The school name and address
- The student's name and address
- The title of the paper
- The degree it's for
- The date it is submitted
ALTERNATIVES:
- Although we encourage fresh work, it is permissible to submit:
- Previously written work, such as a published or unpublished book or booklet you have authored.
- If you have written a considerable number of sermons, articles, tracts, or poems, it may be acceptable.
- A story of some exploit of faith or a narrative of some miracle you were personally involved in.
- An account of a dream or a vision of Heaven or Hell you've had, or someone you interviewed has had.
- Your personal testimony of salvation or the conversion of someone you led to the Lord.
NEW GOOD WORKS
Since Elhanan Bible College puts high value on bearing good fruit for the Master, we could accept a simple statement or explanation of some sizable worthy project that you plan and execute, but it must be something that you plan and then do now, not in the past.
- Providing food for the poor and/or clothes for the needy.
- Cover a neighborhood with tracts and/or invitations to your local church.
- Help build, paint, or clean a Church, free of charge.
- Make a big list of people and pray for them one by one all night long.
- Spend a couple of days conducting Telephone Evangelism---just calling people out of the phone book, introducing yourself, telling them Jesus loves them and offering to pray for them.
- Spend a couple of days visiting, counseling, and praying for people in a hospital, jail, prison, or rest home.
- Donate 20 hours or so to a Church helping with office work as a donation. (If you're local, Elhanan Institute can often use help too).
Remember; do not send your original paper, but rather a photocopy of it. We will keep your paper on file as part of your permanent record. Of course, we would never copyright your work, but we do reserve the right to use it for the Lord, as we see fit.
PROGRESSIVE LEVELS OF DEGREES
A degree is an academic title conferred by an institution of higher learning showing that a person has satisfactorily completed a particular program of study. The certificate is the actual document itself.
Degrees are progressive. One level is built on the preceding one, each level representing a higher work effort, and the equivalent of another year of study. Elhanan Bible College offers all five levels: Diploma, Associate, Bachelor, Master, and Doctor:
- CERTIFICATE--- (40 credits) this is the first level, and like a Christian Worker's Certificate.
- ASSOCIATE/DIPLOMA--- (usually 60-64 credits, but we require 90) the Associate Bachelor degree represents the equivalency of two years of academic study. Typically, awarded by a junior or community college.
- BACHELOR--- (120-128 credits) conferred for the equivalency of four years of full-time study. But you can earn a Bachelor's degree in two or three months from some schools. “Bachelor” means that you have accumulated a “batch” of knowledge. If you receive a Bachelor's degree through credit for life work experience from Elhanan Bible College, you are guaranteed admission into our Master's degree program, and we also encourage you to go on to the Doctor's degree program.
- MASTER--- (150 credits) this represents at least one year of study beyond the Bachelor, but lower than the Doctorate, indicating that you have “mastered a subject.”
- DOCTOR--- (210 credits) this academic title is awarded for the completion of advanced study and is the highest degree there is. It is the ultimate in the educational world, and has been a title of respect for learned persons since Biblical times, Luke 6:46. It is traditionally held that it takes a doctor to confer a Doctor's degree upon someone else.
DEFINITIONS OF DEGREES
All of these degrees are religious in nature and not only overlap, but are sometimes thought of inter-exchangeable.
- BIBLICAL SUBJECTS---the study of major Scriptural themes and the main topics of the Sacred Scriptures. Courses dealing with various doctrines of the Word of God; that which is devoted to the fundamental beliefs of the Holy Bible.
- CHRISTIAN EDUCATION---general instructions in Christianity, and the study of the doctrines of Christ. Training in the teachings of Jesus Christ and the development of Christian Character.
- DIVINITY---the study of the one and only Deity. Having to do with the supreme, infinite and eternal qualities of the Almighty; pertaining to the Divine Godhead or Holy Trinity. That which is
inspired by God. - MINISTRY---pertaining to the work of the Lord and service for God. Training in the performance of office of clergy. Rendering help to people and caring for the saints.
- THEOLOGY---the study of God and the expounding of Christology; Courses dealing with the relationship between God and the universe and man. The cultivation of the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity.
Since our courses are rather general, we don't mind accommodating our students by granting their preference to receive their diploma, associate, bachelor, masters, or doctor's degree in Biblical subjects, Christian Education, Divinity, Ministry, or Theology, etc. because as stated above, these terms blend and overlapped in most creeds, books, and schools.
TRANSFERING CREDITS
Most colleges and universities use what is known as a "semester hour/credit system". Generally a credit is a semester hour. In a traditional Bible college, a semester hour is around 30 to 48 clock hours of classroom attendance.
Elhanan Bible College is willing to accept the credits you have earned from other legitimate Christian Schools whether they are accredited or not, as long as they teach the Bible.