Knowledge of the English Bible

A thorough knowledge of the English Bible is expected of all recipients of the M.Div., M.A.R., and M.A. degrees at Westminster. Every student entering the Seminary should do so with as comprehensive a knowledge of the English Bible as possible. Each student is required to pass either an English Bible examination or the course PT 013P English Bible Survey. The English Bible examination must be passed no later than the end of the winter term examination period of the year in which a student expects to graduate.

At the beginning of each semester and at two other times during each academic year (see the academic calendar for exact dates), an examination will be administered to test the student’s knowledge of the English Bible. The maximum number of times a student may take this examination is three. If the examination is failed three times, the student will be required to take the course PT 013P. This course is offered annually during the second semester and meets for two hours each week. The tuition charge for the course is one-half the normal hourly tuition rate. No auditing of the course is permitted.

Advanced Theological Writing

The ability to produce quality written work in English is expected of all Westminster degree recipients. International students with extensive English language training, as well as those with advanced degrees in other professional fields, find it advantageous to learn the expectations of American academic writing; study the special features of theological genres; and receive feedback on their linguistic accuracy. The course PT 031P/033P Advanced Theological Writing is provided as a support for these students. All entering international students as well as non-native English speakers must take this class, unless their TOEFL and TWE score is higher than 630 (267 computer) and 5.5, respectively. Faculty members may also require students to enroll. See the course description on page 121 for further requirements.