Accreditation Requirements
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary generally accepts all credits earned at institutions accredited by applicable accrediting agencies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
- Regional Accrediting agencies:
- Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc., Commission on Institutions of Higher Learning (NEASC-CIHE)
- Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges (SACS-COC)
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges, and Universities (WASC-SCUC)
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Community Colleges, and Junior Colleges (WASC-ACCJC)
- Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE)
- Association of Theological Schools (ATS). Search a list of ATS member schools.
- Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS)
Non-Accredited Institutions: Credits from institutions not accredited by one of the agencies mentioned above will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
SBTS reserves the right to deny transfer credit if the course content is found to be not in keeping with the academic integrity and/or biblical principles of the institution.
Transfer Credit Requirements
Transfer Credit must be:
- from a recognized accreditation agency (see “Accreditation” above)
- appropriate for Southern Seminary’s curriculum and academic content
- grade of a “C-“ or higher
- completed within 10 years of transfer
Transfer Credit Restrictions
Maximum Transfer Hours
Students may transfer up to 2/3 of their credits towards their SBTS degree program. 1/3 of the SBTS degree MUST BE completed at SBTS.
- Master of Divinity degrees maximum transfer is 57 credit hours (2/3 of 88 hours.)
- Advanced Master of Divinity degrees maximum transfer is 48 credit hours (2/3 of 72-74 hours.)
- The Master of Arts maximum transfer ranges from 32-40 hours based on the total credit hours required for the degree. (e.g. MATS is a 48 hour degree, maximum transfer is 32 credit )
- There is no transfer credit for the Online Graduate Certificate. All 15 hours must be earned at SBTS.
Non-Transferrable Courses
- 32100: Personal Evangelism
- 32960: Introduction to Missiology
These courses will not be accepted for transfer credit from schools other than SBC seminaries. Request for an exception to this policy can be made by emailing the Transfer Credit Office who will seek approval of your request with the Dean of the Billy Graham School.
Non-Degree Students
Transfer Credit is not applied to non-degree seeking students or Undecided students. Once a student declares a degree, the student may email the Transfer Credit Office to have their transfer credit applied to their account.
Undergraduate Degrees
Undergraduate credit cannot transfer into master’s degree program.
Doctoral Courses
SBTS does not grant transfer credit for doctoral work completed at other institutions. Exceptions to this policy must be directed to the appropriate Doctoral Office.
Advanced Placement Exams
Current students coming to Southern with a background in certain fields may complete an exam for advanced standing. These exams do not award course credit, but rather allow students to replace introductory courses with an elective in the same field. If a student passes the exam for Systematic Theology I, for instance, they may take another Theology class in its place.
For a list of possible exams and the official process, visit this page.
Transfer Credit Evaluation Process
Admitted Students
1.Utilize the Transfer Evaluation Service (TES) that shows of all of our established equivalencies from institutions that we have previously received transfer credit. This list is not exclusive but is updated regularly. If your school or coursework is not listed, it is still possible it could transfer to SBTS.
2. If you have transfer credits that meet the Transfer Credit requirements, contact the Transfer Credit Office at transfercredit@sbts.edu for an official review of your credits.
An official transcript with your final grades of the course you are desiring to transfer to SBTS is required for an official transfer credit evaluation.
The Transfer Credit Office may request syllabi or professor vita for certain courses on your transcript.
For international transcripts, a WES evaluation will be required for an official transfer credit evaluation.
3. The Transfer Credit Office will send your official Transfer Credit Evaluation to your student email within 14 business days of your request.
4. After receiving your Transfer Credit Evaluation, it is recommended to meet with an Academic Advisor to discuss how your transfer credits will apply to your current SBTS degree. You will need to bring your Transfer Credit Evaluation with you to your advising meeting.
Prospective Students
- If you have not yet applied to SBTS and want to know if your credits will transfer, please browse the TES® Transfer credits are officially reviewed upon your acceptance to The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. This list is not exclusive but is updated regularly. If your school or coursework is not listed, it is still possible it could transfer to SBTS.
- Start your SBTS Application at Apply Now. Once you start your application, an SBTS Admissions Counselor will contact you to help you with the process.
Questions? Contact Transfer Credit/Academic Records Office
Phone: (502) 897-4209
Email: transfercredit@sbts.edu