BLUEFIELD, Va — Bluefield College and the John Leland Center for Theological Studies are partnering to provide students who have an interest in Christian ministry greater access to the theological training they’ll need to fulfill their calling.
The agreement between the two schools with Virginia Baptist ties will make it easier for students in Leland’s diploma program to earn a bachelor of arts degree.
“The Leland partnership is vital to Bluefield College’s commitment to provide quality theological education throughout the state of Virginia and particularly in the Appalachian region of southwest Virginia,” said Robert Shippey, vice president for academic affairs at Bluefield, located in Bluefield, Va.. “Those who are called into some form of professional ministry need to benefit from quality theological education.”
Bluefield College President David Olive (seated right) and Leland Center for Theological Studies President Mark Olson (seated left) sign an articulation agreement between the two schools. Joining the ceremony are (standing left to right) Susan Moore, Leland’s director of extension and distance education; Jeff Willetts, Leland’s vice president for academic affairs; and Robert Shippey, Bluefield’s vice president for academic affairs.
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Mark J. Olson, president of Leland, located in Falls Church, Va., said, “At Leland, we recognize the advisability and benefits of a well-rounded education and we encourage our diploma students to continue studies toward a bachelor’s degree.”
While Leland’s central mission is to offer graduate degrees in theology, it also offers an undergraduate diploma program, which consists of 48 baccalaureate credit hours in biblical and practical ministry studies.
But Leland’s accrediting body only sanctions graduate courses. To offer baccalaureate degrees through the diploma program would require Leland to commit resources to areas not central to its mission.
Meanwhile, Bluefield offers a bacclaureate degree in Christian studies designed to educate and train those called to serve in Christian ministry. The agreement with Leland will allow students to begin academic preparation at the Northern Virginia seminary, complete a bachelor’s degree at Bluefield, and then continue with graduate study at the seminary.
Under the agreement, Leland’s diploma program graduates will have greater access to a bachelor of arts degree in Christian studies at Bluefield by stipulating that baccalaureate degree credits earned by diploma students at Leland may be applied toward a bachelor’s degree in Bluefield’s Christian studies program or toward a bachelor’s degree in management and leadership offered through Bluefield’s inSPIRE degree completion program.
In return, the Leland Center will accept academic credits earned by students in Bluefield’s Christian studies program who wish to enroll in the diploma program at Leland. In addition, students who graduate from Bluefield with a baccalaureate degree, regardless of discipline, will be accepted to any of Leland’s graduate programs.
The college’s leaders said they hope the agreement with Leland will make the Christian studies program available to more students.
“The Kingdom of Christ deserves informed spiritual leaders equipped with critical and creative thinking skills to provide relevant and vibrant ministry service in the 21st century,” said Shippey. “This partnership helps achieve that goal.”
“What Leland or Bluefield might not achieve alone, we have determined to achieve together for the benefit of all Virginia Baptists,” he added.