It's been a tough, rigorous journey to make it to this point. Congratulations! You made it! Hooray!!! Now all celebrating aside, below is more information you need to make sure you finish your time at MBTS in style. One other thing... make sure you stay in touch with our Alumni Affairs Office (also known as Institutional Advancement), so we can keep up with all you're doing for the Lord! There's also a section in our quarterly newsmagazine, The Midwestern, where we can post significant goings on in your life. So, please keep in touch, and may the Lord Jesus bless you and your family in all your future endeavors!
Application for Graduation
To participate in Commencement and graduate from Midwestern, students are to complete an Application for Graduation form. Forms may be obtained from the Registrar‘s Office. Completed forms are to be submitted to the Registrar‘s Office for processing no later than the 15th of September for participation in the December Commencement and no later than the last day of the fall semester for participation in the following May Commencement (applications submitted after the due date may receive consideration if accompanied by a written appeal for consideration by the Academic Policies Committee).
The graduation fee is charged to the candidate‘s student account at the beginning of the semester immediately preceding Commencement. The fee is non-refundable and is paid even if the candidate is granted the privilege of graduating in absentia. The fee pays the costs of Commencement, such as the printing of degrees/diplomas, purchase/rental of academic regalia (except for certificate and diploma recipients, who do not wear regalia and pay a reduced fee), and speaker.
Graduation Honors
Graduation honors are awarded to qualified graduates of master‘s and undergraduate degree programs. Graduates of doctoral, the graduate certificate, or the WISDOM programs are not recognized with honors. Master‘s and undergraduate students who complete degree requirements with an overall cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.60 to 3.799 will receive the notation "With Honors" upon graduation. Master‘s and undergraduate students with an overall cumulative GPA of 3.80 or above will receive the notation "With Highest Honors" upon graduation. The cumulative GPA includes courses taken at Midwestern and those transferred from other institutions to meet degree requirements, if applicable.
Participation in Commencement
Upon satisfactory completion of the prescribed course of study and all other requirements for graduation, the student is entitled to graduate. The requirements for the degree earned by the student will be determined by the catalog in use when the candidate first enrolls at Midwestern. If a student desires to graduate under the requirements from a subsequent catalog issued while pursuing a degree, the student may petition the Registrar for permission to do so. Midwestern may require a student whose enrollment has continued beyond five years to graduate according to the requirements of a more recent catalog.
GPA Requirement. To qualify for graduation, master's degree and undergraduate students must attain a 2.0 or above cumulative GPA in all graded work taken at Midwestern or transferred from another institution to meet Midwestern‘s degree requirements. All Doctoral students must maintain a 3.0 or higher cumulative GPA on all work taken during their tenure in the program.
Residency Requirement. Master‘s and doctoral students must complete 50 percent or more of the credits required for the student's degree program at Midwestern. Undergraduate students must complete a minimum of 126 semester credit hours (as specified by the major) for a bachelor‘s degree and 64 hours for an associate‘s degree. A minimum of 30 of these credit hours must be completed at Midwestern as well as 50 percent of the requirements for the major component must be completed at Midwestern.
Applying for Graduation. Midwestern’s commencement exercises are held twice a year – once in December and once on the Saturday following spring semester final examinations. Students desiring to participate in December commencement must submit an Application for Graduation to the Registrar's Office no later than September 15th. Students desiring to participate in Spring commencement must submit an Application for Graduation to the Registrar‘s Office no later than the last day of final examinations in the preceding fall semester. Applications submitted after the deadline must be approved by the Academic Policies Committee and are assessed a $50 late fee. The candidate for graduation is responsible to confer with the Registrar to ensure that all degree program and graduation requirements are met by the student, including the minimum GPA required for graduation. Prior to graduation, a student must settle all current accounts at the Library, Business Office, and the LifeWay Bookstore located on campus. The faculty reserves the right to determine that a student whose conduct has proved to be unworthy of the standards of Christian character is unworthy of graduation, even though all academic requirements have been met.
Attendance at Commencement. Candidates are expected to be present for Commencement. Under unusual circumstances, a candidate may petition to graduate in absentia. A written petition requesting permission to graduate in absentia must be submitted to the Registrar for faculty approval no later than the November 1st preceding the Fall Commencement and no later than April 1st preceding the Spring Commencement. Students graduating in absentia may not be eligible to receive any of the graduation scholastic awards.
Participating in Commencement Lacking Hours
While participating in Commencement lacking hours has been permitted in the past, it is no longer to be permitted beginning with the 2011-2012 Academic year. This is because the 2011-2012 Academic year will be the first Academic year in which Midwestern will have a commencement exercise in December and in May, making participation in Commencement lacking hours unnecessary.
Profiles of Ministry-Stage 2: Exit
Graduating master‘s students are required to complete the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) sponsored Profiles of Ministry-Stage 2: Exit survey. The Survey assesses graduates readiness for ministry by exploring characteristics, traits, and sensitivities that clergy and laity across North America judge to be important for the beginning minister. Following scoring of the survey by ATS, Midwestern‘s Profiles of Ministry Coordinator meets with each graduate to review the results with the graduates.