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ORU Graduate School of Theology and MinistryStudent HandbookThis handbook is for specific information pertaining to the ORU Graduate School of Theology andMinistry. For further information, please refer to the official ORU academic catalog and the ORUStudent Handbook.Each student is responsible for the policies and regulations in both the catalogand the student handbooks.Rev. 8/13/20
TABLE OF CONTENTSACADEMIC ADVISOR . 1ACADEMIC PROBATION AND SUSPENSION . 1ACCREDITATION . 1ADDRESS/PHONE NUMBER/NAME CHANGE. 1ASSESSMENT . 1AUDIT, COURSE PRIVILEGE . 2CHANGE OF DEGREE PROGRAM OR CONCENTRATION . 2CHAPEL . 2CLASS PAGES . 3COUNSELING PRACTICUM/INTERNSHIP . 3COURSE LOAD . 3COURSE ROTATION SCHEDULE . 3DEGREE PLANS . 3DESIRE TO LEARN (D2L) . 3DIRECTED STUDY REQUEST . 3DISABILITY SERVICES . 4EMAIL . 4ENROLLMENT . 4FAST-TRACK PROGRAM . 4FIELD EDUCATION . 5FINANCIAL AID . 5GRADE, INCOMPLETE . 5GRADES . 6GRADES, REQUEST FOR CHANGE OF GRADE . 6GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIPS . 6GRADUATE THEOLOGY STUDENT ASSEMBLY (GTSA) . 6
GRADUATION . 6GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE. 7HEALTH FITNESS REQUIREMENTS. 7HOLY SPIRIT RESEARCH CENTER (HSRC) . 7INFORMATION CENTER. 7JOINT-DEGREE PROGRAM . 8LIBRARY ACCESS . 8MODULAR COURSES . 8PLAGIARISM POLICY . 8PREREQUISITES . 9PRACTICUM, MINISTRY (TEACHING MIN.; URBAN MIN.;PASTORAL CARE & CHAPLAINCY . 9TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIPS . 10THEOLOGICAL RESEARCH PROFICIENCY REQUIREMENT . 10THESIS RESEARCH AND WRITING . 10TRANSFER OF CREDIT. 11VISION . 103
WelcomeWelcome to the ORU Graduate School of Theology and Ministry (GSTM). You haveselected the oldest and the largest Pentecostal/charismatic theological seminary in NorthAmerica. We are committed to making your journey of faith at ORU a great experience—exciting, challenging, and very rewarding. This handbook was developed to inform you of themany aspects of our educational program. Please study it carefully since you are personallyresponsible for completing all the requirements of your degree program.Our faculty is committed to train you for God’s work. Your faculty advisor is a personwith much expertise and is prepared to provide you with guidance and counsel as you movethrough your particular program. Be intentional about discussing your academic progress withyour advisor.We are open to your ideas and suggestions for improving our programs and services.Please feel free to share them with us. May God richly bless you and direct your steps as youfollow His call on your life.PurposeThe ORU Graduate School of Theology and Ministry seeks to prepare students forcompetent and Spirit-led Christian ministry. The seminary is called to develop men and womenwho know the Bible, who have a deep compassion for people, and who, through theempowerment of the Holy Spirit, can revitalize the church, evangelize the world, and heal thenations.Professional theological education at this seminary will integrate biblical and theologicaltraining with practical skills. This integration will take place in a charismatic/Pentecostal ethoswhere the gifts of the Spirit are manifested and spiritual formation is nurtured.The seminary seeks to develop leaders who can communicate the message of the gospelto those in need of a Savior, and God’s healing power to the world’s suffering. The goal of theschool for its graduates is to carry this vital message of redemption, holiness and healing tothose places “where God’s light is seen dim, where His voice is heard small, where His healingpower is not known.”GSTM Mission Statement:Mission Statement: The Graduate School of Theology and Ministry, the Seminary of OralRoberts University, educates and equips men and women biblically, theologically, andprofessionally to serve as Spirit-empowered leaders in the church, society, and the globalcommunity.
GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY AND MINISTRY (GSTM) INFORMATION (ABC ORDER)ACADEMIC ADVISOR Students are assigned to an academic advisor at the beginning of the semester (afterdrop/add) for assistance in academic counseling and planning the scheduling of classestoward a degree.Students are encouraged to meet with this advisor at the beginning of the program to discussthe degree plan and course sequencing for their particular program. During this advisement,the student may discuss any questions or concerns with the advisor.Additionally, students should complete the assessment requirements during each semester ofenrollment.Faculty profiles and contact information are available at on the ORU website. Contact youradvisor to set up an appointment in person, by phone, or by Zoom.ACADEMIC PROBATION AND SUSPENSIONStudents enrolled in the GSTM are expected to maintain an appropriate GPA for the program inwhich they are enrolled. Students in all programs are required to maintain 3.00 GPAs. Studentsfailing to achieve the minimum GPA in their particular program during any semester may beautomatically placed on probation. Contact GSTM academic office for more informationACCREDITATIONThe Graduate School of Theology and Ministry is accredited by the Commission on Accreditingof the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS) and TheHigher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA).ADDRESS/PHONE NUMBER/NAME CHANGEStudents are required to provide the university with correct and current contact and informationon VISION before they are registered. It is important for the GSTM academic office to be able tocontact the student in order to provide efficient service. Any contact or legal name changesshould be updated on Vision.ASSESSMENTThe process of professional and personal assessment is an integral part of the total educationalprogram of the ORU Graduate School of Theology and Ministry. Students’ spiritual formationand determining the extent to which degree program goals are achieved are the goals of theassessment process. Students take the following PRFT Assessment courses: First semester: PRFT 056 Entry Level Assessment (0.5 credit hrs.) Mid-way through program: PRFT 057 Mid-Level Assessment (0 credit hrs.)1
Last semester: PRFT 058 Candidacy Level Assessment (0.5 credit hrs.)AUDIT, COURSE PRIVILEGEStudents in the Graduate School of Theology and Ministry may—with the approval of theinstructors, their faculty advisor, and the associate dean—audit, without academic credit, coursesoffered by the Seminary. The audit privilege allows students to attend courses for personalenrichment without fulfilling the academic requirements. Required courses in any degreeprogram may not be audited. Regular class attendance, as outlined in the course syllabus, isrequired to maintain an audit on transcript. If students do not meet the audit requirements for acourse, a “no pass” is recorded on the transcript. Students auditing a class may request the optionof receiving a grade if they indicate this intention at the time of registration. Students mustcomplete all course requirements according to the calendar of the course syllabus and submita petition to the office of the associate dean to obtain credit for the course. The petitionmust be submitted and approved and tuition paid within one semester following enrollment in thecourse. Tuition must be paid at the time of the audit change request.CHANGE OF DEGREE PROGRAM OR CONCENTRATIONStudents are admitted to the Seminary by acceptance into a particular degree program andconcentration and must pursue studies in that program. Students may change programs only ifformally accepted into another program. Acceptance into one program does not guaranteeadmission into another. When the program change becomes effective, the student is subject tothe requirements of the current catalog at the time of matriculation into the new program.CHAPEL ORU holds chapel services during the fall/spring semesterson Wednesdays and Fridays, 10:50 a.m. to 12 noon.All full-time residential students (enrolled in 9 hours) arerequired to attend both weekly chapel servicesStudents are allowed two unexcused absences from chapelduring each semester, but are assessed a 50 penalty formissing three chapel services.Students should submit an electronic chapel excuse formwithin 48 hours of the absence.Electronic chapel excuse forms are available on the Class Pages website under StudentDevelopment/Chapel Info.Excuses for illness must be returned to the director of student development’s office within 48hours after returning to school.If a student has a disability that prevents sitting in the designated area for seminary students,he/she must contact both the director of student development and the student disabilityservices office for assistance.2
Note: In Fall 2020, chapel is being held in the Mabee Center to allow for social distancing.CLASS PAGES Class Pages is a website specifically designed for Graduate Theology students that includesinformation on course schedules, chapel, study trips, graduation, and more.To access, go to www.oru.edu menu current students class pages.Links for Class Pages specific to the Residential, Modular/Distance Education, Counseling,Doctor of Ministry, and PhD programs are on the main home page.COUNSELING PRACTICUM/INTERNSHIPThe counseling practicum/internships take place during the final year in the program. This 700hour professional experience allows students to practice selected client-care responsibilities inthe core areas of counseling, assessment, consultation, and professional functioning. Weeklysupervision takes place with the site supervisor and with the faculty supervisor. Additionalinformation is available on Class Pages.COURSE LOADThe full-time course load for master’s level students in the Graduate School of Theology andMinistry is 9 hours. The full-time load for doctoral students in the Graduate School ofTheology and Ministry is 6 hours per semester while enrolled in the coursework phase of theprogram. One hour per semester is considered full-time when enrolled in the project/dissertationphase.DEGREE PLANS Degree plans are available in the student information center in the grad theology hallway,and also on the ORU website at http://degreeplansheets.oru.edu/Students must use the degree plan from the academic year of enrollment (fall/spring).Students are ultimately responsible for the courses taken and the order in which they aretaken.Students are encouraged to consult with individual faculty advisorsDESIRE TO LEARN (D2L) Desire 2 Learn (D2L) is ORU’s learning management system for online, blended, andresidential courses.Students can access D2L at d2l.oru.edu and log in with the ORU single sign on.For D2L help, email [email protected] are also available.DIRECTED STUDY REQUEST Directed studies are done in every semester according to the student’s need.3
Students must get approval from the course professor and the academic dean before applyingfor a directed study.Directed Studies are then requested on a Course Schedule Change Request by AcademicDean’s assistant and sent to Registrar to process.The directed study course is then created and the assistant adds the student into the course.D2L is also notified of the directed study to set up a course shell.DISABILITY SERVICES The Office of Disability Services at ORU, in compliance with Section 504 of theRehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act, assures that no qualifiedindividual with a disability is denied “reasonable accommodations” in modification ofpolicies, practices, and procedures.Disability services offers “reasonable accommodations” to clients based upon individualneeds.Students can access the Disability Services web pages on the ORU website for moreinformation.The Disability Services offices can be reached at (918)495-7018 oremail [email protected] Outlook is ORU’s email system. By FERPA law, all university correspondence must go tostudent’s ORU e-mail address.For help, contact the I.T. student help desk at 918-495-6321, or go to the IT web pages toaccess their student guide.ENROLLMENTStudents are responsible to electronically enroll for classes each semester on the VISION securesystem at https://vision.oru.eduFAST-TRACK PROGRAM, GRADUATEThe Fast Track Program allows ORU junior and senior students to enroll concurrently ingraduate courses and apply those hours toward a master’s degree in the Graduate School ofEducation, Graduate School of Business, or Graduate School of Theology and Ministry. Studentsmay register for a maximum of six semester hours of graduate courses per semester. Studentsremain classified as undergraduate students and are billed the corresponding undergraduatetuition rate as long as enrollment remains between 12.0 and 18.5 credit hours. If enrollment isbelow 12.0 or exceeds 18.5 credit hours, they are billed the corresponding graduate per credithour tuition rate. Students may earn up to 12 hours towards a graduate degree through the fasttrack program. Graduate level courses taken through the fast-track program may not be used tofulfill undergraduate degree requirements. Requirements for the Fast-Track follow:4
Complete a Fast-Track Program application form available in the college in which thestudent is interested or the Admissions OfficeHave completed a minimum of 90 semester hours of coursework for the College ofEducation and the College of Theology and Ministry or 60 semester hours of courseworkfor the College ofBusinessHave a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00.Need less than a full course load for graduation.More information is available in the Graduate Theology section of the academic catalog.FIELD EDUCATIONField education enables students to integrate and employ Biblical-theological principles,practices of ministry, and charismatic empowerment in diverse contexts of supervised ministry inthe church, community, and consultation/reflection groups to achieve competency in functioningas effective ministers of the Gospel. For at least two semesters, Master of Divinity and master ofpractical theology students have opportunities for in depth interpersonal, social, and spiritualministry at sites such as hospitals, nursing homes, service organizations, and local churches.Qualified supervisors guide students through experiences that give accountable, practical trainingto develop their full potential as professionals in ministry. Professors, site supervisors, andstudents meet weekly in consultation/reflection groups—either online or in a residentialcontext—to discuss students’ successes and challenges. Students receive guidance in dealingcreatively with problems they may have encountered and in integrating their academic studieswith practical experiences. The ministry/reflection emphasis encourages students to establish andevaluate their personal abilities as minister theologians. A liability insurance fee is assessed forall field-based courses.FINANCIAL AID See Financial Assistance/Scholarships page on the ORU website.The financial aid coordinator may be contacted for more information at [email protected], or at918-495-6510.GRADE, INCOMPLETEOn rare occasions, the grade of “I” may be given for work that is incomplete at the end of thecourse semester due to a catastrophic event. The following procedures must be followed toapply:1. The student must establish with the instructor and the academic dean that work is incompletefor good cause and submit a petition for incomplete grade with documentation.2. Petitions are found at https://petitions.oru.edu/3. The Petition must be submitted at least two weeks prior to the end of the semester.4. The submission of a petition does not automatically ensure the granting of an Incomplete.5
5. The petition must be approved by the academic committee of the Graduate School ofTheology and Ministry.6. It is the responsibility of the student to initiate the petition, make up any incomplete work,and submit a completed Request for Grade Change form (which has been signed by thecourse professor) to the academic office.7. If the work is not completed by the end of the subsequent semester, the incomplete willautomatically convert to an “F,” unless an extension is formally granted.GRADESGrades are released by the registrar’s office approximately mid-week after finals week.Students retrieve grades electronically using ORU’s VISION. Before candidates for the Masterof Divinity degree graduate, they must pass at least 80.5 semester hours of coursework, completeall prerequisites, satisfy all proficiency requirements, and have a minimum cumulative gradepoint average of 3.00. Before the conclusion of the fifth semester of full-time studies, studentsmust have completed the professional evaluation process and received a “pass” grade on theCandidacy-Level Assessment.GRADES, REQUEST FOR CHANGE OF GRADE Students must submit an electronic Request for Grade Change form, signed by the courseprofessor, to the academic office to make a change in individual enrollment status, audit,credit, or pass/fail. https://petitions.oru.edu/GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIPS Graduate assistantship positions in the GSTM work-study program may be available toseveral qualified students with specified abilities and skills. Opportunities are primarilyavailable in the seminary administrative offices.To apply, see the dean’s administrative assistant, GC 4A26E.GRADUATE THEOLOGY STUDENT ASSEMBLY (GTSA) The Graduate Theology Student Assembly (GTSA) is made up of current grad theologystudents who serve the student body in the seminary.The representatives are elected by GSTM students each spring for the following academicyear.The GTSA works to benefit student services, the administration of ORU, and to improvecommunication and understanding of needs in all areas.The Director of Student Development in the GSTM works very closely and is available toprovide information to students.GRADUATION All students, whether graduating in December or May, must fill out the online graduation6
application on Vision and turn in required documents to the dean’s office by the givendeadline in the first week of December.Instructions and deadlines for applying to graduate, graduation protocol, and information onthe GSTM Hooding Ceremony are on Class Pages Graduation.For further questions, students may contact [email protected] PROCEDURE The primary objectives of the Student Complaint and Grievance policies and procedures areto ensure that students have the opportunity to present complaints and process grievancesregarding certain action(s), inaction(s), and/or communications by a member of the ORUcommunity and that ORU has a consistent and orderly process for resolving those complaintsor grievances in a fair and just manner.For academic grievance procedures, students should contact the academic dean’s office.For student conduct and discipline complaints and grievances, students should contact theDirector of Student Development.For more information, students should refer to the grievance section of the ORU StudentHandbookHEALTH FITNESS REQUIREMENTS New students at the seminary enroll in a one-semester, one-credit course entitled GHPE 503Graduate Health Fitness.Students who completed Health Fitness I and II as ORU undergraduates may apply foradvanced standing and substitute an activity course for GHPE 503.Students will also take one additional 0.5 credit HPE activity course.Contact the registrar for information on changing a 1 credit activity course to 0.5 credit, orfor taking an HPE course as pass/fail.HOLY SPIRIT RESEARCH CENTER (HSRC) The HSRC is home to one of the world’s finest collections of material about the Pentecostaland charismatic movements worldwide. This special library collection on LRC 5E02 offersresearchers at any level books, periodicals, information files, and audio and video cassettes atvarious levels, from the popular to the highly academic.The HSRC can guide in beginning research or add a deeper dimension to research on anytopic within Pentecostal-charismatic studies.For more information, students can contact Dr. Daniel Isgrigg at [email protected] CENTERDegree plans and course schedules are conveniently located at the entrance of the GraduateSchool of Theology and Ministry office area directly across the hallway from the elevator on the7
GC 4th floor.JOINT-DEGREE PROGRAMA joint degree program allows students to gain an area of expertise for future ministry. Studentsmay enroll in two master’s degrees simultaneously. With proper planning and advisement, theymay fulfill the requirements for both degrees with significantly less time than it would takeotherwise. Some graduate programs, however, cannot be combined in the joint degree program.The Master of Divinity and M.A. in Practical Theology degree plans, including theirconcentrations, may not be used together as a joint degree. Likewise, the M.A. in ProfessionalCounseling (Licensed Professional Counselor, MAPC/LPC) and the Professional Counselingwith the Marital and Family concentration (MAPC/MFT) may not be combined under the jointdegree program, although additional courses and concentrations can be added to the degreeif the student desires to qualify for dual state licenses (LPC/LADC, LPC/MFT, MFT/LADC).LIBRARY ACCESS The ORU library is located on the fourth and fifth floors of the LRC. A computerizedcheckout system is used which requires a validated Eagle Card.The library has many resources for distance students as well.MODULAR/BLENDED/ONLINE COURSESThe Modular program offers the following course delivery systems: Blended A: Begins with new semester; 7 weeks online, then 2½ days on campus.o Mon – Tuesday, 8:30-5:30o Wed, 8:30 – 2 p.m. (Chapel 10:50-noon in fall/spring; Modular orientationluncheon 12-2 p.m.) Blended B: Begins mid-semester with 2½ days on campus, then 7 weeks online.o Wed, 10:50 –noon: Chapel (fall/spring); 12-2 p.m. Modular orientationluncheon; 2:30 pm-5:30 pm: classo Thurs – Fri: 8:30-5:30 Modular: Pre-course work, one full week on campus (Mon-Thurs, 8:30-5:30; Fri,8:30-1:30), and post-course work. Online: Full semester online courses; no campus visit required.Residential students may request permission from the academic office to take a modular,blended, or online course.PLAGIARISM POLICYORU takes the issue of plagiarism seriously and addresses it on its website, in the academiccalendar, and in course syllabi.The ORU catalog states:ORU students are committed to developing their minds by doing their own academicwork. They do not engage in plagiarism, whether accidental or intentional. Plagiarism is8
the inappropriate use of others' ideas or information, such as using sources withoutcitations or direct quotes without quotation marks. Even paraphrasing or summarizingwithout giving credit to the original author is considered plagiarism.Written assignments using sources must demonstrate ethical and accurate use of sourcematerial. Plagiarism and any unethical or inappropriate use of sources are not tolerated. ORU syllabi include the following University Plagiarism Statement:Students and faculty at Oral Roberts University must adhere to all laws addressing theethical use of others' materials, whether it is in the form of print, electronic, video,multimedia, or computer software. Plagiarism and other forms of cheating involve bothlying and stealing and are violations of ORU's Honor Code: 'I will not cheat orplagiarize; I will do my own academic work and will not inappropriately collaborate withother students on assignments.' Plagiarism is usually defined as copying someone else'sideas, words, or sentence structure and submitting them as one's own. Other forms ofacademic dishonesty include (but are not limited to) the following:1. Submitting another's work as one's own or colluding with someone else andsubmitting that work as though it were his or hers;2. Failing to meet group assignment or project requirements while claiming to havedone so;3. Failing to cite sources used in a paper;4. Creating results for experiments, observations, interviews, or projects that were notdone;5. Receiving or giving unauthorized help on assignments.By submitting an assignment in any form, the student gives permission for theassignment to be checked for plagiarism, either by submitting the work for electronicverification or by other means. Penalties for any of the above infractions may result indisciplinary action including failing the assignment or failPREREQUISITES Students taking internship, field education, practicum courses, or testing and assessment mustensure compliance with the appropriate prerequisites specified in the university catalog.Counseling students should consult the Courses that Require Prerequisites sheet in theinformation center.PRACTICUM, MINISTRY - TEACHING MINISTRIES, URBAN MINISTRY, PASTORALCARE AND CHAPLAINCYThe counseling practicum/internships take place during the final year in the program. This 700hour professional experience allows students to practice selected client-care responsibilities inthe core areas of counseling, assessment, consultation, and professional functioning. Weekly9
supervision takes place with the site supervisor and with the faculty supervisor. Additionalinformation is available on Class Pages.TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIPSTeaching assistantships are available to students primarily in the academic Master of Arts degreeprograms. Responsibilities are usually in the theological baccala
admission into another. When the program change becomes effective, the student is subject to the requirements of the current catalog at the time of matriculation into the new program. CHAPEL ORU holds chapel services during the fall/spring se
