Beulah Heights University
Beulah Heights University appears in the ranking of the 10 Most Affordable Doctorate in Ministry Degrees Online 2018
Beulah Heights University is a small private university in Atlanta, Georgia. Established in 1918 as the Beulah Heights Bible Institute, it originally served as a place for Christian students to come together and discuss their faith while also studying a small number of subjects. This campus merged with several other schools a few years later to form a much larger Bible Institute. As the number of programs expanded, the school decided to name itself the Beulah Heights Bible College. This helped the school grow even fasted and led to it adding both graduate and doctoral programs to its curriculum.
Since becoming Beulah Heights University in 2006, the university saw its enrollment grow even faster. Also called BHU and Beulah Heights, it now emphasizes the importance of studying the Bible and teaching students how to use their faith and beliefs in any field where they work. Students have the option of attending workshops and other events on the campus to learn more about the Bible and Christian beliefs. The university welcomes Christian students from other denominations and requires that incoming students agree to follow its honor code and rules of conduct. Beulah Heights University offers both online and traditional degree programs today.
Beulah Heights University Accreditation Details
BHU does not have regional accreditation but does have national accreditation, which comes from the Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE). ABHE is an organization that accredits religious schools. The lack of regional accreditation may concern some students because it may prevent them from getting government financial aid. BHU does not have specialty accreditation for its degree programs either.
Beulah Heights University Application Requirements
The Post-Graduate Committee at BHU is responsible for looking over applications and accepting new students. This committee established its own list of requirements that students must meet before enrolling in its online Doctor of Ministry program. Students must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. They must also have a Master of Ministry or an equivalent degree. The university will only accept students who maintained a grade point average of at least 3.0 in a graduate program. It asks for official transcripts to see students' grades and the classes they took.
BHU also requires that doctoral students have at least three years of ministry experience. Students must spend three or more years working in the field after completing a graduate degree. Based on a student's application, the university may waive this requirement. Doctor of Ministry students will also submit three letters of recommendation or the contact information for three references. While they can list their pastors and religious leaders, the university wants references who can speak to the student's character and his or her ability to study at the post-graduate level.
The only other requirement is the submission of an academic paper that shows the student has strong research and writing skills. International students will need to submit a TOEFL score or a score from a similar exam to demonstrate their English language skills. Beulah Heights University may contact some students and ask them to complete an interview also. Students must digitally sign the application and agree to follow the rules of conduct established by the university, even if they enroll in an online program.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Doctor of Ministry candidates pay $487 per credit hour for all the classes that they take. They will pay this same rate for any classes that they take when working on their dissertations. The university also charges a $500 fee each year that includes all the fees that students face. This allows them to use all the resources available from the university both online and off.
The most common type of aid that these students use to pay their costs is a loan. Graduate and doctoral students can use unsubsidized loans. The interest charged on those loans begins building up as soon as the university disperses the funds. Students have the option of making payments on those loans before they finish their studies. BHU offers a net price calculator that students can access online. This calculator lets them enter information to see how much the university will charge them each year or each semester. Beulah Heights will also work with students receiving military benefits or help from their employers.
Online Doctor of Ministry
Students who want to work as pastors and missionaries or in leadership positions within their churches can gain the skills and knowledge that they need through the Beulah Heights University Doctor of Ministry program. This program emphasizes the importance of learning from others. The university expects students to work with their peers and learn from others who have more or less experience than they do.
BHU provides new students with an outline that shows them how they can earn their degrees in three years. This outline lets them know which classes they should take each semester and each year. Students will take two classes during the fall and spring semester in their first years and an elective over the summer semester. All students will take a class called Doctor of Ministry Orientation and Assessment. This course goes over what the university expects of students and assesses their skills. Based on how well students do in this class, they may need to take some lower level classes. Students can take a similar assessment class to ensure that they can handle working online before starting the program.
Students will take three required classes and two electives during the second year too. Executive Coaching for Transformational Ministry is a course that focuses on the teaching students how to work in ministry positions. Holistic Mission: Evangelism, Justice and Mercy Ministries with Global Awareness is another required class that focuses more on working on a local level with an eye towards global issues.
This online ministry program teaches students more about how they can work with their parishioners and how to handle the needs and issues of a religious organization. During their final year, students will work on their dissertations over both the fall and spring semesters. They have the chance to work with both their instructors and their peers. They will then submit and present their work at the end of the year. Beulah Heights University allows doctoral candidates to transfer up to three classes worth nine credits into this program.