Program Description
This highly flexible Bachelor of Arts in Christian Studies (BACS) program is a 60-unit professional degree designed to be completed in 2-years of full-time study. Courses can be offered through various venues such as live residential instruction, streaming for distance students, or may be completed entirely by syllabus-textbook instruction at your own pace. In addition, there are times when courses may be a hybrid of distance and residential. This flexible program has no residency requirement.
The program offers a broad foundation drawing from the classical Christian tradition characterized by Augustine, Anselm, and Aquinas, for ministry and teaching involving theology, church history, biblical studies, apologetics, religion, and elective courses.
The VIU program provides undergraduate instruction for those seeking to be involved in church and/or missionary related ministry, teaching at the elementary and high school level, and to those who seek to pursue a graduate degree in the future. Additional teaching credentials may be required.
Program Objectives
- To describe the basic contents and message of each Old and New Testament book.
- To describe the basic doctrines of Christianity and the major events of church history.
- To describe and defend an understanding of the Christian worldview, especially as it relates to other philosophical worldviews and religions.
FLEX Degree Completion Program for Mature Students
The FLEX degree completion program is designed for students with prior college credit but do not possess a Bachelors degree. Mature students without college credit, but who have prior learning are also encouraged to apply. Applicants may seek Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) that may be evaluated through Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) for a fee. Those with sufficient prior learning must demonstrate their knowledge by completing an undergraduate exam(s) administered by VIU covering the various block areas of study within the BACS program such as Religion and Culture, Theology, and Biblical Studies. Successful completion of the exam(s) would result in the award of up to 18 semester credits per block. Sometimes there may be more than one exam for a given block of courses.
Admission Requirements
The academic prerequisite for admission to this degree program is a high school diploma, GED or equivalent with a minimum GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale. The BACS degree program calls for students who demonstrate a potential for ministry, a faithful commitment to the Word of God, a heart for Christian service, and the personal discipline necessary to complete degree requirements. No prior earned undergraduate credit is necessary to begin the BACS.
Program Requirements
Each student is required to successfully complete the 60-unit (or more if needed) program with a GPA of 2.0 or better and be recommended by the faculty for graduation. In addition, a minimum of 12 semester units must be successfully completed through VIU courses. These 60 units of VIU courses are designed to be added to an earned associate degree with a minimum of 15 general education units previously earned at another institution. Cumulatively, the BACS is 120 units when combined with previously earned general education (i.e. 31 units)/elective units (i.e. 29 units that may be taken at another institution or at VIU). However, prior to the award of the VIU BACS degree, at least 31 units of general education courses must be completed at another institution; any courses above these 31 units of general education may be taken at VIU as electives if needed and will be added to the 60 units of required courses fulfilled at VIU. See the Application for Admission for further requirements.
Transfer Credit
Students may transfer into the program up to 108 semester units previously earned at VIU or another institution. These units may be transferred at any time by sending official academic transcripts to the VIU Registrar. Only comparable courses (not specifically vocational or technical) that are 100 level and higher with a grade of C- or better, are eligible for transfer. VIU also accepts A.C.E. transcripts, CLEP and AP exams for alternative credit. Additional admission requirements are found in the VIU Academic Catalog and on the Application for Admission.
Mode of Delivery and Time to Complete
The BACS program is fulfilled through distance-learning format without a residency requirement. Though not mandatory, students may register for optional on-campus undergraduate courses and/or graduate courses. In the case of graduate enrollment as an undergraduate student, the student would receive a syllabus appropriate for undergraduate coursework.
A typical distance-learning course may include:
1) Reading assignments
2) Discussion posts/responses
3) Research paper
4) Exam and/or quizzes
5) Courses will be offered in residence and by live streaming. Some courses may be
syllabus/texbook based and completed at your own pace without residency requirement.
Courses may also be a hybrid of live residential instruction and distance completion at your
own pace.
Students will have three enrollment periods to register for Fall, Spring, and Summer semester courses. Fall and Spring semester’s terms is 15-weeks in length (see schedule below). Summer terms are either 7 or 10-weeks which are determined by the student. Courses may be completed in any order (only biblical language courses have prerequisites, e.g. Greek I must be completed prior to Greek II). Coursework must be submitted to your instructor by the published syllabus course end date. Students will have a maximum of 7-years to complete the VIU portion BACS program. After that time, students may have to fulfill additional courses work consistent with the current Academic Catalog.
Course Enrollment Periods
Students may register for Fall, Spring and Summer courses during open enrollment period immediately prior to the semester. 12 units is considered full-time enrollment. In addition, special arranged courses may be requested if needed. Additional fees apply (see Tuition and Fees section of this Catalog).
Fall Semester – 15-weeks
Spring Semester – 15-weeks
Summer Semester – 7 or 10-weeks
Program Content
General Education and Electives – 60 units (31 of these units should be general education courses that are transferred from another institution to VIU. An additional 29 units of assorted elective courses may be transferred to VIU as well, or you may complete these elective units at VIU if needed. In North American higher education, general education courses are required for all B.A./B.S. degrees. Students may transfer these courses to VIU from another accredited institution or complete them at another institution while attending VIU.
Transferrable undergraduate general education courses must be distributed as follows:
1) College-level (typically listed as 100-400 level), not remedial or preparatory.
2) “General” in nature, not specifically vocational or technical.
3) Passed with a grade of C– or better.
At least 31 units of course credit in the following six content areas must be completed:
- Communications (6 units)
- Mathematics (3 units)
- Science (4 units)
- Social and Behavioral Science (3 units)
- Humanities (3 units)
- Creative and Fine Arts (3 units)
*Choose 9 additional units from the six content areas above.
Creative/Fine Arts & Humanities
- Art Appreciation
- Music Appreciation
- Theatre Appreciation
- Literature
- Philosophy
- Ethics
- Physical Education
- Foreign Language
Science & Mathematics
- Life Science (Biology)
- Physical Geography
- Astronomy
- Health Science
- College Mathematics
- Statistics
Social & Behavioral Sciences
- History of World Civilization
- Cultural Anthropology
- Human Behavior and Mental Processes (Psychology)
- Sociology
- Government
- Economics
Additional General Studies/Liberal Arts Courses
- To gain a broad understanding of God’s world, these should not be technical or vocational courses, but may include general courses such as Business Administration, Accounting, Personal Finance, Computer Science, or Engineering.
Christian Studies – 60 units (completed at VIU)
Religion and Culture – 18 units
AP301 Christian Apologetics (3)*
PH301 Survey of Philosophy (3)
RE304 World Religions (3)*
PH302 Critical Thinking/Logic (3)*
RE305 Cults and New Religious Movements (3)
FC410 Gospel and Culture (3)*
Theology – 18 Units
TH301 Philosophical Theology (3)
TH320 Bible Study Methods and Interpretation (3)
TH330 Bibliology (3)*
TH440 Christ and the Holy Spirit (3)
TH460 Sin and Salvation (3)
TH470 Church and Last Things (3)
Biblical Studies and Church History – 18 Units
OT/NT400s Book Study (3)* or Biblical Language course (3)*
OT310 Old Testament Survey (3)*
NT320 New Testament Survey (3)
CH480 Church History I (3)*
CH490 Church History II (3)*
Biblical Studies Elective (3)
Ministry – 6 Units
ME401 Missions and Evangelism (3)
PM302 Christian Leadership (3)
Electives – If needed, electives may be completed at VIU by choosing no more than 29 units of elective courses from this list to round out your 120 required units.
*Denotes courses you may attend in residence alongside graduate students at the Albuquerque
campus and may be applied as advanced standing to your VIU MA or MDiv degree program.
**Advanced Standing Courses.
Contact the Registrar with any questions, [email protected]
