Experience the Distinctives
- Courses are highly collaborative and blend face-to-face and online work within winter and summer semesters
- Spiritual Formation retreats and professional development seminars are woven throughout the five-year program
- Past experience is valued and may qualify for credit for required supervised ministry
- Students contribute to the ongoing shape of the program through a Student Program Team, special Q&A sessions with both the dean and the student's academic advisor, and frequent evaluation opportunities
- On-campus Intensives include numerous meals with faculty
- Six semesters of supervised ministry in a Teaching Church
- Yearly cohort of new students carefully selected for success in distance learning
- Preparation Day on campus each spring where new students meet current students and discover the program first hand
Course Design
Western's program is designed for those adults who are seeking a Master of Divinity degree. Only students admitted into the program are eligible to enroll in courses.
Western's program is designed for asynchronous learning with an occasional real-time chat or conference call. Students work most often within the time frame of 1-2 week units. This allows a student to create their own individual schedule for completing assignments while keeping the whole class together within a set time frame for collaborative work.
Message boards are a regular part of each course and often students work collaboratively on course assignments. Effective communication and a commitment to collaborative learning are important for success in this type of distance program.
On-Campus Intensive
Winter and summer semesters include a required two-week on-campus Intensive. This allows for fifty percent of course time to be conducted in a face-to-face residential setting. Each January and May Intensives begin on a Sunday evening with dinner together. Each day begins with breakfast together and the community breaks each morning for worship and fellowship. Students will begin early in their M.Div. program to participate in worship by reading scripture or assisting with the worship liturgy.
Lodging and travel to Holland, Michigan, are not included in the cost of the program and are the responsibility of the student.
The seminary will assist in locating housing options for the intensives, but students are responsible for the cost of housing and meals while on campus (other than breakfast).
Textbooks can be purchased from the seminary bookstore.
New Student Preparation
Western seeks to ensure the best start for each new student. The process begins with a special Preparation Day.
Invitation only preparation day
This event is held on campus during the May Intensive and begins with dinner Thursday evening for all current and newly admitted students. This evening is devoted to building relationships. Student conversations are the focus as newly admitted students learn directly from current students about their real experience in the program. Spouses are strongly encouraged to attend.
The preparation continues on Friday with a day filled with information about the program and opportunities to get to know seminary leaders and the distance learning team. The day concludes with lots of time for Q&A and time to browse the bookstore.
Preparation Materials
New students receive a notebook of material with a vital check list for each action item required in order to be ready to begin the first semester courses.
A laptop purchase program is offered to each new student where a laptop fully adequate for the five-year program may be purchased through a payment plan with the seminary.
Online Modules
New student preparation concludes with online modules created within the program's learning management software (ANGEL). These are designed to give students the experience needed for successfully navigating and communicating within an online course.