ORIENTATION
All
students entering the seminary are required to participate in the
orientation in the week preceding the commencement of classes. Such
orientation shall be organized by the Dean of Student Affairs. The
schedule for the orientation period will be mailed to all approved
applicants.
ADMISSION TO CLASSES
Only students
who are officially registered shall be admitted to any class. The
Certificate of Registration and receipt of payment should therefore be
presented to the respective faculty members on the first day of
classes. Any exception to this rule shall be authorized only by the
Registrar upon recommendation by the Academic Dean. In such cases, a
permit signed by the Registrar shall be presented to the concerned
professors in lieu of the proof of enrollment. The Academic Dean
should immediately be notified regarding such cases by the Registrar.
ACADEMIC STANDARD AND STUDENT LOAD
Any
student with a normal load as described in his/her course curriculum is
considered a full-time student. Students should be aware that the
stated number of units per semester are required for graduation within
the normal course schedules. Students with loads of less than the said
units should anticipate conflict of schedule with other subjects.
Overloading
is highly discouraged. Overloading is only allowed during the
students’ senior year after and upon manifesting academic proficiency
and spiritual maturity to cope with the demands of extra academic load.
SPIRITUAL FORMATION
Spiritual
Formation is a regular part of the students academic load. All
students whether part-time or full-time are required to have a
Spiritual Formation each semester. This course includes Field
Ministry, SAMA Fellowship, Chapel Service, Prayer & Fasting,
Revival Week, and Field Ministry Week. The Field Ministry requires one
hour class session per week. A minimum of 10 hours a week of church
ministry involvement (Sunday school teaching, Bible study leading,
preaching, visitation and preparation) shall be reported by the
students weekly. The Field Ministry Director or Dean of Students
shall visit the ministry location of the student for evaluation. The
students shall be graded on the basis of their ministry performance,
class session, and recommendation by the Field Supervisor/Senior Pastor.
INTERNSHIP
PTS
believes that practical experience plays a vital role in students
life. The entire training program of PTS is incomplete without an
internship experience. This course is only applied to students who are
in their last year of studies in the seminary. The student shall be
placed under the guidance of the church moderator/supervisor for a
weekly ministry, integrating the principles learned in the classroom in
an actual field work. This provide an actual Christian ministry
experience of the student in a local context for a period of time,
before leaving the seminary. This ministry involvement is further
augmented by a once-a-week meeting in the campus for one and a half
hours with Field Ministry director discussing and reflecting on their
experiences in the field.
ACADEMIC REGULATIONS
Schedule
The
school year is divided into two semesters approximately 16 weeks each.
One week is devoted to examinations for the first semester and two
weeks for the second semester. It will require a minimum of four (4)
full years to complete the 176 units for B.A. in Theology; 197 units
for BEED-ECE; 199 units for BEED-Content; and 188 units for BSCE. A
minimum of three (3) years will be required to complete the 81 units
for Master of Divinity; 111 units for B.Th. A minimum of two (2) years
to complete the M.A.ICS and M.A. Ministry with 60 units each. The
school year for all program begins in the 3rd week of June and ends in
the 3rd week of March. Thus, most students are advised to stay in the
campus to indulge in the efficient and effective study habit(see the
Academic Calendar).
Changes in class schedules are official only
when processed in the Registrar’s office. The course instructor must
sign the petition form for a course dropped after classes have begun.
Students should be aware of fines and limits on refunds assessed for
dropped courses (see Financial Information).
Class Attendance
Students
shall be present at every meeting of the class. If a student knows in
advance that he/she will be absent, prior arrangements must be made
with the instructor. Penalties for absence from class and for tardiness
may be applied by way of grade reduction or refusal of credit
depending on the circumstances and upon the judgment of the
Academic Dean and the teacher involved. Excused absences are included
in the total number of allowable absences (25% of the total number of
hours). 48 hours class sessions sum up a 3-unit course per semester.
That means, 12 hours is 25% percent allowable absences. More than
that, yields a failing grade (F). For a 2-unit course, 32 hours of
class sessions per semester is covered. Eight hours is maximum
allowable absences. However, when an absence is excused by the
instructor or academic dean, any work due may be turned in at the next
class session without loss of credit.
For a module course, a failing grade is given to students who are absent for two days.
Academic Honesty and Integrity
Every
student is expected to be honest in doing his/her paper work. Taking
credit for somebody's written work or ideas is a serious violation of
Christian standard. Submitting a paper already graded by other
instructor in the previous semester(s) is considered dishonesty.
Writing for someone else is also considered dishonesty. Any student
found cheating on a test or commits any of the offenses stated above
for the first time will be warned. If caught for the second time, the
student will be immediately terminated from the course with an "F"
grade. If student commits any of the offenses stated above for the
third time, the seminary has the right to expel the student concerned.
The instructor will notify the Dean of Students, Academic Dean,
Registrar and the student in writing to this effect.
Academic Probation
A
student is placed on academic probation if he/she fails in 25% or more
of the units he/she is taking in any semester. His registration in the
following semester shall be reduced by at least one subject which is to
be selected by the Dean. In the determination of the 25% of the units
referred to, the dropped courses shall be excluded and the grade of INC
or below 75 shall be considered a failure. Any student who fails in
two or more subjects will be recommended for dismissal in the
Seminary. Academic probation is automatically lifted if the student's
GPA in the ensuing semester is higher than 25% of the units he/she is
taking. A student who has INC in all his/her subjects for a semester
will not be admitted in the following semester.
Applicants who
failed in the entrance examination may be accepted on probationary
basis for one semester. Placement under academic probation for two
consecutive semesters shall be a ground for dismissal from the seminary.
Students on academic probation shall be allowed to enroll not more than 12 units in the current semester.
CREDIT SYSTEM
In
the course description an hour means one hour weekly during the
semester (16 weeks). If courses are given in a short term program the
hours are counted as actual hours taught divided by 16. A course taught
for two hours daily for 10 class days amount to one (1) hour as to
credit. Since the student has little time for library and other study
work the added four [4] hours are considered as adjustment for homework
time lost.
Grading Scale
An average grade of 75 out of a possible 100 is required to pass any course. Notation of grades is as follows:
A 1.0 97-100 Excellent
A- 1.25 94-96
B+ 1.50 91-93 Very Good
B 1.75 88-90
B- 2.0 85-87 Good
C+ 2.25 80-84 Satisfactory
C 2.5 78-79
C- 2.75 75-77
F Below 75
INC Incomplete Grade
WP Withdraw Passing
WF Withdraw Failing
Academic Honors
Academic honors are based on the following criteria:
SUMMA CUM LAUDE 100 - 98.0
MAGNA CUM LAUDE 97.9 - 95.5
CUM LAUDE 95.4 - 93.0
1. No grade lower than 80 on the permanent records.
2. In residence for at least two years.
3. Excellent spiritual maturity as judged by the faculty.
Transcript
of records are confidential document and will be issued only upon the
request of the student. Only a written request will be accepted. No
credentials will be issued for persons who do not have financial
clearance from the Business Office.
Change of Grade
If the student feels that he has been assigned an incorrect grade for a course, the following procedure should be followed:
1.
An appointment should be scheduled with the instructor as soon as
possible after the receipt of the official grade from the Registrar
(Notice of Academic Record).
2. Consultation with the instructor regarding his/her grade must be held before the midpoint of the next semester.
3.
If the consultation with the instructor results to a change of the
previously assigned grade, the student should secure the instructor's
signature on the form available at the Registrar's office. The
instructor must submit full supporting documents.
Incomplete Classwork
The
entry of incomplete (INC) grade may be assigned by the instructor when
it is felt that the granting of an extension of time to complete course
work or to take the final examination is warranted by the student's
circumstances. An Incomplete grade that is not removed by the midpoint
of the following semester will automatically become a grade of Fail
(F). Students with extenuating circumstances may apply for additional
time to remove a grade of incomplete. Be sure to fill up the required
forms.
Dropping
Courses dropped
after the midpoint of the semester will automatically receive the grade
of Fail (F). Courses dropped volitionally are noted as follows:
Time Period Record Entry
1st – 3rd week of the semester No entry
4th – 8th week of the semester WP or WF
After the 8th week F
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
To
graduate, all course requirements must be completed or met
satisfactorily, including research papers/ thesis and any other
stipulations laid down at matriculation. The overall average must not
be lower than 2.25. (80). Candidate must show evidence of sound
doctrinal beliefs and a life example of genuine Christian character
befitting a person called by God to spiritual leadership and witness.
All financial obligations to the seminary which are due must be paid
before the graduation.
Thesis or Research Paper
A
student enrolled in the Master of Divinity program is required to write
and defend his/her thesis. The candidate must demonstrate ability to
carry on original investigation by submitting to the Faculty a thesis
in some specific field. Deadline for submission is one week before the
Oral Defense. Thesis defense will be graded pass or fail.
Procedures for Thesis Writing
First,
the student presents a thesis proposal/prospectus to the Research
Methods instructor for approval. Once approved, the prospectus,
proposal must not be changed and it must be submitted to the Thesis
Committee. The Committee will then assign a thesis adviser to each
student writer.
Second, the student develops the prospectus in consultation with the adviser.
Third,
the student embarks in an in-depth research and works out the thesis
based on the prospectus. A thesis must have a minimum of 60 pages in
the recent accepted format with at least 30 mainbook references.
When the candidate's thesis has been accepted by the
Thesis Committee, the candidate must comply with the instructions
received from the Academic Dean with regards to the binding and
distribution of the thesis copies.
Comprehensive Examination
Comprehensive
Examination is required for all graduating students. Written
examinations are given two (2) days covering all required areas of core
study - Biblical Exegesis, Theological, Historical, and Practical
Study. Oral Examination is given one (1) day. A notice of intent to
take the Comprehensive Examination must be filed no later than the
beginning of the second semester of the school year. The written
examinations must be passed as a whole and by unanimous approval of the
Comprehensive Examination Committee or faculty. Failure on any subject
will require the student to a reexamination for the particular
subject. Permission for a second examination must be secured through
the Comprehensive Examination Committee or faculty.
The
Oral Examinations, likewise, are graded as pass or fail. In the event
of unsatisfactory performance, a student may apply to retake the Oral
Examination after consultation with and approval of the Academic Dean.
Pastoral Tour
To
provide a unique opportunity and a wider understanding of ministry, all
graduating students are required to join the two (2) days pastoral tour
as part of their exposure to different kinds of ministries in the
community.