SES' Unique Distance Education Program
The non-resident (distance) program consists of courses that are taken by way of online lectures that correspond to the same courses taken in the resident program. The program mirrors the resident schedule of courses. That is, distance students are treated and have the same access to courses as a resident student. The only exception is that the "core" classes for the M.A. programs are available each semester for a distance student, but not necessarily a resident student. A student is considered a full-time student at the graduate level when they are taking 9 credit hours in a semester. Bible College students are considered to be full-time when they are taking 12 credit hours in a semester. SES recommends that students enrolled in 9 credit hours or more per semester should not work more than 20 hours per week, students working 40 hours or more per week should not take more than 6 credit hours per semester. SES also offers 1 week modules throughout the year. Usually, 2 weeks in January, 6 weeks during the summer, and 2 weeks in the fall. These modules are an excellent opportunity for distance students to visit the campus, mingle with other students from around the country, and interact with Professors on a face-to-face basis. At SES we want to meet the students in our program. Courses for the distance learning program generally consist of:
- Recorded audio and video lectures prepared for the course by SES / SEBC professors.
- Assignments detailed in each course’s syllabus.
- Exams (if the exam requires a proctor, then the student is responsible for recruiting one).
- Interacting with professors and other students by various means.
The distance education program is available for students living outside of a 100 mile radius from the campus. Those requesting distance status who are on the borderline, or who have other special circumstances such as regular travel issues for employment, will be considered for the program during the admissions process. There are currently four degrees that can be taken through the Distance Education program: B.A. in Religious Studies, M.A.R., M.A. in Apologetics, and M.A. in Philosophy. Please reveiw the most current catalog to view the requirements for each degree.
Specific Resident Requirements by Degree Type
There are no residency requirements as such for any of the degrees offered by SES / SEBC. However, there may be classes that are needed for a degree that are only available in residence. For example, PT501 Homiletics is not available in distance education. Hence, the student will need to take this class in residence when it becomes available. Please be aware of which classes are available through distance education and which are not, as the list of available classes may change periodically.
Minimum Technology Requirements for Distance Education
The Distance Education Program employs online audio, video, and DVD video media formats for its lectures. The student will need hardware and software that meets the minimum system requirements for the following areas:
- Internet Access (High Speed strongly suggested -- with Populi it is recommended to use either: the latest edition of Safari, Firefox, or Internet Explorer)
- Email Access
- Common audio files (e.g., MP3, WAV).
- Standard DVD player for video.
- DOC, WPD, or PDF files.
Foreign Students
Non-U.S. citizens are subject to the same requirements as any other distance student. No foreign student is required to visit SES / SEBC before or during their studies, but all students (whether foreign or not) are expected to meet all course requirements for their particular degree. Thus, a foreign student may need to travel to SES / SEBC at appropriate times in order to fulfill courses that are not offered through the distance program. Foreign students should be aware of what classes will need to be taken in residence (if any) and be prepared to meet those requirements. If you need assistance in visiting SES / SEBC, then please contact one of the Deans of Students: Duke Hale (dhale@ses.edu) or Nora Hale (nhale@ses.edu).
Miami, Florida Teaching Site
Students at SES/SEBC - Miami are considered Resident Students. For more information about Miami click here.