Continuing Education for Lifelong Learners
Searching for additional opportunities for personal theological enrichment at Wesley? Lay people and congregants at churches (as well as synagogues and mosques) throughout the Washington, D.C. area can benefit from non-degree course taught by Wesley faculty and lecturers in all areas of theological study.
Wesley offers non-credit courses to the general public. This academic opportunity is designed for those with no previous bachelor degree or theological training.
Courses are conveniently held on Friday afternoons and Saturdays, and take place no more than once a month. Each class consists of two weekends along with pre-course assignments.
Students who complete six such classes will receive a Certificate in Christian Studies.
The cost per course is $350 with a one-time $50 registration fee.
Admission information, registration forms and course schedules are posted on the Certificate in Christian Studies main page.
Please note: Courses in the Certificate in Christian Studies program will not earn graduate-level credit.
For United Methodist students and church professionals seeking certification for specialized ministry through The United Methodist Church, Wesley Theological Seminary is approved to offer courses in Christian education, youth ministry and evangelism.
Required courses in theology, Bible and United Methodist Studies will be offered once a year on a rotating schedule while electives for each specialties will be offered as part of the regular course offerings. Students must be admitted as either a degree candidate or non-degree student through the admissions office.
Additional information is available from the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry.
Please note: Courses taken for UM Certification may be applied as electives toward a masters degree at Wesley for students already enrolled in a program.
Nearly all of Wesley's courses for masters students may be audited.
The technical status for an auditor is as a "listener," one who is not required to participate in classroom discussions nor complete assignments. Only class attendance is required.
Students must be admitted for study through the admissions office. Registration may be completed via paper form submitted to the registrar's office. Fee schedule and payment information may be found in the Wesley catalog.
Course schedules are posted on the registrar's office course schedules page as they become available. For more detailed information about becoming an auditor at Wesley, visit the Continuing Education micro-site's general registration information page (also linked in the menu on the right).
Please note: Courses taken for audit will not earn graduate-level credit and cannot be applied toward a masters degree at Wesley.
The Course of Study program is available to United Methodist students who are local pastors currently serving a congregation. Courses are held during a four-week period each summer, or on designated weekends throughout the year in the Weekend COS program.
Admission and registration information may be found at the Course of Study main page or on the Weekend COS page. Please note: Courses in the Course of Study program will not earn graduate-level credit.
Wesley Ministry Network strengthens the ministries of churches around the world by offering adult educational materials that make accessible the best of contemporary Christian scholarship.
Its DVD-based courses address a variety of issues, including the relationship between religion and science and why Christianity makes sense in the 21st century. Courses are designed for small groups but are also appropriate for pastors seeking self-study opportunities.
WMN now offers many of its courses online, in partnership with the Institute for Discipleship. WMN also recently released courses on Methodist history, doctrine, and evangelism for use in pastor training. More information about courses can be found on the WMN website and information about online courses can be found at the Be A Disciple site.
