Non-degree study at Wesley Theological Seminary

• a graduate certificate program that can be completed in 12-15 months 
• offered for Master level credit, so these credits may be applied to a future graduate degree
• fully online with two, one-week intensives 
• well suited for both lay people or those seeking deacon ordination in the UMC
• available to degree and non-degree students
• non-residential, so available to those already working in this area of advocacy work or ministry wherever you are based

Certificate requirements:

Note: Recommendations are not required for non-degree applications.

1. Order your official transcripts from all your previous undergraduate and graduate schools. 

• Send e-transcripts to JaNice Parks at admissions@wesleyseminary.edu
• Send paper transcripts to:

            Wesley Theological Seminary
            Office of Admissions
            Attn: Transcripts
            4500 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
            Washington, DC 20016

2. Prepare your resume, which you need to upload in the online application. 

3. Get your credit or debit card ready to pay the $60 application fee. 

4. Create your account to begin your application. Select "non-degree" from the menu list.

If you need assistance with your username or password for the application, contact the Admissions Office at 202-885-8659 or admissions@wesleyseminary.edu.

An Education that Makes a Difference in Your Ability to Make a Difference in the World

Learn about the intersection of religion and public engagement.

Earn a certificate in faith and public life.

Wesley Theological Seminary serves current and future Christian leaders. Our students are aspiring professionals and young people yearning for a voice in the public square – to be a public witness.

Join us and gain a strong foundation for a life of service, advocacy and meaning by better understanding the role of religion in public discourse.

Thought-provoking, Important Coursework

The courses you will take at Wesley will explore traditional and contemporary Christian ideas about God, humanity, and the world with an emphasis on public policy and politics. Examine the relationship between the Christian community and the pluralistic, complex world it inhabits.

The classes will familiarize you with the sources and debates Christians draw on in order to form their public witness. You will better understand the landscape of Christian political action and how that action draws on the deep resources of Christian traditions. And you will learn about the diverse forms of communal witness Christians are engaged in around the U.S.

Complete your certificate in just a year.

Non-Degree Certificate Requirements:

• • Paradigms and Practices of Public Theology (3 credits)
  • Foundations for Public Theology (3 credits)
  • Elective (2 or 3 credits)
  • Elective (2 or 3 credits)
  • Public Theology Capstone (3 credits)

Note: Recommendations are not required for non-degree applications.

1. Order your official transcripts from all your previous undergraduate and graduate schools. 

• Send e-transcripts to JaNice Parks at admissions@wesleyseminary.edu
• Send paper transcripts to:

            Wesley Theological Seminary
            Office of Admissions
            Attn: Transcripts
            4500 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
            Washington, DC 20016

2. Prepare your resume, which you need to upload in the online application. 

3. Get your credit or debit card ready to pay the $60 application fee. 

4. Create your account to begin your application. Select "non-degree" from the menu list.

If you need assistance with your username or password for the application, contact the Admissions Office at 202-885-8659 or admissions@wesleyseminary.edu.

There are two ways to experience the NCES program: Spring Semester or One-week May term. Learn more here.

To learn more about the Certificate in Christian Studies click here.

To learn about the Theological Studies in US Contexts Certificate click here.

Explore Lay Academy & Certification by clicking here.

Non-degree applications should be submitted for the following categories:

• Academic credit for those not pursuing a degree
• Academic credit for UM Studies (for current students at partnership schools):
  • Eastern Mennonite Theological Seminary
  • Moravian Theological Seminary
  • Pfeiffer University
  • Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
  • Princeton Theological Seminary
  • Union Presbyterian Theological Seminary

Note: Recommendations are not required for non-degree applications.

1. Order your official transcripts from all your previous undergraduate and graduate schools. Partnership school applicants need only to have a letter of good standing from your registrar.

• Send e-transcripts to JaNice Parks at admissions@wesleyseminary.edu
• Send paper transcripts to:

            Wesley Theological Seminary
            Office of Admissions
            Attn: Transcripts
            4500 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
            Washington, DC 20016

2. Prepare your resume, which you need to upload in the online application. 

3. The $60 application fee is payable by credit or debit card. Partnership school applicants need to enter the code received from your school official.

4. Create your account to begin your application. Select "non-degree" from the menu list.

If you need assistance with your username or password for the application, contact the Admissions Office at 202-885-8659 or admissions@wesleyseminary.edu.

Non-degree students may apply for entry to the M.Div., M.A., or M.T.S. degree programs by completing the respective full application process. If recommended by the Admissions Committee for entry, you may apply a maximum of nine hours credit from your non-degree student period toward the degree. Some degree applicants may be admitted into the non-degree student status because of an incomplete application for degree status.

Continuing Education Units (CEU) :

Many professional church staff and clergy are required to obtain CEUs on an ongoing basis throughout their career. The same courses that are available for audit may also be taken for CEUs. Wesley also offers the comprehensive series of courses required for ordination within The United Methodist Church per the 2008 Book of Discipline.

Please note: Courses taken for CEUs will not earn graduate-level credit and cannot be applied toward a Master's degree at Wesley.

Tuition:

$100 per CEUƗ

Ordained clergy, diaconal ministers, or full-time lay denominational employees may enroll in regular semester courses and receive Continuing Education Units.

Ɨ For billing purposes, one semester hour equals 1.5 Continuing Education Units (CEUs).

How to Apply:

Apply and register as a "New Continuing Education student" with this form: Click here

Returning Continuing Education students, please use WesleyWeb to login and register: https://www.wesleyseminary.edu/my-wesley/.

Questions? Email admissions@wesleyseminary.edu

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.

1. Students must be admitted for study through the admissions office. Non-degree applicants who wish to audit a class should contact the Office of Admissions by email admissionsteam@wesleyseminary.edu or by phone at (202)885-8659.
2. Tuition for courses taken for audit is $100 per credit hour. Alumni may audit 1 course per academic year at no charge. Please note: Courses taken for audit will not earn graduate-level credit and cannot be applied toward a masters degree at Wesley.

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. 

Questions? Contact the Office of Admissions by email admissions@wesleyseminary.edu or by phone at (202)885-8659.