Luther Rice College and Seminary is a small college in Georgia that is conservative in nature. Founded as the Luther Rice Seminary in 1962, its first campus opened in Jacksonville, Florida. Robert Gee Witty, one of the five pastors behind the foundation of the school, noticed that pastors could not further their education because they had families at home. These men also noted that future pastors had issues starting their careers because there weren't any local schools that catered to them. This seminary opened and offered the courses that prepared students for working as pastors and the programs necessary for already working pastors. Those students had the chance to attend school without leaving their families and loved ones behind.
After adding more degree programs to the seminary's curriculum, the school added the word college to its name. It added distance learning programs to its curriculum too that allowed students to take classes through the mail and earn degrees without leaving home. That distance education program is now the college's online program. You can complete almost any program the college offers online. Luther Rice College remained in Jacksonville for a number of years before moving to Atlanta, Georgia in the early 1990s. Its enrollment today includes nearly 500 undergrads and just over 800 graduate and doctoral students.
Luther Rice Accreditation Details
Luther Rice is one of many religious institutions of higher learning located across the country that sought accreditation from religious organizations rather than traditional accrediting agencies. It has accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of the Association for Biblical Higher Education, which has approval and recognition from both the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and the United States Department of Education. The college does not need approval from the state's department of education because of a federal law that exempts religious organizations from that type of approval. Though the college does not have regional accreditation, you can still use federal student aid and funds to pay for your education.
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Luther Rice Application Requirements
This college and seminary makes it easy for students to apply because it offers just one application for all students. Whether you want to start an undergrad or graduate program, you'll use the same one. The application asks you if you ever applied to the college before and then for the program you want to study. You'll enter different information based on the program. This application includes a section that asks for personal data such as your social security number, date of birth and current address. Each of the following sections will ask for different types of information, including where you went to high school or college, if you finished a degree and if you took any of the standardized tests. You'll also need to provide information about the church that you attend and your religious beliefs as well.
The college asks that you pay a $50 fee when you finish your application and that you send in transcripts from any of the schools that you previously attended. You'll also need to download the Christian Character Reference form from the site, print off a copy and have someone fill it out for you and mail it to the college. This form allows someone to speak out on your behalf and explain why you are a good fit for a religious institution. You'll also need to take the Bible Content Test online, which essentially tests your knowledge of the Bible. A poor score on this test may stop the college from accepting you.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Luther Rice College & Seminary offers two different tuition rates based on whether you take online classes or attend its main campus in Atlanta. The cost for traditional students is $238 per credit hour, but if you take classes online, you pay $270 per credit hour. With fees added in, this brings the cost up to between $809 and $905 per class. This rate applies to all the bachelor's programs the college offers. Its master's programs charge the same rate for students taking courses on its campus but lowers the rate for online students to $267 per credit hour. These rates make the school one of the more affordable private colleges in the country.
If you cannot afford the cost of attending Luther Rice, you can apply for financial aid. The college uses the FAFSA that you submit to see how much you or your family can pay and then works out a financial aid package to cover the rest. You can go online to see the aid that you'll get and to accept your package. Though the college does not offer any state aid, it does have a tuition assistance program available for those who need more help and a separate assistance program available for military students. The college recommends that you talk with your church about sponsorship opportunities that can help you pay for school too.
Psychology and Counseling
Luther Rice College and Seminary offers just two programs for those who want to major in psychology or counseling. Undergrads can major in either Religion or Biblical Studies and minor in Biblical counseling. You can enroll in the online or offline program and take both types of classes to graduate. Though you will need to take 120 credits of courses, the college will accept up to 90 credits that you earned elsewhere. Many of the graduates of this program counsel parishioners in their own churches and help them get through difficult issues such as cheating or the death of a loved one. The minor courses that you take cover the theories and methods counseling as well as working with specific groups.
The college now offers a Master of Arts in Biblical Counseling for those who have a bachelor's degree. This program not only trains you on working with different types of parishioners but can help you meet the requirements for getting a counseling license in your state. Though it typically takes 24 months to finish the program, you can earn a degree in only 18 months. The 36 credits that you take will include a practicum that lets you work with patients who need counseling as well as classes on helping skills and issues and ethics for counselors. Luther Rice College and Seminary offers this program in a traditional format as well as online format.