All candidates for ordination as either a deacon or elder are required to attend a United Methodist approved seminary for all or part of their education. The educational requirements for United Methodist ordination are listed below:
Elders https://www.gbhem.org/clergy/elders/becoming-2/
Deacons https://www.gbhem.org/clergy/deacons-diaconal-ministers/becoming/
There are 13 United Methodist Seminaries plus another 50+ that are approved by the University Senate. In recent years, the Great Plains UMC has students taking Master’s courses at the following seminaries:
There are many other approved seminaries in our region. A complete listing of approved schools is found here: https://www.gbhem.org/education/university-senate/list-approved-schools. Often seminaries have a “rolling admission” in which they will admit students throughout the school year. However, their “big” scholarships, which are often tied to additional leadership programming, are typically decided by late January, or earlier. Ask your seminary admissions representative about deadlines for application.
*These seminaries have online or hybrid courses that do not require relocation for degree completion. Iliff and United have programs with a cohort that comes to campus for instruction during a set time. Asbury has flexibility for students to take online courses and attend courses in Wilmore, KY or Orlando, FL for a weekend, week, or month. Online courses are only allowed at UM seminaries and Asbury where at least 1/3 of courses must be taken in person or in the hybrid classroom. MTSO offers all courses in a hybrid format – working with students so that students can lay out a schedule that allows them to fulfill the 1/3 in residence requirement through intensive courses.
**Per University Senate decision, spring 2020 classes at all University Senate-approved schools that transitioned to online education in response to COVID-19 will be treated as in-person or hybrid. Additionally, the United Methodist University Senate executive committee has voted to allow official United Methodist seminaries and non-United Methodist seminaries to offer coursework via distance learning through the end of the 2020 summer session. An announcement will be made summer 2020 regarding similar decisions related to the 2020-2021 academic year.
There are many opportunities to fund your seminary education. Each seminary offers scholarships, plus there are opportunities available here in the Great Plains UMC for anyone who is a member of a GPUMC congregation. Check out our scholarship page for the policy, amounts, and deadlines. https://www.greatplainsumc.org/boomscholarships
Additionally, the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry offers loans and scholarships to help finance your education. You can find more information here: https://www.gbhem.org/loans-scholarships/
GBHEM Scholarships are open for application between early January and early March each year. Check out more details here: https://www.gbhem.org/loans-scholarships/scholarships/
Want to learn more about seminary? Contact Rev. Ashlee Alley Crawford for questions you may have about seminary – aalleycrawford@greatplainsumc.org or 785-414-4216.
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