Formal registration is required before students can enroll in class.
Once classes begin, an additional fee is charged for late registration.
Catalog as a Contract
ATS considers this catalog to be a contract between the Seminary and the student. Both the student and the School are bound by its requirements for the maximum time limit of the student’s program of study beginning from the time the student enters the school [see Academic Program Time Limits (APTL) in the Academic Information section of the catalog]. If a student does not graduate within the prescribed APTL of entering a particular program of study, then the current catalog becomes the basis for assessing program requirements.
Orientation
A program of orientation to the Seminary is included in Research and Writing and Integrative Academic Skills. This course is offered in the first and second semester.
Course Selection
Ministry, work, or schedule conflicts do not exempt students from taking required courses. The Registrar’s Office provides each student with a program worksheet which indicates course requirements. The student should keep this current. Part-time students should concentrate on the required core subjects before taking electives. A lighter course load may produce conflicts in later semesters.
Course Load
Any student carrying 12 or more units per semester is considered a full-time student. Students should note, however, that 15 units per semester are required for graduation within suggested course schedules. A load of less than 15 units may result in conflicts in scheduling subjects. A load of more than 15 units will require the approval of the Associate Dean of the Students, the Registrar, and the head of the department to which the student’s program belongs. Experience indicates that students engaged in ministry or employment frequently underestimate the demands of seminary studies. A load of 15 units is considered by the faculty to be equivalent to 45 hours per week of study. The faculty recommends that to reduce stress over the academic year these 15 units be taken as follows:
- 12 units during first semester
- 3 units during inter-semestral module
- 12 units during second semester
- 3 units during summer module
To enable students to obtain maximum benefit from their studies, those with full-time obligations outside the Seminary will be limited to six units per semester, and those with half-time employment or ministry responsibilities will be limited to nine units per semester. The Seminary welcomes part-time students. Part-time students, however, are advised to take extra care in planning to meet the requirements for graduation.
ATS reserves the right to restrict the number of courses a student may take.
Transferring Credit
Transfer students are accepted under the same conditions as those required by ATS in each of its respective programs. Generally, transfer credits will be approved only if comparable courses are included in the curriculum of ATS, and the grade earned is not lower than a B- or 2.0. Credits applied to any previous degrees granted outside of ATS cannot be transferred to a comparable ATS degree and specialization (e.g. M.Div. Biblical Studies credits cannot be transferred to M.Div. Pastoral Studies). This also applies to the MA level. Transfer credit is given for the work previously done up to a limit of 30 units for the M.Div., 18 units for the M.A., and nine units for the Graduate Diploma level programs. These courses must have been completed within the last five (5) years from ATS-recognized schools. Any person desiring a transcript evaluation for transfer credit from recognized seminaries or graduate schools prior to matriculation should request an evaluation in writing, and submit to the Registrar a transcript and/or list of proposed courses projected for transfer. Course descriptions should also be provided.
Cross Enrolment
Students are required to seek advance approval from the Registrar when desiring to take courses in other institutions for transfer credit. No credit will be given for courses where undergraduates are mixed with graduate students.
Special Students
Special students are those who have not declared a program. They are allowed to enroll for a maximum of three semesters for not more than two subjects per semester.
Auditing Procedures
A student may audit a course but will be required to pay the regular fees. Auditors are considered regular participating students. However, they are not required to submit written assignments or take examinations.
Changes in Registration
A student desiring to make a change in registration during the first to the twelfth week should fill out a petition form, get the professor’s signature and reclaim the class card, secure the bookkeeper’s signature by paying the appropriate fee per subject changed, and return the petition form and the class card to the Registrar. The following changes can be made based upon the time of change:
- 1st to 6th week credit to audit and vice versa, with no entry of change made on Transcript of Records.
- Through the 12th week drop, with no entry of change made on Transcript of Records.
- Beyond 12th week no changes in registration can be made. If work is not acceptable, a grade of 3.0 will be assigned.
Student Classification
Student classification is determined by the number of credit units that a student has completed.
- Junior: 30 units
- Middler: 31-60 units
- Senior: 61 or more units
Changing Majors or Programs
Students wishing to transfer between degree programs or from special student status to a degree program must do so by obtaining the proper forms from the Registrar’s Office. Transfer to a different program is not allowed during the senior year.
Repetition of Courses
Students are not permitted to repeat a course for credit in which a passing grade was received. In case of a failing grade, both the failing and the subsequent grade shall stand in the student’s permanent record. The failing grade will be included in calculating the student’s overall Grade Point Average (GPA). Failure in a core course shall necessitate its repetition.
Incomplete’s
A grade of Incomplete (Inc.) will be placed in the permanent Transcript of Records when a student has a valid reason for failing to complete the requirements of a course. The Inc. grade is approved by the Associate Dean for Students only in cases such as serious illness or family emergencies. The student must file a petition with the Associate Dean before the end of the semester. Time limits for incomplete grades are as follows: first semester and inter-semestral module courses: by the end of second semester second semester and summer module courses: by the end of first semester next school year If the student fails to complete the requirements within the allowed period, a grade of 3.0 will be assigned for the course.
Withdrawal from Seminary
Students withdrawing from the Seminary during the school year must personally notify the Registrar’s Office. To be entitled to honorable dismissal from the Seminary, a student must have met all obligations to the school and have a satisfactory conduct record.
Transcript of Records
Transcript of Records are released only by the Office of the Registrar upon the written authorization of the student, and when all accounts with the Seminary have been paid. The first transcript is free, and those issued subsequently require payment of a fee, payable at the time of the request. Allow two weeks for the Registrar’s Office to process a transcript.
Note that ATS does not release personal information without the written consent of the student.
For inquiries, contact the Registrar’s Office at registrar@mail.ats.ph.