Here are just a few of the reasons why you may want to consider ministry training by distance education through Western Seminary's Center for Lifelong Learning:

• Adult-Oriented. We treat you as an adult, expecting that you will bring a level of maturity to your studies beyond that expected of the typical college student. While we will work with you closely to help you succeed in your studies, you will need to be both self-motivated and self-disciplined in your studies.

• Flexible Scheduling.As a distance education student you can enroll at any time, study when and where you wish, and take up to 15 weeks to complete a course. WSCLL courses are designed to accommodate your life challenges and your busy schedule, not the other way around.

• Contextualized Instruction. Your courses and programs are designed to help you benefit from your own personal ministry, family and professional context. Together they provide a wonderful learning laboratory where you are able to apply today's lessons today. Moreover, we encourage you to bring your ministry concerns, problems, challenges and goals into the classroom discussions and assignments, joining with other students to address real-life issues and find real-life, Christ-honoring solutions.

• Network Stability.If you are active in ministry, you probably have a network of relationships and interests that provide you consistent and meaningful opportunities to invest yourself in the lives of other men and women. At the Center for Lifelong Learning, we strive to help you keep those networks intact and stable so that, in the application of your studies, you can see the real, practical, and immediate benefit of your educational investment among the people you care about most. And while you study, you are able to maintain your financial stability, enabling you to "pay as you go" (as much as possible) and minimize accumulated educational debt.

...At Western Seminary?

• Christ-honoring.We believe the Bible...all of the Bible. Each year Western Seminary professors affirm a clear, evangelical, and biblical Faculty Teaching Position that states the core convictions that we hold in common and which we bring to our classrooms.

• Respect for Biblical Traditions.Among its students, Western has representatives from more than 30 Christian denominations. While we are a convictionist institution with a clear teaching position, our professors respect our students and the historical biblical traditions they represent. In the classroom - both residential and distant - our professors require that students be able to clearly state and defend what they believe...not that they change their beliefs.

• Ministry-focused. At Western we strive to bring classic biblical wisdom to contemporary ministry. Western excells academically, but also seeks to ensure that lessons learned are practical with clear applications in 21st century ministry. Our faculty are practitions and scholars, with many, many years of front-line service. .

• Accredited. Western Seminary and the Center for Lifelong Learning are fully accredited by the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. Your investment in yourself will provide a strong, respected foundation for whatever your future might hold.

• Integrated Curriculum. Western Seminary has designed our programs to permit the student to incrementally address their ministry training needs. Students, for example, can take individual courses of specific interest to them, and later decide to pursue a 16-hour Graduate Studies Certificate. Then, if they wish, they can apply the hours already earned toward an expanded 30-hour Graduate Studies Diploma.

  And you aren't finished yet. Students can apply a Graduate Studies Diploma toward a 60-hour Master of Arts degree, and that toward a 90-hour Master of Divinity degree. Each step of the way, you will be able to achieve personal success while maintaining future opportunities to continue your ministry training.

  Please note, however, that programs beyond the Graduate Studies Diploma require on-campus residency. An advisor will help you understand your program options and the best way to achieve your educational and ministry objectives.