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About NOBTS
…About life and ministry in New Orleans… What is New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary? NOBTS is a entity of the Southern Baptist Convention and is given significant funding by the Cooperative Program. Our faculty members subscribe to the Articles of Religious Belief and the Baptist Faith and Message 2000. NOBTS offers associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees as well as certificate ministry training programs, all designed to prepare God-called men and women for Christian ministry. Classes meet on the New Orleans campus as well as our many extension centers in Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, Alabama and Florida. Why is the seminary in New Orleans? Many requests were made throughout the nineteenth century for a Baptist school to be established in New Orleans. Following unanimous SBC approval in 1917, the institute opened its first session in October 1918. Since then, the seminary has played a major role in reaching the lost in New Orleans by not only equipping ministers for service, but sending out evangelism teams each semester, hosting “Camp Nola” (a summertime day camp for children in the Gentilly area), bringing missionaries to work, pray and spread the gospel through Mission Lab, and cleaning up damaged areas on the Anniversary of Katrina. Is NOBTS accredited? NOBTS is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The Graduate program is also accredited by the Association of Theological Schools. Our music programs are also accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music. How many students attend NOBTS? The seminary’s total student enrollment is about 3,500, making NOBTS among the largest seminaries in the world. The three home states represented by the most students are Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida. When do classes meet? Undergraduate classes meet for 3 hours each day of the week in block classes. Other classes meet for 1.5 hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Each class meets for 16 weeks, equaling a semester. Graduate classes vary – there are Monday only, Tuesday/Thursday, Wednesday/Friday, Tuesday-Thursday, Tuesday-Friday and evening classes on Tuesday and Thursday. Academic Workshops, lasting one to five days, are also offered throughout the year. NOBTS also offers 4 two-week summer terms. Each class generally meets daily for 2-4 hours for two weeks. Weekend courses are occasionally offered in the following manner: Friday/Saturday; Saturday only Can I take online classes? Yes, online classes are offered every semester and during the summer. The 07-08 cost for a SBC student is $215 per credit hour. These courses are designed primarily for off-campus students that do not have easy access to the campus. On-campus students must be taking 9 hours or more (not including online class or Directed Study) to enroll in online classes. Keep in mind that only 30 hours of online classes will count toward obtaining a degree. How do I go about becoming a student? You can request a catalog and application by: Email: enlistment@nobts.edu Phone: 1.800.662.8701 Internet Request Form: http://www.nobts.edu/Enlistment/CatalogRequest.html The application requirements are as follows:
* Note that the Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Counseling requires a minimum GPA of 2.75, specific GRE scores (see pg 67 in 07-08 catalog for scale) and an interview How do I know what degree I need? Click this link to match your calling to a degree. When is the application deadline? Applications must be sent in at least 30 days prior to the date that you wish to enroll. If you have been divorced or are an international student, you must submit your application at least 60 days prior. What type of financial assistance is available? There is limited financial aid available from the seminary for incoming first year students. Please contact the office of Student Enlistment for more information. The Financial Aid Office can also provide you with a list of sources outside the seminary. Once a student has been enrolled for one semester they are eligible to apply for seminary grants. What types of financial assistance do you accept? NOBTS does not accept federal or state financial aid (No FASFA, TOPS, HOPE, Stafford Loans, Pell Grant). However, NOBTS does accept GI BILL and VA benefits Is a tuition payment plan available? NOBTS uses the FACTS tuition payment plan. The cost for a FACTS agreement is $25. You make a 20% down payment of the total tuition cost and the remaining balance is divided into four equal payments. This amount will be drafted monthly from your bank account or charged to your credit card. Is there a discount if my spouse is also a student? If the spouse of a full-time student enrolls at the seminary, they enroll for half tuition. Is campus housing available? Yes – the seminary has dorm rooms and apartments available to students. Prices range from $190 for a semi-private dorm room to $655 for a four bedroom apartment. Housing is assigned based on marital status and number of children in the household. Housing assignments are made in the order requests are received, and as space is available. Are pets allowed? No animals of any kind (except aquarium and small caged pets) are allowed in seminary-owned student housing units. Dogs, cats and ferrets are not considered to be small caged pets. No pets including aquariums and small caged pets are allowed in the dorms. Do I need to purchase a meal plan for the cafeteria? No – in fact, there is no set meal plan. The cafeteria is open for breakfast and lunch Tuesday through Friday. Daily specials are offered and individuals pay as they go through the line at each meal. The café, located in the Hardin Student Center, is open 7 am to 5:30 pm Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and 7 am to 7 pm Tuesday and Thursday. Deli style sandwiches, hot soups, and salads as well as bagels, muffins, cookies and Krispy Kreme donuts are served. Is chapel required? Do I have to own a computer? No – the seminary has an Information Technology Center (ITC) with computers available for student use. Is the campus safe? The NOBTS campus is one of the safest urban campuses in the country. The campus is patrolled 24 hours a day by Campus Police. …About life and ministry in New Orleans… Is it really safe to visit the city? Like any major city, there are some places that are quite safe and others that may be dangerous. It is usually not difficult to learn where to go and where not to go. If you are unsure, always ask around before you go. Where will my children go to school? The seminary operates a preschool for children age 6 weeks to school age. There are several public schools in the area where seminary children attend. There are also quite a few private schools. The Dean of Students Office has information on all of the area schools. NOBTS also has a very strong home schooling program. How can I find a local ministry position? One of the greatest services the seminary offers to incoming students can be found in the Church Minister Relations Office. The CMR Office connects both current students and alumni with churches looking for ministers. You will want to give them your résumé so that they will be able to match you with a local church. Are there any para-church organizations in New Orleans? Yes – more than you can imagine. The seminary works with local churches, Operation Noah, the Rachel Sims Baptist Mission, the Baptist Cross Roads Project, the Baptist Friendship House, the Brantley Baptist Center, Global Maritime Ministries, and Creative Ministries, (just to name a few) to minister and meet the needs of the people of New Orleans. Are there any on-campus jobs available? Offices on campus do hire students and student spouses both full and part time. Applications are available in the business office. Are there any off-campus jobs available? A listing of employers desiring to hire seminary students can be found on the Financial Aid website as well as outside the Financial Aid office on the job board. If you don’t see your question answered here, please contact us directly at 504-816-8100 ext. 3303 |
For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
Romans 5:19 (NIV)
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