CTS Online Program Grows

Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Mich. is seeing ongoing growth in its new online, distance-learning Master of Divinity Program for the 2013-14 academic year.

CTS is enrolling 17 students for this year, which compares to  14 students who enrolled in the distance-learning program for 2012-13, the first year the computer-based curriculum was offered.

Rev. Jul Medenblik, president of the seminary, says that the ongoing interest in the online program has helped to bolster the overall number of M. Div students, from 37 for the last academic year to a projected 47 for 2013-14. There were 34 students in 2011.

“In this past year, we completed our first year of using cohorts (small groups), on-line teaching and intensive weeks of training to offer a Calvin Seminary education to people who can also work, live and minister where they are,” says Medenblik.

As part of the five-year program, students spend eight days per semester on campus at CTS. The seminary’s Diploma in Ministry is also available online.

“We continue to see great interest in this new way of providing a seminary education,” says Medenblik.

On-campus CTS students began their class work and orientation this week in a two-week program that is the “Gateway” to their seminary experience. A week before on August 19, CTS started its International Student orientation.

“At this time, we have welcomed 84 new students at Calvin Seminary,” said Medenblik. “We give thanks to God for answers to prayer. We invite your prayers for all our students."