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UMC Course of Study

Course of Study Students

Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary Celebrates
the Course of Study School 2020 Graduates

Garrett-Evangelical's COS is working with GBHEM to develop its slate of courses for Summer 2021. Registration for courses will be available no later than March 1, 2021.

We are offering COS 523: Evangelism as an online course in Spring 2021 and registration for that course is now open (see the slider under the "Courses" section of this page).

We offer all 20 English COS courses in a hybrid format, in which students engage faculty and one another through 5 hours of online learning pre-session and 15 hours in residence per course. The online classroom hours are facilitated through individual course hubs using Moodle as the learning management system. Our residential sessions are held at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary on the campus of Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. 

Please click on the individual slides below to learn more about Registration, Technology Requirements, and Coursework.  

Registration, Tuition and Fees

Information regarding registration, tuition and fees, and housing will be available by March 2021.

Admission Requirements for Course of Study

In order to attend the Course of Study School, you must:

  • Be licensed as a local pastor in the United Methodist Church (students from other denominations or programs may be admitted to the program at the discretion of the Course of Study director in consultation with your presiding elder or other denominational supervisor. If you are attending our school for the first time a copy of your License to Preach must accompany your application);

  • Be endorsed by your annual conference board of ordained ministry's registrar for local pastors;

  • Receive permission from your district superintendent and local pastor registrar. 

Technology Requirements

Minimum Technology Requirements

1.  Reliable access to a broad-band (high-speed) internet connection (e.g. DSL or cable). Modem dial-up will not work for all classroom activities).

2.  Access to an up-to-date computer and operating system, sufficient to run an up-to-date web browser (e.g. Windows 7 or 8 for Windows users, Mavericks or Yosemite for Mac users). The user should have run/installed all system-related updates.  

3.  Computer with sound and web camera (built-in or as a plug-in device) capabilities.

4.  The most up-to-date version of a Web browser (e.g. Firefox, Chrome, Safari). Internet Explorer is not recommended.

5.  Ability to work with files normal to the Microsoft Office environment, mainly *.doc/*.docx, *.ppt/*.pptx. Many students with Apple computers can manage such files with the iWork suite of applications. Students without MS Office or Apple iWork might try the freely available OpenOffice application: http://www.openoffice.org/. Finally, documents and presentations made on Google Drive can also be exported/downloaded in MS Office formats.

6.  Adobe Reader to view pdf files.

7.  For synchronous audio-visual sessions (e.g. Google Hangouts), students should plan to wear earphones or ear buds to minimize echoes and feedback.

8.  A given course *may* ask students to download and use safe, freely-available cross-platform software like Apple QuickTime or iTunes.

Courses

Spring 2021 | COS 523: Evangelism

The Course of Study School at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary will be offering COS 523: Evangelism as an online course during the Spring 2021 semester. The course will run February 3 - March 24, 2021, and will be taught in a hybrid model, with half your time spent learning asynchronously using course material provided to you by the instructor and the other half spent synchronously through live participation in webinars taught by the instructor. More information on the structure of the course can be found in the course syllabus below. Please contact cos@garrett.edu with any questions.

Course Description

Download Course Syllabus

This course introduces students to the theology and practices of evangelism as an expression of the mission of God. Students will be able to:

  1. Reflect on and articulate the meaning of the Gospel and an understanding of the Church as bearers of God’s Word to the world.
  2. Ground a theology of evangelism in scripture, the Gospel, and the mission of God.
  3. Interpret of the Wesleyan heritage of evangelism.
  4. Reflect on and implement strategies and models for evangelism by the congregation.

Registration

Registration Deadline: January 28, 2021
Registration Fee: $25

Register Now Button

A non-refundable registration fee of $25 per course is paid at the time of registration. Pastors will be given the option of inviting a lay person from their congregation to participate in the course as well at no additional cost; details will be sent after your registration is complete. An additional tuition fee will be charged at the time the course begins. Please contact cos@garrett.edu with any questions.

Course Instructors

Rev. Dr. Heather Lear

Rev. Dr. Heather Lear is the Teaching and Research Fellow at the Foundation for Evangelism. In this position, she works with the thirteen United Methodist Professors of Evangelism to develop evangelism curriculum and teaches in both academic and ecclesial settings worldwide. Prior to this, she was the director of evangelism for Discipleship Ministries of The United Methodist Church, in which her responsibilities included equipping United Methodist congregational leaders in all aspects of evangelism by providing resources, creating and maintaining networks of leaders and serving as a speaker and leader. Lear is ordained in the North Carolina Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church and, prior to her work on the national level, served as senior pastor at Fletcher’s Chapel United Methodist Church in Durham, North Carolina and as associate pastor at both Highland United Methodist Church in Raleigh, North Carolina, and Englewood United Methodist Church in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. 

Lear earned a bachelor’s degree from Boston University, a master of divinity from Duke Divinity School, and a doctor of ministry from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary.

Rev. Dr. Mark Teasdale

Rev. Dr. Mark R. Teasdale is a professor, author, and pastor who focuses on evangelism, church leadership, mission, discipleship, and Wesleyan/Methodist studies. He currently teaches at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary and has lectured at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, Southern Methodist University, and Wesley Theological Seminary. In addition, he has been privileged to consult with several local churches and denominational bodies, including the cabinet of the Methodist Church (Lower Myanmar) and the Connectional Table of The United Methodist Church.

He is the President of the Academy for Evangelism in Theological Education (AETE) and served for six years as the editor of Witness: The Journal of the Academy for Evangelism in Theological Education.

Curriculum

The Course of Study School prepares pastoral leaders for local church ministry through a 5-year, 20-course curriculum established by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry of the United Methodist Church. Normally courses are to be taken in the sequence prescribed by the curriculum. At a minimum, students are expected to take first year courses in the first year of study and fifth year courses in the final year of study. 

Faculty

Two Course of Study Faculty Members TeachingOur faculty is made up of professors from Garrett-Evangelical and other theological seminaries, as well as program staff from boards and agencies and seasoned pastors who are excellent instructors.