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UMC Course of Study

We offer all 20 English COS courses in a Residential 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 at. Our residential sessions are held at Garrett-Evangelical on the campus of Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. 

The dates for the 2019 residential sessions are July 14-19 for Session I and July 21-26 for Session II.   (Please keep in mind that most classes end in the afternoon on the Friday of your session, so we recommend that you plan travel back home for Friday evening.)

The registration deadline is April 1, 2019. 

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

Registration, Tuition and Fees

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.

Application Procedure

Registration for the 2019 session will open in October 2018. To apply to the Course of Study program click on the Apply button below once registration opens to access the online registration form.

Please note that a registration fee will need to be received to complete the registration.

 

Completed applications for the Course of Study program, including the registration fee and District Superintendent & Local Pastor Registrar signatures, must be received by Apri 1, 2019.

Tuition and Fees

  • $25 registration fee per course if paid by December 2, 2018, $35 per course if paid by February 3, 2019, $55 per course if paid by April 1, 2019 (non-refundable after April 1, 2019) 

  • $210 tuition fee per course ($280 tuition fee per course for Non-Local Pastors)

  • $45 Student activity fee

  • $100 housing deposit (non-refundable after May 31, 2018) for students choosing Garrett housing accommodations 

    • Room costs range from $250-$425 per week depending on room/apartment assignment. 

  • $110 meal plan per week for students choosing Garrett on-campus housing accommodations 

Housing

If you are interested in campus housing and/or parking, you will need to fill out a separate form: COS Housing . All students interested in housing should fill out the application, even if they applied before using the regular application.  This application asks important questions about dates and parking, gives more detailed information about housing prices, and provides space for students to make their housing deposit online. For questions related to housing, please contact the Office of Residential Ministries: (847) 866-3939 or garrett.housing@garrett.edu 

 

Many annual conference Boards of Ordained Ministry help students with costs for Course of Study School. Contact your conference BOM directly to determine your annual conference policy.  

Please also review the Student Handbook.

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

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. 

Online Hybrid Learning

Each of our 20 courses are structured in an online hybrid format, with 5 classroom hours facilitated online pre-session by an instructor and 15 classroom hours faciliated face-to-face on campus during one of the July sessions. To access courses, including syllabi, you will first need to register (see Registration slide). Once registered, you will be given a username and temporary password to be able to login at the online host site.  All students, new and returning, will then be required to take a prerequisite course through the getscos.com site titled GETSCOS 101. Upon successful completion, you will then be able to access all of the online course hubs.    

Faculty

Our 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.   

Homework

Individual courses may require homework submissions as you work through online course assignments at your own pace. All final homework, however, is due June 15, 2019. Submit your homework by emailing one attachment (e.g. Word doc.) per course to your professor as well as to coshomework@garrett.edu. All written work shall use proper citation methods to avoid plagiarism (see GETSCOS 101 prerequisite course).   

Session I

Session I

July 14-19, 2019 (mandatory orientation is on the 14th, classes bring the 15th)

Course Instructor Hours Syllabi

121-E Bible 1: Introduction

123-E Formation & Discipleship

Osvaldo Vena

Barbara Javore

8-11:30 a.m.

1:30-5:00 p.m.

121-E

123-E

221-E Bible II: Torah & Israel's History

223-E Worship & Sacraments

Brooke Lester

Carol McPherson

1:30-5:00 p.m.

8-11:30 a.m

221-E

223-E

321-E Bible III: Gospels

323-E Congregational Care

Dennis Tevis

Preston Price

8-11:30 a.m.

1:30-5:00 p.m.

321-E

323-E

421-E Bible IV:Prophets,Psalms & Wisdom Lit.

423-E Mission

Brooke Lester

Patricia Efiom

8-11:30 a.m.

1:30-5:00 p.m.

421-E

423-E

521-E Bible V: Acts, Epistles & Revelation

523-E Evangelism

René Schreiner

Mark Teasdale

8-11:30 a.m.

1:30-5:00 p.m.

521-E

 

523-E

 

Session II

Session II

July 21-26, 2019 (mandatory orientation is on the 21st, classes begin the 22nd)

Course Instructor Hours Syllabi
122-E Theological Heritage I: Introduction
124-E Transformative Leadership		 René Schreiner
Steve Trefz		 8-11:30 a.m.
1:30-5:00 p.m.

122-E

124-E

224-E Administration & Polity

222-E Theol. Heritage II: Early Church

Dennis Tevis

Carol Korak

 8-11:30 a.m.
1:30-5:00 p.m.

224-E

222-E
322-E Theol. Heritage III: Medieval-Reformation
324-E Preaching

Carol Korak

Peter Civetta

8-11:30 a.m.

1:30-5:00 p.m.

322-E

324-E
422-E Theol. Heritage IV: Wesleyan Movement
424-E Ethics		 Michael Turner
Darryl Stephens		 8-11:30 a.m.
1:30-5:00 p.m.

422-E

424-E
522-E Theol. in the Contemporary Church
524-E Theol. Reflection: Practice of Ministry		 David Dault
Hwa-Young Chong		 8-11:30 a.m.
1:30-5:00 p.m.

522-E

524-E