The United Methodist Church Course of Study (COS) is a General Board of Higher Education and Ministry-Division of Ordained Ministry prescribed educational process that:
In order to attend the Course of Study School, you must:
Please note that the cost per course will total $350 plus $45 per calendar year for the student technology fee. Books are not included in these fees.
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.
The seminary expects that students will attend all classes. Each faculty member weighs class attendance and participation differently in determining a grade, depending on the needs and structures of the course. How attendance and participation is weighed will be specified in the syllabus for each course. Students should not miss more than 20% of the class sessions.
Attendance to live online synchronous sessions is mandatory and should meet 5 hours per weekend.
Course of Study Schools will use letter grades A, B, C, D, or F. If, for personal or family reasons, a student has to drop out of a course before completing it, an “Administrative Withdrawal” may be given.
Incomplete grades that are not resolved within 60 days will be recorded as an F. An F or Administrative Withdrawal grade will remain on the transcript even if the course is retaken and passed.
Grade reports will be sent to the Division of Ordained Ministry, the annual conference, and (in the case of the extension schools) the Regional COS Director. The deadline for grades will be 60 days after the completion of class sessions.
Courses with fewer than six students will be cancelled. In the event that a course is cancelled, all students will be notified and directed to an alternative course.
Spring, summer, and fall sessions will be fully online. Courses will be cancelled if we do not have a minimum of 6 students registered. Pre-course readings will be available after the registration deadline for each session and one month before classes start. Students must be registered to access Moodle.
All students should have completed COS 121 and COS 122 as pre-requisite before taking any other course.
Registration will open on December 1, with registration deadlines varying according to session.
New students must submit registration form, fees, and District Superintendent and/or Local Pastor approval in a timely manner. Students will receive their login information via email once all paperwork is received. They will be officially registered for classes and have access to course-related material via Moodle prior to the course beginning.
| Online Session Dates | Synchronous* (5 hours per weekend) | Asynchronous (5 hours per week) | Courses | Registration Deadlines |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring April 5 -20 | April 5-6 April 19-20 | April 8-12 April 15-18 | 121, 221, 321, 421, 521 | February 23, 2024 |
| Summer I July 12-27 | July 12-13 July 26-27 | July 15-19 July 22-25 | 122, 222, 322, 422, 522 | May 31, 2024 |
| Summer II August 9-24 | August 9 -10 August 23-24 | August 12-16 August 19 – 22 | 123, 223, 323, 423, 523 | June 28, 2024 |
| Fall October 4-19 | October 4-5 October 18-19 | October 7-11 October 14-17 | 124, 224, 324, 424, 524 | August 23, 2024 |
*Attendance to live online synchronous sessions is mandatory and should meet 5 hours per weekend.
Time adjustments for Fridays and Saturdays are flexible, as long as all of the students and the instructor in the class agree to any change.
We recommend that you use a PC running Windows 10 or MAC running OS 10.14 (Mojave) or newer. If you do not have a computer, it is possible (but less than ideal) to use a tablet or phone (Android or iOS). You must be able to wirelessly connect to secure networks (using WPA2-Enterprise). Note: Chromebooks cannot connect to our network.
You will need to install the following software on your device:
In order to be able to stream video portions of your class, you need access to a high-speed internet connection with a minimum bandwidth of 8 Mbps or the ability to stream video on your tablet/phone. We recommend using Google Chrome to connect to the internet.
You will be participating in video meetings for portions of your classes. We recommend that you use headphones with a built-in microphone during these meetings. If you have a laptop computer or tablet, you could use the built-in speakers and microphone, but the sound quality is poor and other people in the meeting may not be able to hear you well. If you have a desktop computer, you probably do not have a microphone or speakers.
You will need a webcam to participate in the video portions of your courses. Most laptops have a built-in camera, but desktops often do not.
At a minimum, students should be able to perform these basic computer literacy skills:
Garrett COS courses use Moodle for posting assignments, turning in homework, and other course-related activities. You can access Moodle from courses.garrett.edu. You can also install the Moodle app on your Android or iOS device.
Teams is the video conferencing software currently supported by Garrett. You will use Teams when your class meets, when you need to get together virtually with classmates, and for other COS-related gatherings.
