The Nature of External Education

In an effort to serve students who cannot attend classes on the Dallas campus, Dallas Seminary offers classes at various extension sites. Currently, DTS has five extension sites where graduate courses are offered, and two sites where doctoral courses are offered. The five master's level extension sites are located in Atlanta, Austin, Houston, San Antonio, and Tampa. The sites range in size, and course variety, offering type, and rotation directly relate to student demand. For more information on current extension sites, see http://www.dts.edu/departments/campus/es/

External Education has changed dramatically over the last several years. Travel and technology have altered the landscape and have opened the door for more variety and consistency where once large numbers of students were necessary to validate any form of external offering. Today, various options are available to students, some related to an external campus, and some not. Four primary course offering types are usually associated with external education.

Face-to-face Courses

Live, face-to-face courses offered at extension sites are identical to those offered on the Dallas campus. Since all current DTS external sites offer the Master of Arts in Biblical Studies and Certificate of Graduate Studies programs, courses are available during a two to four year scheduled rotation. These courses usually take place on the weekends and/or evenings, facilitating study for those already involved in full-time ministry or other vocations. During the fall and spring semesters, most classes can be completed in four weekends with a Friday night and all day Saturday schedule (once per month during the regular four-month semester). Summer classes follow a more intensive format, with classes generally held over four weekends, Friday night and all day Saturday, during June and July. However, depending on demand and student population, courses may be offered once a week in the evenings during the fall and spring semesters. Extension students are considered resident Dallas Seminary students for the purposes of the M.A. (BS) and C.G.S. programs.

Online Courses

DTS's online courses have the same content and credit as classes taken in the traditional classroom format. This means that students taking online courses will receive the same instruction from world-class faculty, challenging assignments, and strong community experience present in the classroom. Online courses also merit the same number of credit hours and follow the same cost structure as courses taught at one of DTS's campuses. Students cannot earn a degree by taking online education courses alone, but can complete up to 30 hours in this format. Online courses are open to all DTS students—including Dallas campus students, Students who live in a city with an Extension site, and a growing number of students who are starting their seminary studies fully online. This format provides a unique level of freedom for students “on the go,” yet develops community through dialog with other students—all around the world. For more information see http://www.dts.edu/admissions/onlineeducation

Hybrid Courses

Hybrid Courses are courses that utilize both face-to-face live instruction as well as online components. This growing merger of instruction allows for quality, concentrated, instruction that occurs in various formats. It may occur on the weekend as a Saturday only seminary, or as a Friday evening through Saturday noon model. Various formats can be created. Roughly speaking, this model utilizes approximately 18 hours of face-to-face “classroom time” (as opposed to 37.5 hours of meeting time per 3 hour course) and the rest of the course is completed online. This format allows for a level of flexibility but still promotes the live classroom and establishes “community” through life on life interaction.

Video Conferencing

If an external site is equipped with video conferencing technology, courses can be offered that connect multiple sites, real-time, to expand the course rotation. Thus video conferencing courses offer extension students the opportunity to take courses and professors that are less likely to be offered in person at their extension site. Video conferencing courses also broaden the geographical makeup of a course's students, enriching the classroom interaction. Students from any site will be able to interact with the professor in a live context, and have the same experience as taking the class at the Dallas campus with the professor in the classroom. For more information and to see a video conferencing overview, go to http://www.dts.edu/departments/campus/es/videoconferencing