Nazarene Bible College (NBC) is a Bible College located on 43 acres (170,000Â m2) in Colorado Springs, Colorado founded in 1964, chartered in 1967, and approved by the Colorado Department of Education to grant degrees in 1970. NBC has a 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Admission is noncompetitive and the academic year is divided into trimesters, similar to the quarter calendar system, but granting credit in semester hours.
Nazarene Bible College is a private four-year, co-educational institution serving over 1400 students through both campus and online course delivery. The average students' age is 38 years old, and there is no housing on campus. The ratio of men to women is slightly less than 2:1. Additionally, 80% are married, and 75% are Nazarene with 31 other Christian denominations represented.
History
Nazarene Bible College is one of the ten Nazarene institutions of higher education in the United States. It is one of the two institutions charged by the denomination with the relatively exclusive task of preparing ministers rather than with the broader assignment of providing liberal arts education for both laity and clergy. It is the only U.S. institution of the Church of the Nazarene given the responsibility and funding to deliver multicultural contextual education. Graduates of the four-year Bachelor of Arts in Ministry degree, with a major in Pastoral Ministries, meet denominational requirements for ordination to the ministry.
NBC was chartered by the State of Colorado as a non-profit educational institution in 1967. The four-year Bachelor of Arts in Ministry (BAMin) degree and the two-year Associate of Arts in Ministry (AAMin) degree have been approved by the state.
In 1970, NBC was approved by both the Colorado Department of Education to grant degrees under Section 124-21-3 CS '63 (1965 Supp.) and by the United States Department of Justice for the education of foreign students. It has been certified since 1975 by the Department of Education for eligibility to participate in federally sponsored student aid programs.
In 1998, Nazarene Bible College became the first Nazarene institution of higher education to offer electronically mediated course delivery.
Academics
Campus
Campus delivery has a community of scholars, immediate use of library and learning resources, networking with denominational leadership, regular chapel services, face-to-face instructional methods, and other aspects of traditional college life. The campus educational experience is the primary and foundational educational structure of Nazarene Bible College.
The 43-acre campus is located on a hill northeast of Academy and Fountain Boulevards in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This fast growing area encompasses a population of 500,000 and is situated on the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains. Colorado Springs is the home of several military installations: the United States Air Force Academy, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), Peterson Air Force Base, Schriever Air Force Base, and Fort Carson.
Online
All the degree programs (except Christian counseling and Music Ministries) are offered through the online delivery system.
While the national average of those who begin an online class and finish it is only 47%, NBC has a consistent 94% completion rate average since 1998.
Affiliation
Church of the Nazarene
Nazarene Bible College is a baccalaureate granting institution affiliated with the Church of the Nazarene. NBC is accountable to the denomination it serves. All members of the Board of Trustees are elected by the USA caucus during the denomination's quadrennial General Assembly. Trustees represent regions, districts, and local churches as all members of the Board are members of the Church of the Nazarene and are involved in other leadership positions throughout the USA. The bylaws of the Board mandate representation of minority populations to assure diversity on the Board.
Accreditation
NBC has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools since 2006, and the Commission on Accreditation of the Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE) since 1976. NBC is also approved by the United States Department of Education (USDE), the Colorado Commission on Higher Education (CCHE), and the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI).
Alliance for Ministry Education
The Alliance for Ministry Education is an organization composed of participating Church of the Nazarene District Training Centers (DTC) and Nazarene Bible College (NBC) who work together to provide college-level ministry training at the district level. This training is designed to produce effective ministers and allows persons to fulfill the educational requirements for ordination in the Church of the Nazarene. The curriculum used by the districts follows that of NBC with the provision that certain alternative courses may be designed to meet specific cultural needs. The district Alliance program provides classroom education for students in their cultural context.
Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges
Nazarene Bible College is a member of the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges and is approved to offer accredited, undergraduate degrees to members of the Armed Forces.
Partnerships
Nazarene Bible College is using dCourseWeb to train ministers across the world for ordination in the Church of the Nazarene. NBC has collaborated with several institutions including; Caribbean Nazarene College, Nazarene Higher Education Consortium, Nazarene Theological College, and South Pacific Nazarene Theological College.
Notes and references
External links
- Official website
- dCourseWeb Official Website
- Alliance for Ministry Education Official Website
See also
- DCourseWeb
- List of Church of the Nazarene schools
