Getting Started

Submit our online Application for Admission to get started. We'll work with you to see how much transfer credit you might be eligible to receive and determine how we can best help you grow in your faith and achieve your academic goals.

It all depends on your schedule! Each course provides 10 hours of lectures, study guides, and exams. You can expect to invest a couple of hours two days a week to complete one course per month. This pace would keep you on track with a traditional education pace (e.g. an associate degree in two years, bachelor's in four years, etc.). You can, of course, go faster or slower depending on your preferences.

We’re committed to providing quality Christian education at an affordable price. Our ministry certificates and degrees such as our Associate of Theology, Bachelor of Theology, Master of Theology or Doctor of Theology are among the best values in Christian higher education. We keep our tuition and fees low to help reduce the financial barriers to realizing your full potential in Christ. Visit the Admissions page of our website to view tuition rates and learn more.

A good answer to this important question assumes a question behind it: What is accreditation? Accreditation for institutions of higher learning is official approval and authorization of academic programs. An accrediting agency oversees a network of peer institutions that share common educational standards and holds each school accountable for consistently meeting those standards.

There are a variety of accrediting agencies: regional, national, and professional. In addition, some of these agencies are authorized by the U.S. Department of Education, giving member schools access to Federal Student Aid. Other agencies are private and do not participate in government accreditation.

Government accreditation assumes a traditional educational model, typically including a traditional residential campus with a suitable library, full-time residential faculty, etc. Private accreditation may include schools organized according to a traditional model and may also be organized in some sort of non-traditional educational model.

Christian Life School of Theology Global (CLSTG) is a private, non-traditional post-secondary institution that therefore is accountable to a private, non-traditional accrediting agency and not a government authorized agency. For that reason, CLSTG students do not have access to federal student financial aid. However, in every other way the CLSTG academic programs and resources conform to the highest standards of academic integrity for both instructors and courses.

To begin with, since its founding in 1983, CLSTG has had a formal relationship with the Georgia State Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission (NPEC). CLSTG is accountable to this government agency and submits annual reports. Specific elements of CLSTG educational programs are structured in agreement with the Georgia NPEC. That accountability relationship guards the educational and academic integrity of all of CLSTG courses and programs, including the ability to grant theological degrees.

In addition, formal affiliation with other noted educational institutions serves to guarantee the academic quality and integrity of all CLSTG programs and resources. For example, the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) has authorized all CLSTG courses for use as professional development CEUs for their members. Membership in the Academic Council for Academic Accountability (ACAA) provides important accountability relationships with other excellent non-traditional institutions. In addition, membership in the Association of Christian Distance Education (ACDA) provides CLSTG with participation in a community of online educators and programs in the development of excellent non-traditional educational programs and courses.

Since our inception, instructors have been chosen not only for their unique background and expertise in their subject area but also for their academic qualifications. As one of our core commitments, we prioritize the academic integrity and educational quality of all CLSTG programs and resources, especially instructors. Many CLSTG faculty members hold doctoral degrees, have decades of teaching and ministry experience, and/or have written and published books about their teaching topic. In short, most could be professors at any college, university or seminary — and some are — and they teach for us. This results in a unique distinction for both CLSTG instructors and for courses in the curriculum.

Yes. Credit transfer is a very important issue in higher education. The ability to transfer earned credits from one institution to another is complicated but can be accomplished. For undergraduate studies, best practices usually involve a “portfolio evaluation” that includes all former academic work and well as life experience. The quality of all the elements will determine how many credits can be awarded toward a degree program in the school receiving the credits. The fact that CLSTG courses are taught by qualified faculty and are structured with academic rigor and integrity in mind often results in a high level of transferability. It should be noted that transferring credits from any institution into a graduate program in another institution can be more difficult.

“Academic integrity” refers to a set of standards that reflect best practices in higher education. “Academic rigor” describes the appropriate amount and quality, as well as the appropriate difficulty of course assignments. The elements of a course design determine the level of the academic integrity and rigor of course contents. Each CLSTG course contains 10 carefully structured lectures. Unless a course is only available from a live instructor, each lecture is video-taped. A course syllabus and study guide is provided, the syllabus reflecting a standard structure with all the needed information. The study guide gives a detailed outline of each lesson along with space to take notes. A textbook is required in each class. There is also a final exam that tests the knowledge gained from both the lectures and the reading of the textbook. The structure of each course along with the elements of the course design guarantees a high level of academic integrity and rigor.

“Traditional” higher education usually refers to a residential on-campus learning experience, with classrooms, a qualified library, and full-time residential faculty. “Nontraditional” education allows for the possibility of learning experiences, faculty and staff to function in a non-residential manner. Currently, even traditional colleges and universities include an increasing amount of non-traditional course offerings with faculty and resources off-site.

The academic value of nontraditional courses is determined by the quality of the faculty and their design of course contents. If nontraditional courses represent a high degree of academic quality and integrity, the diplomas and degrees earned as a result of course completions also have a high degree of academic quality and integrity. Earning a CLSTG degree requires a great commitment of time and energy to the task of lifelong learning. Every degree level represents an amazing educational achievement. While nontraditional degrees may not guarantee professional qualification and certification, they have qualifying value in any context that values the discipline and commitment needed to earn a diploma or degree.