| How ERSU Works |
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The regular ERSU Program is a combination of intensive Courses, homework assignments, and service in the church. We want to train students for ministry, while at the same time serving in ministry. The student's ongoing practical ministry in the local churches should be integrated with their home assignments: what is learned at the Seminary should be practiced in the home congregation. In order to achieve our goals we offer 8-9 weeks per year of concentrated studies in Kiev. Apart from this, we want to stay in touch with our students on a regular base through tutorials. In this way the students meet with professors and other students at least once a month. 1. Overview of the program The academic year is divided into 3 semesters and 5 sessions. Semester 1 session 1 - 2nd and 3rd week of September session 2 - 3rd week of October Semester 2 session 3 - 2nd and 3rd week of January session 4 - 3rd week of March Semester 3 session 5 - last week of May and 1st week of June This means, that in the 1st and 2nd semester students take 3 Courses, in the 3rd Semester they take 2 Courses. Thus a student takes 8 Courses per academic year. 2. Sessions 2.1. Lectures During the Seminary sessions there are intensive lectures. The lecturers are qualified Seminary professors from the USA, The Netherlands and other countries. Part of the lectures are taught by the local academic staff. At most of the sessions separate Courses are taught for Junior and Senior students: * during the 2 week sessions, 2 Courses are taught for each group. Ideally, both the Junior and Senior students have 1 Course in the morning and another Course in the afternoon. * during a 1 week session, the Junior and Senior students each have only 1 Course, which is taught both morning and afternoon. 2.2. Portfolio One of the ideals of the seminary is to train Christian leaders by facilitating affective (spiritual), cognitive, and skill growth in the lives of its students. By using the Portfolio system, the staff wants to coach individual students and advise them on an academic, personal and spiritual level. 2.3. Christian Fellowship As many of our students live at great distance from one another, Seminary sessions are also a place for Christian fellowship and prayer, mutual encouragement and exchange of experience. 3. Tutorials One-day tutorials are held in every month in which there is no Seminary session: November, December, February, April and May. The goal of the Tutorials is: - to discuss the lecture materials and home-work assignments with the Course facilitator - to have additional lectures - to take tests and exams as required. Students are obligated to attend the Tutorials. 4. Home work assignments Students receive home work assignments by the end of each session. All materials (books, photocopies, CD's) are provided by the Seminary. ERSU asks an average 20 hours of study per week from the students, apart from their ministry in the congregation. This is demanding, but we believe that students learn not only through listening to lectures, but also through reading and writing research papers and using the lecture materials in their practical service in the congregation. Homework assignments must be handed in at the Tutorials. In order to enter the following Semester, all assignments of the previous Semester must be completed. See our Semester chart in PDF. When a student is not in the position to finish his work for a Semester, the portfolio mentor together with the Academic Dean will decide if a student can attend the following Semester. See our grading policy. |