Education on the Cutting Edge

By William Slater

Early adopters of home Internet access will never forget the screeching sound when dialing up modem service provided by America Online. In the mid-1990s, having an email address on your business card meant you were on the “cutting edge” of technology. Most email addresses back then ended with aol.com. My wife still uses one of those addresses, which borders on embarrassing. Believe it or not, AOL is still around. My bride must explain that every time she shares her email address.

Swift changes in technology mark the age in which we live. By the time you bring a new device home and unbox it, it is out of date. Technology is not the only area in which sand shifts rapidly. If anything was learned in 2020, it is that global change can take place quickly. Arguably, there has not been a single year in our lifetime with as much uncertainty as this one. So much has been said and written, there is no need to retrace the turnstile of this year’s events. Our world, our nation, and our families have been disrupted in significant ways.

Your work, or the way you work, may have changed within the past year. If so, you may have considered earning a college degree or finishing one you previously started. Adding a degree to your resume sometimes makes the difference in current and future job opportunities.

Earning a degree can be tough while juggling family, work, and ministry obligations. But face it, you are not getting any younger, and the next big change could be just around the corner. Welch College is ready to help you chart your course as you prepare not only for change, but also for your calling. The best part is you don’t have to leave home to take this journey. Welch College is pleased to offer several programs in distance learning formats.

Starting or Advancing a Career in Business

A degree in business from Welch College will provide you with a solid education in business and prepare you to meet the increased demand for business professionals in all industries. You will be equipped with biblical and practical principles to succeed as an effective servant leader in your career field.

Integrating faith and learning for accounting, finance, and business is the structure that differentiates Welch College from many other institutions. Rather than simply being a Christian in the business realm, you’ll learn your Christian life can shape the everyday practices of the marketplace.

Adult students can earn a two-year associate’s degree or a four-year bachelor’s degree in business completely online. Qualified credits from other institutions can be transferred.

Ministry Preparation Opportunities

Welch College offers an online Associate of Science in Ministry. This associate degree provides quality, basic preparation for local church ministry. The primary purpose for offering this program is to support and enhance the Christian ministries of bi-vocational pastors and volunteer lay workers in the local church. Those called to pastor can continue their education by completing the online Bachelor of Science in Theological Studies and General Christian Ministry.

If you have a bachelor’s degree, you should consider continuing your education with a Master of Arts in Theology and Ministry degree. The M.A. is designed for college graduates who desire additional education in the classical theological disciplines and the integration of those disciplines within the practice of Christian ministry.

The 33-semester-hour M.A. degree is an advanced degree, with a hybrid format, that focuses on developing skills and knowledge in the area of Christian ministry. You will study under faculty members who are gifted scholars with specialties in a broad range of disciplines and ministry experience. They will teach effectively and mentor you intentionally to apply biblical and theological depth to your ministry. The emphasis on practical application builds on your experience.

Graduate Degree in Education

Has God called you to teach? The Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) is a 33-semester-hour graduate degree providing leaders with graduate education in the art and science of teaching. It is designed for college graduates who desire additional education as professional teachers. The program core for the Master of Arts in Teaching degree seeks to enhance Christian thinking and attitudes, professional teaching skills, and habits of lifetime learners.

There are five specialty tracks in the M.A.: teaching, special education, higher education, English language learners, and instructional leadership. Students choose one of these tracks upon enrolling in the program. MAT courses are delivered on campus but are available remotely through teleconferencing. No matter where you live, you can complete your master’s degree in education from Welch College.

All programs and degrees above are regionally and nationally accredited. They are affordable too. This year, the college put the Welch Cares Scholarship in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Tuition rates have been reduced and “locked in” through the 2021-22 academic year.
There are many opportunities to prepare for life’s changes at Welch College, but there is at least one thing that won’t change, the mission of Welch College: to educate leaders to serve Christ, His church, and His world through biblical thought and life.

About the Writer: William Slater is the Dean of Adult and Online Studies at Welch College. Contact him at wslater@welch.edu or by phone at 615-675-5350 to learn more about distance degree programs available for adult learners.