Certificate Program FAQs
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Will the completion of an Advanced Level Certificate qualify me to enroll in the Doctor of Ministry degree program at Ligonier Academy?
No. An applicant to the Doctor of Ministry program must be an ordained minister who has served in the ministry for at least three years, and he must have an earned Master of Divinity degree or its equivalent. The requirements for applicants are spelled out in the Doctor of Ministry application, which is available here.
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Will a college or seminary accept my work in the Certificate program for credit?
Acceptance of work completed at Ligonier Academy by a college or seminary is up to that institution. Students will want to bear in mind that, because the course requirements for the tracks of the Ligonier Academy Certificate program are not designed to be equivalent to an undergraduate or graduate level degree program, it is possible, though unlikely, that a college or seminary will accept work completed in a track of the Certificate program for credit (transferred or granted) towards an undergraduate or graduate degree. Students who intend to make such a request of a college or seminary should secure that institution’s written approval before enrolling in the Certificate program of Ligonier Academy.
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Where do I purchase the textbooks that are required for the tracks of the Certificate program?
All of the required materials for the Introductory Level tracks are available from Ligonier Ministries. These can be ordered by calling Ligonier at 1-800-435-4343.
Many of the required textbooks for the Intermediate and Advanced Level tracks are not available from Ligonier Ministries and will need to be acquired from other booksellers or from a local library through Inter-Library Loan. The following are booksellers from which all or some of the required textbooks may be purchased:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Christian Book Distributors
WTS Bookstore
Reformation Heritage Books (for some of the more obscure Reformed theology titles) -
What is the total tuition per track of the Certificate program?
The total tuition for any track in the Introductory Level Certificate program is $99. In the Intermediate Level Certificate program the total tuition for any track is $350. In the Advanced Level Certificate program the total tuition for any track is $500.
Each of the Intermediate and Advanced Level tracks includes several individual “courses,” but tuition is not charged on a “per course” basis. When you register for a Certificate track, you pay a one-time tuition charge up front. From that point until you complete that track of study, the only additional cost to you is the cost of required textbooks. -
Is the Certificate program accredited?
The program is not accredited. This is not unusual for a new institution such as Ligonier Academy and its programs: new schools are not “born with” accreditation! The pursuit of accreditation is, however, a matter still under consideration by the Academy, and the process of accreditation ordinarily takes several years to complete. For those interested in a Ligonier Academy education and concerned about accreditation, there are several considerations to keep in mind.
It is important for mutual understanding to define what the term “accreditation” commonly means: it refers to a school’s voluntary activity of seeking approval by a regional or national organization that is recognized by the federal government (the U.S. Department of Education) or by a state government. The granting of accreditation is intended to communicate to the public, among other things, that the accredited school provides a quality education, that its credits will transfer to other schools, and that it is eligible to participate in the federal student loan program. Accreditation has its benefits, but it also has its limitations in that the value of accreditation is always directly related to what is measured and who does the measuring.
The quality of the education delivered by a school depends in large measure on factors that accrediting agencies do not measure. Two such factors are 1) the proven record of ability and dedication on the part of the school’s administration and faculty to do the work of education, and 2) the commitment of the students to take advantage of the education they are offered. In this light, the credentials and experience of Ligonier Academy’s administration and faculty are straightforward predictors of quality education. Another indicator of quality education is whether an accredited institution(s) accepts credits earned at Ligonier Academy toward the completion of their degree programs. If this is the case, it too is a predictor of quality education. In this connection, we can tell you that Reformed Theological Seminary, accredited by ATS and SACS, has already determined to accept our courses as credit toward their Doctor of Ministry degree.
In the end, when all is said and done, accreditation from a government-recognized agency counts for little or nothing if the public — and, in the case of educational ministries, the Christian public — does not show its approval for what an institution is doing. In this regard, the evidence of public accreditation for Ligonier Academy is clear: over the years, a wide cross-section of Christians has tried and found the work and content of Ligonier Ministries to be of the highest quality. A key indicator of this fact is the recurring approval of Ligonier Ministries conferences as CEUs for Christian education teachers by the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI). Ligonier Academy is also authorized to grant degrees by the State Board of Independent Colleges and Universities in the State of Florida. As a result of these considerations, applicants admitted to the Academy’s programs can be confident that they will be provided a quality education. -
Do I need to submit an application in order to register for a Certificate program?
No, there is no application procedure for the Certificate program. You can sign up for any track in the Certificate program by contacting us at Ligonier at 1-800-435-4343.
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Do I have to complete an Introductory Level Certificate before I take an Intermediate Level Certificate? Do I have to complete an Intermediate Level Certificate before I take an Advanced Level Certificate?
No, each individual Certificate track is a stand-alone track with no prerequisites. We urge students to study the syllabi that are posted on our website to determine which level and topic is best suited to his or her interests and abilities.
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Do I have to come to Orlando to take a Certificate track?
No. All of the Certificate program tracks are distance education programs and can be completed from your home by correspondence.
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Can family members receive a discount?
After the first member of a household signs up at full tuition, a tuition discount of 40% is available to members of the same household who sign up for a track of study.
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Are the Advanced certificate programs equivalent to an undergraduate or graduate degree program? Is the certificate a degree?
No, the Certificate programs are, by definition, not degree programs, and their course requirements are not designed to be equivalent to an undergraduate or graduate level degree program. Undergraduate and graduate level degree programs ordinarily require substantially more or different work than that which is required in the Advanced Level Certificate programs.
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Am I required to complete a Certificate track in a certain length of time, or may I work at my own pace?
Students may work at their own pace. We estimate that the average student with other family and/or work responsibilities will be able to complete an Introductory Level track in 9-12 weeks, an Intermediate Level track in 9-12 months, and an Advanced Level track in 2 ½ — 3 years. These timetables are only estimates, however. Some students will finish much faster, and others will finish much slower.
