Degrees Available from the Shasta Bible College and Graduate School
Shasta Bible College and Graduate School appears in our ranking of the 50 Most Affordable Master’s in Theology Degree Programs Online.
The Shasta Bible College and Graduate School offers five programs for undergrads and five programs for graduate students as well as several certificate tracks. Through the Department of Bible and Theology, students can earn an Associate of Arts in Biblical Studies, a Bachelor of Arts in Bible and Theology or a Bachelor of Arts in Christian Professional Studies. Both of the bachelor’s programs take four years to complete and will accept up to 60 transfer credits. Students can transfer from the associate’s program too, which includes only two years of work. This department also offers a Master of Arts in Christian Ministries. The program has concentrations in Biblical studies and leadership.
Through the college’s Department of Education, students can meet the requirements to obtain a teaching license in California. Many of the students in the undergraduate programs will later work for private Christian schools after doing internships in local schools. There is an Associate of Arts in Early Childhood Education that the college designed for students who want to work in preschools and elementary schools. In the Bachelor of Arts in Education, students go through more training and learn how to use their faith and religious beliefs as they work with their future students. This department also offers a Master of Science in Education program that lets students choose between concentrations in curriculum and instruction and administration.
Two other graduate degree programs are available from the Shasta Bible College and Graduate School. These programs include online tracks for students who do not want to move to the campus. The Master of Divinity program accepts students who either work as pastors or want to work in similar positions later. They can choose concentrations based on where they want to work and want they want to do with their degrees, including options for military chaplains and religious counselors. The college’s Master of Arts in Biblical Counseling prepares students for counseling and helping others in religious settings, though it does not help students get their licenses to practice in the state.
Students attending the Shasta Bible College and Graduate School can also earn certificates. The Certificate in Biblical Studies program helps student study the Bible in more depth, while the Certificate in Early Childhood Education can help graduates find work in preschools and similar settings. Students who want to work as education specialists and administrators can get certificates from the college that have approval from the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI), which is open to those with a bachelor’s degree.
About the Shasta Bible College and Graduate School
The Shasta Bible College and Graduate School is a private institution in Redding, California that has an affiliation with the Baptist Church. Established in 1970, it opened as an extension center attached to the Multnomah School of the Bible. Students attended classes in buildings that were part of the North Valley Baptist Church. Classes met at night and allowed students to take courses taught by pastors and other religious leaders in Northern California. In 1979, the extension school broke away from the bible school and became a full college. It also established other regional centers in California that provided students with access to the same programs and classes. Also known as SBC&GS, it also uses the SBC abbreviation to refer to the college and GS in regards to its graduate school.
Shasta Bible College and Graduate School Accreditation Details
SBC&GS is a nonprofit organization that has the approval to offer eight different degree programs to veterans. It is both a member of and has accreditation through the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TACCS). This limits the type of federal aid that students can get because the college lacks regional accreditation. Though students can use the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), they can only get loans from the federal government. Those loans include unsubsidized programs for graduate students, subsidized options for undergrads and PLUS loans.
Shasta Bible College and Graduate School Application Requirements
SBC offers one application for undergrads and a different application for those applying to a GS program. The process for all students is the same, but those applying to the graduate school must have a bachelor’s degree. Students can apply to an undergraduate program with a high school diploma, home school certificate or GED. They need to complete the application, pay a $50 application fee and submit their transcripts. Students can submit home school or GED transcripts in place of a high school record. SBC also requires character references and encourages students to use references they know from their church services.
The college offers a PDF character form that students can download and give to their references. It asks how the person knows the student, if the student ever committed a crime and what type of relationship the student has with God. The bottom of the form asks the reference to rate the student in several key areas on a scale from one to five. Students can submit the forms through the mail or ask their references to send in the forms.
Tuition and Financial Aid
SBC&GS charges one rate for both undergrads and graduate students. These rates are the same whether students sign up for individual classes or certificate programs and when they enroll in degree programs. The cost for students is $375 per credit hour. Students who choose on-campus housing pay $1,200 per semester. The college also charges $250 in maintenance and cleaning fees each semester. Shasta gives priority to married students who need on-campus housing over unmarried students.
Students who are ministers and pastors can submit paperwork and receive a discount from the college. Most students will apply for one of the college’s scholarships. The deadline for scholarship applications is July 26 for the fall semester. Students may qualify for grants that cover up to 30% of their costs too. Multiple awards go to undergrads based on their experiences with the church and their grades in high school or college. Both undergrads and graduate students can use federal loans from Shasta but will need to go through the college’s counseling program before it will release those funds. All the degree programs available at the Shasta Bible College and Graduate School accept both federal funds and aid from the college.