All Degrees Must Be Earned

Every degree and every certificate which we offer MUST be earned! We do NOT sell or give away our degrees and certificates. They MUST be earned. The credit hours required to earn our certificates, degrees, and diplomas may be earned through a combination of studies offered through Open Fire Bible College Theological Seminary and the credit we allow for your religious training and religious life work experience. Studies through “Open Fire Bible College Theological Seminary” will not make you better than others, but they will make you better than you were.

No Classes To Attend

All studies are conducted virtually and/or online. Therefore there are no classes to attend. You may live anywhere in the world or move at any time without interrupting your studies.

How Credits Are Earned

Each certificate, degree, and major, at each level, have a required core curriculum. If you are a correspondence student, you will be assigned a mentor who will assist and help develop the course study program you wish to follow. Once this is done, a variety of methods may be used to fulfill the requirements for the desired degree. Each learning activity will be translated into course work, evaluated by your mentor, and listed on your transcript. Some of the methods used to obtain credits include, but are not limited to, the following (this applies to both classroom and correspondence students):

• Transcripted courses from other colleges, universities, and institutions
• Certificates and licenses.
• Credit by examination (LEAP)
• Workshops, seminars, training programs, counseling programs, AA programs
• We allow some credit toward degrees, certificates, credentials and diplomas based upon your religious life experience and religious training.
• Published papers or books.
• Independent study and research projects.
• Correspondence courses.
• Volunteer work.
• Completing a written or oral examination

Students can show the level of knowledge they have acquired in different subject areas through standardized tests and potentially earn credit for class equivalency. There are dozens of different subject areas students can earn credit for and numerous types of tests available to gauge the level of mastery.

Policy Statement

Course Load Requirements: Workload expectations in this policy are an estimate of the amount of work needed for an average student to earn an average grade. Course grades are based on the quality of the work submitted, not on hours of effort. Workload expectations per credit do not vary with the method of delivery of the course or the length of the academic term. The minimum full-time load for undergraduate students is 12 credits. The minimum full-time load for a six-week summer term is 6 credits and for the twelve-week summer term is 12 credits.

Certificate Studies students are limited to 3 credit hours. Total time required to complete coursework varies according to the individual. Regular submission of work is required.

Some courses require students to meet frequent deadlines (such as weekly due dates), while others offer flexibility as to when assignments can be submitted. In most courses, students must submit minimum required assignments as specified by the instructor to avoid being administratively withdrawn from the course. Students should be sure to read all course information carefully when the course begins to understand the deadlines that apply in each course they are taking through Open Fire Bible College.

Grading System

A = 3.6 to 4.0……………..Excellent

B = 3.2 to 3.59…………….Good

C = 2.0 to 3.19…………..Average
Note: Below “C” is unacceptable for college-level work and will receive a incomplete grade. 

Thesis and Dissertation Requirements

All graduate and postgraduate degree students are required to submit a thesis and or dissertation at the end of their respective programs. The Master’s thesis must contain between 50–75 pages and the Doctoral dissertation must contain between 75-125 pages. Note that approval shall be based upon theological content and literary excellence rather than length. Requirements for dissertations for each degree may be changed at any time by the President at his discretion, upon the variance of circumstances and life-earned experience of the student.

For assistance with your thesis or dissertation please contact us. In some cases, permission may be granted for a project in place of a thesis or dissertation. You will need to speak with your academic advisor for more information concerning this.

Published literary works may be accepted in lieu of dissertation and or thesis upon review by our Dissertation/Thesis Committee.

Dissertation Defense

Once the participant has prepared and delivered the dissertation manuscript, the faculty will conduct a formal review process. When completed, questions, concerns, and suggestions will be sent to the student for their consideration. Following receipt of the research manuscript, it typically takes the faculty four to six weeks to complete the physical review and prepare questions and commentary for student response/defense. The dissertation Critique is intended to allow a detailed investigation of the underlying review of the literature, the dissertation methodology, the mechanics of the project, the presentation of the findings, and the preliminary conclusions of the doctoral candidate. The student is required to respond in writing to each of the points raised by the Critique. This is the “defense” portion of the dissertation process. One outcome of the dissertation review/defense process is a set of final expectations directing the participant through the remaining tasks for completing an acceptable dissertation manuscript.

Degree Completion

The Maximum Time Limit for Completion of any Degree Program is as Follows:

Associate’s Degree……………………2 Years to complete
Bachelor’s Degree……………………3 Years to complete
Master’s Degree………………………..4 Years to complete
Doctorate……………………………………..4 Years to complete

Academic Advising

Our Academic Advising team is here to serve the students of Open Fire Bible College Theological Seminary. One of the ways in which we do that is by offering you quality Academic Advising. Students are offered counsel regarding their programs, courses, academic skills, and academic challenges. The Registrar or Program Coordinator should be consulted first with regard to programs. Instructors should be consulted first with regard to specific courses.

The Academic Dean will meet with students if they are referred by the above personnel, or with students who desire additional advising. Entering students meet with the Dean of Admissions and or an Academic Advisor for an initial interview and course selection. For more information on the degree programs that we offer you may contact one of our Academic Advisors by emailing us at ofbc@openfireif.org

USDE accreditation is not necessary for the theological degrees in which we offer. Individuals seeking employment in government-licensed positions such as public school teachers, state-licensed psychologists or psychiatrists, and non-church-related counselors will more than likely need USDE accredited degrees. Generally speaking, people working in ministry positions do not need a USDE accredited degree. If you are pursuing education at RKBC with the intent of obtaining employment or for some other reason, you should check with that organization BEFORE applying for enrollment in RKBC. RKBC assumes no liability of any kind.