Policies and Petitioning

The administration and faculty of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary prefer that students with on-campus residential status take courses required for matriculation in an on-campus classroom setting. Our goal in offering online classes is to prioritize the available seats for those who absolutely cannot attend our campus such as international missionaries and church leaders, those living outside of the southeastern United States, military personnel serving in active duty, and other extraordinary circumstances. However, in specific circumstances (see criteria below), the seminary is willing to consider a petition to allow an on-campus student to register for one (1) online class while they live less than 120 miles from the Wake Forest Campus. If a student lives over 120 miles from the Wake Forest Campus, he or she may take the maximum number of online classes which his or her degree program allows.

Criteria for Granting Registration to One Online Class for an On-Campus Student

On-campus students (students who live within 120 miles of Wake Forest) who are not able to take the equivalent Hybrid course may petition to take one online course by completing the "On Campus Student Petition to take an Online Class" form. The form is available in the Distance Learning Office, Patterson Hall, Suite 202.

The following circumstances will be grounds for considering student requests for exception from the Southeastern Seminary online classes policies preventing on-campus students from registering for an online class. Note that the presence of one or more of these circumstances does not automatically guarantee the granting of an exception. Each student's request will be considered individually.

1. The student is in the International Church Planting Degree program (2+2 or 2+3) and needs an online class in order to complete his or her on-campus requirements before going to the field. The student must get permission from the International Church Planting Degree Coordinator before contacting the Distance Learning office.
2. The class is necessary to complete the on-campus student's graduation requirements. The student must be eligible for graduation at the end of the semester in which the class is being offered. In addition, the course must not be offered in its on-campus form during that semester or, if it is, there must be an unavoidable schedule conflict with another required course.
3. The student is suffering a physical injury, disease or disability limiting his or her ability to attend on-campus courses.
4. The student has firmly-established plans to move away from the Wake Forest area (more than 120 miles) during the semester in which the course is offered.
5. The appropriate dean or the director of distance learning determines that the student has experienced some extraordinary circumstance predicating the need to register for an online class. Full-time employment does not qualify as an extraordinary circumstance.

Those students who live within 120 miles and do not meet the above criteria may petition the Office of Distance Learning to be placed on a prioritized waiting list for any remaining seats in online classes. These seats will not be made available until after classes begin. This waiting list will be prioritized according to the date the petition is submitted and review of need.

Instructions for Completing the Petition for On-Campus Students

Please come by the Distance Learning Office (Patterson Hall, 2nd floor, Suite 202) and fill out a petition for on-campus students to take an online class. Students will be notified by email after the petitions have been reviewed by the Distance Learning Directors. Petitions are reviewed no earlier than two weeks before classes begin.