What is the SES Academy?
The SES Academy is an educational institute developed for the purpose of providing laypeople with high quality training. The Academy is a property of Southern Evangelical Seminary. The Academy offers training in various disciplines without the financial burden and workload of a Seminary or Bible College.
Is registration for the Academy free?
Yes, it is free to register for the Academy.
What do I get when I register?
Registering for the Academy is the first step to enrolling into an Academy course. Registering provides you with a unique username and password and automatically enrolls you into any FREE courses we might have. We are currently offering two free full-length courses, Christian Apologetics and Biblical Studies. We are offering these courses at no cost to our users. All we ask is that you register an account with the Academy. There is a course promotional on the Resurrection of Jesus. However, to take the full length version of the course on the Resurrection you will either need to audit the course or enroll in a formal degree program. By registering for the Academy you also gain the ability to purchase public course audits.
Are all SES Academy courses free?
We currently offer two free courses: Christian Apologetics and Biblical Studies. In addition to these free courses we offer public course audits for purchase on a rotating basis for $150 each.
Am I committed to anything when I register?
No, but by registering for the course you will be added to the SES general mailing list and you agree to allow SES to contact you regarding SES news, new Academy course offerings, or other SES related promotional matters.
How do I enroll into a course?
After registering for the Academy you will automatically be enrolled into whatever free courses we offer. For courses that are available for purchase, you can enroll into them by clicking the green “Take this Course” button located on the course summary page. You will then go through a checkout process to secure the enrollment.
What do I receive by enrolling into a course?
When you enroll into a course, you receive access to view the lectures online, download any available resources, and any associated content quizzes (if applicable). Upon completion of the course you will receive a certificate of completion signed by our Director of Online Education (not applicable to all courses). There are also other benefits to enrolling detailed on each course description page.
Is there a time limit to complete a course?
It depends. All of our courses are completely self-paced EXCEPT the public course audits. Expiration dates for public course audits are given on their respective course description page.
What are the requirements to take a course?
You need a computer, smart phone, or tablet. You also need access to the internet.
Can I earn a degree from taking these courses?
No. Academy courses are designed for persons without time, resources, and/or motivation to study formally. However, what you learn in our academy courses may be used, in part, as a prior learning assessment upon acceptance into the Bible College (See page 28 of our Seminary Catalog). If you are interested in studying formally, apply for one of our many formal degree programs.
Can you send me course materials?
No. All required course materials are available within the course itself.
What is Apologetics?
Apologetics is a term used to denote a defense. In this case, the course is a defense of the Christian faith. The Apologetics course is a great tool to prepare you to share and defend your faith.
What is included in the course?
The course consists of 1 module taught by SES co-founder, Dr. Norman Geisler, covering the 12 Steps that Demonstrate Christianity to Be True.
Do I need to purchase anything for the course?
No, however, it is recommended that you obtain a copy of Turek & Geisler’s I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist.
What assignments are involved with the course?
The course only has quizzes associated with it. There are no extra assignments for the course.
Can I download the lectures?
No, the lectures are not available for download. However, you will always have access to the lectures as long as you have access to the internet!
What material is covered in the Biblical Studies course?
This course covers the entire Bible! Not only does this course give a survey of the entire Bible, but it also provides several background lectures as well (e.g. canon of the OT, the reliability of the OT, canon of the NT, reliability of the NT, etc.).
How long is this course?
The course is only as long as it takes for you to move through it. All Academy courses are self-paced, so there are no hard deadlines. However, given that this course covers the whole Bible (and we assume you’ll read through the whole Bible while taking the course), the course will likely take several months to complete.
Who teaches the Biblical Studies course?
The Biblical Studies course is taught by SES faculty and alumni.
What are Public Audits?
Public audits are courses that are opened up to the general public for a flat rate of $150. They are live-streamed so attendees can watch the live class from the comfort of their home. Auditing a course allows a student to take a class without the benefit of a grade or credit for a course.
What if I can't attend the live-stream of the course?
That is okay! We video record each class and you will be able to watch the video recording soon after each class session ends.
What do I get when I public audit a course?
If you audit a college course, you take it for no credit, and do not have to do the assignments or take tests. You still attend the class (either in person by live-stream), learn from the lectures, and have access to the learning materials. You will also be able to download the audio mp3 recordings of the class to keep. Auditing is a low-risk way to learn more about a certain subject. Most students audit courses for the purposes of self-enrichment, edification, and academic exploration.
What is the difference between an Academic audit and a Public audit?
We offer public audits through the SES Academy. What that means is that the audit will not be recorded on any academic transcripts. It’s almost like paying a ticket to gain access to a live-event or conference. Academic audits are available to the general public.
Academic audits are available only to students enrolled through Southern Evangelical Seminary’s Bible College or Graduate School. The price is the same. The difference is the audit is recorded on the student’s transcript.
The advantage of the public audit is that there is no application process. You only need to set up an account on the Academy to purchase the audit. Also, since the audit is not recorded on a transcript, you don’t run the risk of admissions personnel at other schools questioning your transcripts and academic commitment if you have audited more than a few courses. The disadvantage of Public Audits is that only a limited number of courses are offered at a time.
How long do I have access to courses I've purchased for public audit?
It depends on the course. Some courses only give you access for the duration of it’s academic counterpart. Details are given on each public audit course page. If you’ve purchased a course for public audit, it is your responsibility to attend the live-stream or watch the video recordings, and download the mp3 recordings and course materials before course access expires.
Who corrects my quizzes?
Quizzes are auto-graded upon quiz submission. Please note that not all courses have associated quizzes. The only courses that currently have quizzes are the two free courses in Apologetics and Biblical Studies.
How do I receive my certificate of completion?
Once you’ve completed all of the steps in your course (indicated by green check marks next to each lesson), a blue Print your Certificate button will appear on the course summary page (the page where you navigate to different lessons). Alternatively, you can access the certificate via your account dashboard–a blue certificate stamp will appear next to the status icon for the course. Click the icon to see and print your certificate. Please note that not all courses have associated certificates. The only courses that currently have certificates are the two free courses in Apologetics and Biblical Studies.
I want to attend the National Conference on Christian Apologetics. Can I register at the student rate?
Absolutely! However, you must complete at least one of our courses (obtained a certificate of completion) to obtain the student discount. While at the conference, be sure to stop by the SES booth and say hi!
This course is so good, I’d like to make a donation to SES for future Academy courses. How do I do this?
That’s great! You can make a donation by filling out the donation form on our website. Be sure to write a note that you wish your donation to be used for the Academy.