Welcome to Cherry Hill Seminary

2009 Changes FAQs
Can I get a Master’s degree from Cherry Hill Seminary now?	Soon, but not yet. We will widely publicize the announcement when we are ready to receive applicants. Our goal is to begin the program with the Fall 2009 Semester.
Does Cherry Hill Seminary have legal degree-granting authority?	No. What we have is an official exemption from state oversight. Many states, South Carolina being one of them, do not require religious programs to meet state criteria. Although as an institution whose sole purpose is religious or theological training that originates in the State of South Carolina, Cherry Hill Seminary is exempt from oversight of the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education, our goal is voluntarily to meet the same standards for licensure which would be required of a non-religious school. We have not yet met all of those standards, but are making rapid progress.
Has Cherry Hill Seminary been accredited?	No. Accreditation is a lengthy and strenuous process which normally takes several years to achieve. The soonest we might be accredited is at least three years from now.
What is accreditation?	Accreditation is recognition within a profession that a school is meeting acceptable educational standards. In the United States, this is done through a peer review process coordinated by the accrediting body and its members. Some accrediting bodies are regional; others specialize in particular types of education. Up to now, theological seminary accrediting bodies, such as the Association for Theological Schools (ATS), have specialized in specific religions. As awareness of religious diversity in the United States grows, we may someday be able to apply for accreditation from ATS or a similar recognized body. At the present time, we are advised and plan to apply for accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC). The nonprofit DETC was established in 1926 and is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and the U.S. Department of Education. As a first step, DETC requires that a school be permitted to grant degrees in its state (or states) of incorporation prior to beginning the accreditation process. Cherry Hill Seminary was recently notified by the S.C. Commission on Higher Education of our religious exemption waiver, positioning us to begin the several-year long process of pursuing accreditation.
Why do degree-granting authority and accreditation matter to Pagans?	In the same way that we expect certain standards of education and experience from those who provide us with healthcare, social services, engineering, accounting, or any of a host of careers, our graduates will seek work in the real world, where public accountability, competence and ethical standards are required. Within our Pagan communities, we deserve the benefit of those same standards of excellence for those who choose to pursue Seminary education to support their spiritual service. Finally, the lack of an accredited degree still hinders Pagan ministers from serving as chaplains to our armed forces, and from entering many prisons and hospitals for chaplaincy work.
What degrees will Cherry Hill Seminary offer?	Master of Divinity (M.Div.), the first basic professional degree for the work of clergy, supported by academics, requires the equivalent of three years of full-time study, or 72 credit hours. An M.Div. is considered a "terminal degree" because no additional education is needed to practice the profession of clergy. Ordination by one’s specific group or tradition may be required for endorsement or employment in addition to the degree. Master of Pagan Pastoral Care and Counseling, designed to meet various practice standards, and requires the equivalent of 2 ½ years of full-time study, or 60 credit hours. This degree focuses on academics and practices, and will require specific types of supervision and testing. Master of Pagan Ministry, an in-depth development of professional ministry specialization, requires 48 credit hours, or the equivalent of two years of full-time study. Master of Pagan Studies, study and research in one particular area of discipline, requires 48 credit hours, the equivalent of two years of full-time study. All of our degrees at this time will be Master’s level. Most classes will continue to be online, i.e., distance education. Practicums and internships must be done locally, with Seminary and local supervision. We do not require our students to be full-time students; our program is designed to meet the needs of working adults, living in a complex and demanding world. One credit hour is the equivalent of 45 hours of academic work over about 15 weeks. Thus, if a person takes a three credit hour class, s/he can expect to put in 135 hours of effort for that class, in a semester. Since many of our students are professionals, one class at three credit hours is a significant commitment of time and energy. Because Cherry Hill Seminary teaches primarily through distance education, there is more flexibility in the specific hours each week a student needs to reserve. With no need for daily travel to classes, Cherry Hill Seminary classes are both green and time-efficient. Each degree has specific requirements for site-based intensive sessions, held currently in retreat locations. A student can expect to travel to a 4-7 day event once for each "full time equivalent" year.
Must I have a Bachelor’s degree to apply to Cherry Hill Seminary?	Yes, if you are applying for a master’s degree. No, if you are applying to the Department of Pagan Community Education for Lifelong Learning (see below).
Aren’t there some exceptions to this rule?	CHS may admit a limited number (no more than 5%) of applicants without undergraduate degrees, provided we have reasonable assurance that the applicant can complete a graduate-level program. Applicants for this exemption should have excellent GRE scores and a minimum of 7-10 years of experience in the field. They must document their experience and the reasons they seek this exemption. Applicants whose native language is not English, and who have not earned a degree from an appropriately-accredited institution where English is the principal language of instruction, must receive a minimum score of 530 on the paper-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or 71 on the iBT or its equivalent.
What if I am already a degreed, practicing professional in a related area?	Many practicing professionals are already engaged in specific areas of professional and/or personal development and continuing education on a regular basis. Depending on your needs, you may find that either a Certificate of Professional Development (requiring 27 credit hours) or a Certificate of Continuing Education (requiring 14 credit hours) may be appropriate.
What if I don’t want a master’s degree or a certificate, but would like to increase my knowledge or improve my skills?	Cherry Hill Seminary is committed to providing the finest available education for Pagans. We realize that some of the most experienced, thoughtful and competent Pagans do not have or want a graduate degree in professional Pagan ministry. Our Pagan Community Education for Lifelong Learning (PCELL) program provides contemporary education and practical applications on topics of Pagan interest, taught by leaders in the Pagan community, on a more accessible and flexible schedule than graduate classes. The PCELL program will replace our existing certificate program by September 2009. Each major will provide at least one community education offering on a regular basis. Graduate students may also work with and for PCELL in completion of project and/or field education courses. Upon the successful completion of 18 unit hours of Lifelong Learning, the student will be awarded a Certificate of Completion in Lifelong Learning.
What majors will you offer?	Majors, also called focus areas, or areas of concentration, are fields of specific study within a degree. We will offer the following five areas, each with unique content, goals and objectives, academic expectations and practical application. Text, Tradition, & Interpretation studies the literature, language(s), traditions, arts, philosophy, theoiology, history, ethics and development and contemporary expressions of Pagan groups, tribes, and communities throughout the world. Nature, Deity & Inspiration studies the history and development of human interaction with the natural world and its ecosystems, spiritual formation, direct personal and community mystical experience, divination and augury, practice, devotion, meditation, and prayer. Pastoral Care & Counseling trains students to become Pagan Pastoral Counselors and enhances ministry skills in Pastoral Care, explores how they as Pagans serve others, and studies the counseling and/or caregiving encounter. Includes clinical chaplaincies – those that focus on providing service to persons in immediate, acute, crisis, such as hospital and military chaplaincy. Public Ministry & Expression equips students to serve the intra-religious Pagan community, and includes ritual, religious leadership, education, the arts, and chaplaincy which provides services primarily for Pagans in long-term, ongoing or chronic settings such as prisons, educational institutions or organizational situations. Pagan Advocacy prepares students to serve the pan-Pagan community in interfaith, inter-religious and secular venues, and to promote religious and other rights and responsibilities, through interfaith chaplaincy and dialogue, media relations, activism and public advocacy.
How do I apply for admission?	Current admission application information is found at http://cherryhillseminary.org/students_admissions.html. Soon, we will post and announce updated requirements for applying for a master’s program or PCELL.
How much is tuition?	As of June 1, 2008, tuition for a three credit-hour semester-long course is $185. Tuition is discounted to $125 if received by midnight of the last date of the Early Registration period listed in the online calendar. Students may drop courses with no penalty if a request is made in writing (by email) by midnight of the Drop/Add date listed in the online calendar. Tuition for courses dropped by the Drop/Add date will be refunded in full, less the merchant's fee charged by PayPal and/or credit card company. Courses dropped after the Drop/Add date will not be refunded. Refunds may also be applied to the next semester's tuition, if requested. There is no separate fee at this time for computer technical support. Costs listed are subject to change at any time, but students will only be charged for costs listed online at the time of registration. Important note: tuition will be increased for master’s program courses, but has not yet been determined. Legacy students (those who are already admitted as of Spring 2009) will receive a special rate, in appreciation for their loyalty to Cherry Hill Seminary in its formative years.
What classes from other institutions or CHS will count toward my CHS Masters degree?	First, all applicants must provide certified transcripts of academic work from the institution where the work was completed. If you have relevant graduate level work you wish to have considered for advanced standing, you may submit the syllabi for those courses. All previous classes, from CHS or any other school, will be evaluated individually to match our specific degree criteria. CHS classes will always seek to balance academic excellence and Pagan ethos.
What about automatic "grandfathering" – giving credits or degrees for work I’ve already done at other schools?	As is best practice for a degree-granting institution, all prior work must be evaluated during the admission process. There is a maximum allowable credit (usually about 10% of the required credits) that is available to a student.
Will other educational institutions accept Cherry Hill Seminary credits?	That depends entirely on the institution and their programs. For example, a class in Basic Pagan Ethics would not be an acceptable substitute for a Basic Buddhist Ethics, nor would Foundations of Celtic Lore be acceptable as a replacement for New Testament Greek. We suggest you inquire very carefully at the particular institution about its policy.
I’ve done a great deal of study, and I’ve even taught a number of classes. Will any of this count toward a degree? I’m willing to write up what I’ve done.	No, state guidelines and accreditation standards are very strict, although Cherry Hill Seminary is particularly enthusiastic about welcoming students who have habits of curiosity and study, and who engage in community service through teaching. For those students who simply love to learn and teach, pursuit of a formal master’s degree is not all that interesting, and PCELL (see above) is an excellent choice. For other students who work well in a more formalized structure, have completed a Bachelor’s degree (in any subject area), and who have career or professional aspirations that require a Master of Divinity degree, or other qualifying master’s degree, the graduate program is more appropriate.
	Cherry Hill Seminary is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organized in the states of Vermont and South Carolina. Web site copyright by Cherry Hill Seminary in 2008, all rights reserved. Contact us at P.O. Box 5405, Columbia, SC 29250-5405, 888.503.4131, or by email. Cherry Hill Seminary prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, age, marital status, national origin, mental or physical disability, political belief or affiliation, veteran status, or sexual orientation and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination under state or federal law in any aspect of the access to, admission, or treatment of students in its programs and activities, or in employment and application for employment. Futhermore, Seminary policy includes prohibitions of harassment of students and employees, i.e., racial harassment, sexual harassment, and retaliation for filing complaints of discrimination.