Frequently Asked Questions

Applying to Cherry Hill Seminary

Does a Cherry Hill Seminary degree equal ordination?

No. A degree from Cherry Hill Seminary is an educational credential; ordination is a religious one. Graduates may use their education as part of their qualifications for ordination by the organization or tradition they choose.

Can I take non-Master’s classes and later have them renumbered to count toward my degree?

No. A limited number of non-master’s classes taken at Cherry Hill Seminary before Fall 2009 can be credited toward a degree; contact the Dean of Students with questions you may have about classes you have taken. Non-Master’s classes taken at Cherry Hill Seminary in Fall 09 and later will not be counted toward a degree. Master’s-level classes may, however, be counted toward a certificate, depending on the requirements of a particular certificate. Students enrolled in a certificate program are allowed to take master’s classes, if there is room. Such students receive unit hours, not credit hours, for their work in the master’s class. Pagan Community Education (PCE) classes, including Insights classes, cannot become master’s classes. All master’s classes are, however, transferable to PCE as unit hours.

Do I have to take the GRE? the MAT? both?

Only an applicant with no bachelor’s degree is required to provide scores from one or the other of these tests. If you don’t have a bachelor’s degree and have already taken either of these tests, have the official scores sent to us. If you have taken neither, you can choose one, take it, and have scores sent to us.

How recent do GRE & MAT scores need to be?

No cut-off age has been established at this time. Until further notice we will accept official scores regardless of age. The more recent, the better.

What is the CHS Designated Institution Number for the GRE test?

4901

What is the CHS Recipient Number for the MAT test?

2489

I only took one course each from several schools. Do I have to order a transcript from them?

Yes. Note that to be valid the official transcript must be sent directly from the school to Cherry Hill Seminary.

My degree included transfer credit for courses from another school. If those courses appear on my main transcript do I have to get one from the other school, too?

Yes. Again, it is a requirement for our accreditation process.

Choosing and Declaring a Major

What do the letters in the course numbers mean?

P: Pastoral Counseling & Chaplaincy
M: Ministry, Advocacy & Leadership
T: Theology & Religious History
C: Core Curriculum (seminary‐wide requirement)

Do I have to declare a major in my application? Can I change majors later?

Yes, please declare at least a tentative major in your application, and yes, you can change majors later if necessary. If you are still unsure, make your very best intuitive guess, and talk to your advisor. As a seminary, we will require all master’s students to take at least some coursework in each of the major areas. How do the majors fit into the “master’s programs”? Your major is where you will take the greatest number of credit-hours. Part of the process of your seminary education is to refine, clarify and actively participate in shaping your particular ministry and the class work and field work that will be helpful to you. Your faculty advisor (usually your department chair) will assist you in making these choices. Because advisors are assigned by major, it is important that you choose your initial major thoughtfully.

Can I declare a major in Chaplaincy?

Cherry Hill Seminary offers a Master of Divinity – Pastoral Counseling & Chaplaincy.  Please consult the Student Catalog for a full description.

Is CHS accredited? 

We are NOT an accredited institution.

Cherry Hill Seminary Classes

What should I expect class format to be?

Most classes include a mix of formats, such as (but not limited to) the following:

• Moodle (classroom software) forums with some combination of directive questions and free-form discussions, not in real-time; you can read and post to the forums whenever you have an internet connection, 24/7. Forum posts may be required or optional; you may be given homework to post to a particular forum in a particular format. Forum posts may be read by the whole class. Most classes will also require students to upload files of homework assignments.
• Live chats and/or conference calls. Live chats occur at a regularly-scheduled time with all participants present, in real-time from wherever they are; for example, a student in New York meets at 8 pm Eastern time with a student in California who is meeting at 5 pm Pacific time. Please note that you may not enroll in two classes that meet for live chat during overlapping scheduled times. Most live meetings currently take place on Skype or on Google+ Hangout.
• Written assignments such as personal writing, a research paper, or an assignment to undertake some practical exercise or experiment and then write a report on that. These assignments will be uploaded to the class site, and may be seen only by the instructor or shared with classmates.
• Exams or quizzes, available only to the instructor.
• Field experiences of one kind or another, followed by discussion or a written report.
• Assigned reading or research, either in textbooks purchased by the student or in material posted or linked from the Moodle classroom, or through independent work or the use of our library resources, or a combination of the all of these.
• Downloading other audio or audio-visual components and responding to them.
• Research papers, which may require the student to cite published sources, to conduct personal interviews, to do independent research, to engage in personal reflection, or to work with other students as a team. Often research papers are required to be presented in a prescribed format such as APA, Chicago Manual of Style, or another professional or scholarly format (instructors are usually willing to offer guidance to students unfamiliar with their specific requirements).
• Creative, interactive or inventive projects, e.g., designing a workshop, producing art, music, dance, poetry, creating a ritual, etc.
• Some classes may require particular response formats, may have upper or lower limits for word count, or require that the student become familiar with specific types of tools, such as genograms, psychological tests, or professional databases for various disciplines

Two classes I want to take meet on the same day. Can I enroll in both?

You can’t attend overlapping live class meetings. Just as in a face-to-face classroom environment, you can’t be scheduled in two live meetings that occur simultaneously. It’s fine if the first class ends at the same time that the second class begins, but not if they overlap. If there is no live meeting component in one or both of the classes, the student is free to enroll in both classes.

What about classes that are offered by two departments?

A class may meet the department requirements for more than one Department. A cross-numbered class may often be co-taught by one instructor from each department.

When do I have to take the core courses (Ethics & Boundaries, Introduction to Pagan Theology, Soul Work, and Contemporary Global Paganisms)?

Core courses must be successfully completed during your first 24 credit-hours or unit-hours at CHS. Contemporary Global Paganisms is normally offered in the Fall Semester, and Ethics and Boundaries and Introduction to Pagan Theology are normally offered each Spring Semester.

Technology Issues

I don’t understand how the technology works.

Visit the Technology Requirements page (also found in the Student Handbook & Course Catalog)

My login information hasn’t arrived. How can I get into my classroom? 

Your login information will arrive in an e-mail from tech support or the CHS office. If you have not received this e-mail before your class starts please e-mail CHS@cherryhillseminary.org.