Shaw University Divinity School Offers Online Courses for the National Baptist Convention of America, Inc.

Raleigh, NC                                                                                                               June 25, 2008

 At the recent National Baptist Congress of Christian Workers and National Youth Convention in Fort Worth, Texas on June 16 – 19, 2008, Dr. James T. Roberson, Jr., Dean of Shaw University Divinity School announced that the Divinity School will begin offering selected courses over the Internet.  The Dean said: Computer-mediated communications and the ubiquity of the Internet have made it possible for students to receive a quality education while spending minimal time away from their pulpits. Shaw University Divinity School has used Blackboard since 2001 to supplement the student dialog in face-to-face classes We are now ready to expand this practice by offering courses online, without any physical classroom at all.   We are excited for Shaw University Divinity School to join the ranks of seminaries accredited by the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) that offer up to two-thirds (2/3) of the MDiv degree online 

  The Dean also indicated that Shaw University Divinity School has been receiving a large number of inquiries regarding online classes  This interest was very strong at the Hampton Ministers’ Conference recently.  With this announcement, Dr. Stephen J. Thurston, President of the National

Baptist Convention of America, Inc., has committed to joining this effort so that he may accomplish a long delayed dream of completing his Master of Divinity degree Dr. Thurston made the comment, “Such an offering would make quality theological education available to many of our pastors and ministers who cannot afford to spend three to five years away at a resident seminary. Rev. Samuel C. Tolbert, Jr., President of the Louisiana Home and Foreign Mission Baptist State Convention and General Secretary of the National Baptist Convention of America, Inc., has also committed to joining this program and has already been accepted in the MDiv program at Shaw Rev. Tolbert declared, “…he has long desired access to an Historically Black Theological Seminary (HBTS) for the Louisiana Bayou area. Access to the Shaw University Divinity School online courses would bring theological education with an Afro-centric nuance to us; a welcomed solution for many of our communities. 

Roberson said “Shaw University Divinity School is committed to raising the level of theological education in the Black Church and we believe technology will help us to achieve this goal With the aid of technology, the possibility exists for a strong connection between the Church and the Seminary Shaw University Divinity School and the National Baptist Convention of America, Inc., are making strides toward such a relationship.  

The Online Course Offering will allow students to engage in asynchronous dialog to achieve the Student Learning Outcomes of the course In the Shaw University Divinity School Online Course Offering, the Course Description, Course Objectives and Student Learning Outcomes for a given course are the same for that course whether the course is taught face-to-face, via video conferencing, or via asynchronous dialog using Blackboard.

The Divinity School online course offering for the 2008-2009 academic year will be the normal courses recommended for entering students and will consist of the following:

• Fall 2008
  • OTS 50 Old Testament I
  • HIS 50   Church History I
  • MIN 50  Spiritual Formation

• Spring 2009
  • OTS 50 Old Testament II
  • HIS 50   Church History II

HIS 53   African American Church History

The fall 2008 semester course offerings will be made available to potentially new Shaw University Divinity School students  All new students will be required to attend the New Student Orientation at the Shaw campus in Raleigh, NC on August 15-16, 2008 At this orientation session, students will be introduced to Blackboard and Jenzabar.  Once students have attended New Student Orientation, they will be able to engage in classroom activity via a virtual classroom on Blackboard All registration and class interaction will be done online.

For more information on the Shaw University Divinity School online courses available to the National Baptist Convention of America, Inc., please contact:

Ms. Pamela M. Dickey

Administrative Assistant

Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church

10587 Automall Parkway

D'Iberville, MS  39540

Office  228-392-1021 * 228-392-6088

Fax     228-392-9978

Email   tab_soms@bellsouth.net

Or

Ms. Stella Goldston

Coordinator of Student Affairs

Shaw University Divinity School

118 East South Street

P.O. Box 2090

Raleigh, NC  27602

Office 919-546-8570 * 919-546-8569

Fax      919-546-8571

Email sgoldston@shawu.edu