1. Licensing School and Course of Study

2. — Charles Wesley, A Prayer for Children
Unite the pair so long disjoined, Knowledge and vital piety: Learning and holiness combined, And truth and love, let all men see In those whom up to thee we give, Thine, wholly thine, to die and live.
— Charles Wesley, A Prayer for Children

3. The foundation for Methodist ministerial formation*:
1. Living into the church’s Discipline-mandated Wesleyan counsel
2. Learning ministry by doing it
3. Being birthed and nurtured by community
4. Growing spiritually in one’s grace, gifts, and fruit.
*From Formation for Ministry in American Methodism, by Russell E. Richey. GBHEM: 2014

4. Licensing School From BOM Handbook: Authority and Initiative
The Studies for License as a Local Pastor are a joint enterprise among the dCOM, the BOM, and the Division of Ordained Ministry (DOM). The DOM prescribes the curriculum for licensing a local pastor, but the operation of a licensing school is the BOM’s responsibility. The DOM offers guidelines based on competence in the skills of ministry rather than academic achievement. Within these guidelines, however, each annual conference has latitude as to method, time, place, instructors, accents, and interest.

5. Most candidates’ first education about the practice of ministry comes through the studies. However, they are not a substitute for seminary education or the Course of Study schools. They provide an opportunity for full and active members of the annual conference to take part in the initial preparation of future colleagues. The school assumes that candidates have been certified for ministry (¶ 315.2a), and have already explored the basic vocational questions of call and the meaning of ministry.
These studies are a crash course for those who may be appointed when license studies are completed. The license permits regular appointment and should not be granted unless the faculty recommends that a candidate is fit and has the beginning competencies to be a pastor in charge. Further, granting the license is only the initial stage in ministry. The 80 hours required for completion of studies for licensing does not give adequate preparation for church work.

6. LICENSING SCHOOL GUIDELINES
 Recommended distribution of hours:
Total hours: 80
Subject Hours Days
United Methodist Tradition
Public Worship and Liturgy ½
Preaching
Leadership/ Administration
Spiritual Formation
Educational Ministries
Pastoral Care
Mission and Evangelism
Conference emphases 4 ½
80 10

7. Issues and Concerns:
Have policy for assessment of reading and writing capabilities; TABE—assesses writing and math levels; can be obtained through GBHEM
Identify learning differences and accommodations needed
Financial support for pastors enrolled in the Course of Study
Provide avenues for remedial work and tutoring, if needed
Support for pastors whose dominant language is not English

9. Course of Study
20 courses total, covering Bible, Theology, Congregational Life, and Pastoral Identity
33 locations for COS schools; 2500 LLPs in COS in 2015
Full-time LLPs must take 4 courses per year and complete in 8 years; part-time LLPs must take 2 courses per year and complete in 12 years
Full-time LLPs are required to attend a Regional COS (in any format)
Part-time LLPs may attend either a Regional, Satellite, or Extension COS

10. Course of Study Schools
Regional School —administered on the campus of a UM seminary; required to offer all 20 COS courses each year; full-time LLPs required to attend (in any format offered)
Satellite School– a satellite location of the Regional School; courses are administered directly by the Regional School
Extension School—developed for part-time LLPs; administered by Board of Ordained Ministry of a conference in consultation with and oversight from a Regional School

11. Online Course of Study Courses
Those seeking provisional membership may take no more than 50% (10 courses) of the COS online; possible interpretation that this is applicable to all LLPs
Only offered through GBHEM
Courses currently developed:
121, 122, 123, 124, 221,224, 321, UM History, Doctrine, Polity
Two sessions per year, in January and August; sessions are 10-weeks long.
Cost per course: $300; online application available in 2017.
Hybrid vs. Online—hybrid must have content at least 50% face-to-face

12. Advanced Course of Study
32 hours required for provisional membership
Must contain the Basic Graduate Theological Studies (BGTS)—these courses are not to be survey courses or duplicate the courses in COS
Old Testament
New Testament
Theology;
Church history
Mission of the church in the world
Evangelism
Worship/liturgy
2 credit hours each of United Methodist history, doctrine, and polity
One unit of CPE provides 6 credit hours for ACOS
GBHEM offers a scholarship of $225/credit hour for those taking ACOS courses in a University Senate-approved seminary
No more than 10 credit hours may be taken online

13. Transcript Evaluation and Reviews:
Official COS transcripts are held at GBHEM and can be requested from
All transcript evaluation requests must come from the Board of Ordained Ministry or District Superintendent
Graduate work in an approved seminary will be eligible for COS credit
COS credit for undergraduate work is not given, unless requested by the BOM for missional reasons. The maximum credit that can be given is 6 courses.
When credit is requested for courses that have been taken at undergraduate institutions or non-University Senate approved theological schools, course credit will not be given for the following courses under any circumstances: 223: Worship and Sacraments; 224: Administration and Polity; 422: Wesleyan Movement