Program Information & Policies

Review information about how to complete your program requirements, maintain good academic standing, and find your pathway through Regent.

About Academic Programs

The following information applies to all of Regent's degree and diploma programs unless otherwise specified. The course requirements for each program can be found in our Graduate Programs section.

Information on admission to programs is on the Admission Requirements page.

If you have questions about which program is right for you or about how to complete your preferred program, our Academic Advisor would love to help. Click below to learn more and book an appointment.

Contact Academic Advising

Program & Concentration Tracking

These worksheets will help you track your progress as you complete your degree.

Note: MATS students should use the worksheet for their concentration. The MALTS program does not have a worksheet, as it contains a set number and order of courses.

Program Worksheets

MATS Concentration Worksheets

Terms, Credit Hours & Workloads

Regent College operates on a three-term cycle:

Fall (September–December)
Winter (January–April)
Summer (May–August)

Fall & Winter Terms

Fall and Winter term courses are normally offered for 3 credit hours and meet 3 hours per week.

Evening and weekend courses may be offered for 2 or 3 credit hours.

In cases where a 3-credit hour course spans over two terms (Fall and Winter), you will be charged for 1.5 credits in each term; however, you will not receive any academic credit until the full course has been completed.

"J-Term" (January Intensive)

Regent's January Intensive session, or J-term, is a one-week period near the beginning of January, during which we offer several intensive courses (similar in format to Summer courses—see below).

For record-keeping and transcript purposes, J-term courses are considered part of Winter term. Registration for J-term courses normally opens at the same time as regular Winter courses.

Summer Term

The Summer term is divided into two sessions: Spring Session and Summer Session. Although the dates for these sessions vary, Spring Session courses are generally offered in May and early June, and Summer Session courses from late June through July. Some courses, especially the biblical language courses, run into the month of August.

Summer term courses vary: one-week courses are normally 1 or 2 credit hours, two-week courses are 2 or 3 credit hours, three-week courses are 3 credit hours (6 credits of Hebrew or Greek may also be taken in the Summer).

Course Load

If you are taking courses for academic credit, you may expect to invest a minimum of 45 hours of work into a course for each credit hour. Where applicable, this includes class lectures, assigned reading, papers, assignments, and exams.

In any given term, a full load of academic work is considered to be 12 credit hours. This presupposes that you spend about 40 hours per week (i.e., 8 hours per day over 5 days) over the 14 weeks of a Fall or Winter term attending lectures and completing assignments and exams. While some students do take more than 12 credits per term, this is a significant amount of academic work; therefore, we encourage you, where possible, to spread your studies out over Regent’s academic year (Fall, Winter, and Summer terms), particularly if you wish to earn 30 credit hours per year. If English is a second or additional language for you, you are encouraged to take no more than 9 credit hours in your first term.

For important information relating to the offering of courses at Regent College, see the General Course Information page.

Please note: "Full load" in this context pertains only to academic work load. For full-time requirements around student loans, financial aid, study permits, tuition discounts, and tax forms, see the following section on Full-Time Status.

Full-Time Status

In contrast to a full load of studies, defined above, full-time status is the minimum number of credits required for various purposes. For most purposes, full-time study at Regent is defined as 9 credit hours per Fall and Winter term.

Please note that different situations may assess full-time status differently. The following are some of the most common scenarios.

Working with a Study Permit

Most students residing in Canada on a study permit must take at least 9 credit hours per Fall and Winter term in order to be allowed to work in Canada. Exceptions may be granted by the Registrar under certain circumstances, such as an internship placement or enrollment in a final project.

ThM students must take at least 6 credit hours per Fall and Winter term or be enrolled in a final project to be allowed to work in Canada.

Financial Aid, Student Loans & Tuition Benefits

Regent College Scholarships & Financial Aid
Financial aid is not based on full-time status. If you take at least 6 credit hours in a term, you are eligible for financial aid for that term.

Canadian Student Loans
You must take at least 9 credit hours per Fall and Winter term to be eligible for full-time student loans from the Canadian government.

US Student Loans
You must take at least 6 credit hours per term to be eligible for student loans from the United States government.

Student 50% Audit Benefit
You must take at least 9 credit hours in a term to receive an audit benefit during that term.

Tax Documentation

On your tuition tax receipt (T2202), you will be reported as a full-time student for each term in which you are registered for at least 7.5 credit hours.

Note that “full-time” status for tax purposes is not connected to “full-time” status for immigration purposes.

Maximum Program Completion Time

For information about credit hours and course loads, please see our Course Information & Policies page.

You are expected to satisfy all program requirements in effect at the time you were accepted into a program. If you exceed the program time limits noted below, you must appeal in writing to the Academic Standards Committee to complete your program. You may be required by the Committee to take additional courses, particularly if the program has been modified since you were admitted. The maximum time limits for each program are:

MACS	5 years
MATS	6 years
GradDipCS	no time limit
MDiv	8 years
MALTS	2 years*
ThM	5 years

We encourage you to complete your degree requirements while resident in Vancouver. Note that some required courses are offered only during Fall and Winter terms.

*MALTS students will normally complete their program within 2 years. Under exceptional circumstances, students admitted to a MALTS cohort may appeal to transfer to a later cohort.

Leave of Absence Policy

If you experience an interruption in your program, you may apply for a Leave of Absence for a maximum of 150 days. An approved Leave of Absence pauses your time to completion. If you are an international student on a study permit, it also allows Regent to report your status as on "Authorized Leave." A Leave of Absence is subject to the following conditions:

Applicants must fill out a Leave of Absence request form, which is subject to the approval of the Registrar.
According to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada, a Leave of Absence can only be granted for a maximum of 150 days.
A Leave of Absence is granted only once per program.
Reasons for a Leave of Absence include, but are not limited to, parental leave, medical leave, family emergency, compassionate leave, or financial difficulty.
An approved Leave of Absence for reasons of parental leave, medical leave, or a family emergency will allow a student to defer financial aid (when applicable) for up to one academic year. A leave granted for another reason, or if it is extended for a second year, will require a separate appeal to the Financial Aid Committee for a deferral.
You may return to classes during your leave, thus ending it earlier than planned. If you do not return at the end of your granted leave time, you will be considered inactive in your program.

Residency Requirement

Some aspects of the educational experience offered by Regent College are available only when students share in the community at the Vancouver campus. For this reason, we require our students to complete a set number of credits “in residence,” meaning on campus:

GradDipCS	12 credits
MACS	21 credits
MATS	30 credits
MALTS	24 credits
MDiv	42 credits
ThM	18 credits

Residency is defined as study pursued on the Vancouver campus in Fall, Winter, or Summer term. Courses taken online do not fulfill the residency requirement. However, you can complete approximately one-half of your program by Online Courses. For details, please see the Studying Online page.

If you intend both to transfer credits from another institution and to take courses online, we advise you to plan carefully to ensure that you meet the residency requirement.

Transfer Credits & Exemptions

Transfer Credits

Regent College students who have taken graduate-level theological studies at an accredited seminary or graduate school within the previous 10 years may be eligible to transfer credit towards their Regent College degree program. Credit may be given for courses relevant to Regent’s curriculum at an equivalent academic standard. Biblical Greek or Hebrew taken at an undergraduate level may also be accepted for transfer credit with the same conditions as graduate-level transfer credit.

Transfer evaluations of graduate-level credits are done after admission to a program. A minimum “B” grade (3.0 on a 4.0 GPA scale) is required in courses eligible for transfer. Syllabi for courses under consideration may be required.

The maximum amount of transfer credit varies according to each program:

GradDipCS	6 credits
MACS	21 credits
MATS	30 credits
MALTS	6 credits (details below)
MDiv	45 credits
ThM	0 credits

If you intend to transfer credits from another institution, you must plan carefully to ensure that you meet the Residency Requirement.

Advanced Standing with Credit

For students coming from certain undergraduate programs that have demonstrated rigour and a broad exposure to biblical studies, history of Christianity, and theology, a limited amount of advanced standing with credit may be granted. Such standing will be granted only if:

You graduated from the undergraduate program within seven years of being admitted to Regent College;
You obtained a grade point average of at least 3.7 on a 4-point scale in your undergraduate program; and
You have obtained at least an A- in courses that match specific Regent College introductory courses.

The maximum number of credit hours of advanced standing you may be granted will depend on your Regent College program:

GradDipCS	0 credits
MACS	9 credits
MATS	12 credits
MALTS	0 credits
MDiv	18 credits
ThM	0 credits

Advanced standing with credit is only granted toward the courses Old Testament Foundations, New Testament Foundations, History I and II, and Theology Overview.

Exemptions (Advanced Standing Without Credit)

You may also request exemption from specific required courses at Regent on the basis of undergraduate work you did at an accredited institution, whether it was part of your undergraduate degree or not. A minimum grade of B+ is required for exemption consideration.

Students pursuing degrees with biblical language requirements may satisfy part or all of these requirements by writing a proficiency exam in Introductory Greek or Introductory Hebrew. There is a $100, non-refundable fee per exam. The exams are graded on a pass/fail basis. Students must register by August 1 for the Fall term or by December 1 for the Winter term. A $25 drop fee applies if the student cancels the exam after these deadlines. The exam will take place in the week before the semester begins. For more information, download the Language Proficiency Exam Application (PDF) and contact [email protected].

Exemption does not entail transfer of credit; therefore, you must take other (normally more advanced) courses in the same discipline in order to make up the total number of credit hours required for a diploma or a degree.

MALTS Program

For the MALTS program, due to the strategic importance of learning together as a cohort, transfer credits and exemptions from required courses may be granted only in two circumstances:

If, within seven years of beginning the MALTS program, you have completed Old Testament Foundations (BIBL 501) and/or New Testament Foundations (BIBL 502), you may substitute another course (either for credit or for audit) in place of the course(s) you have already taken; or
If, within seven years of beginning the MALTS program, you have taken a course equivalent to BIBL 501 and/or BIBL 502 at an accredited, graduate level institution, attaining a grade of B or better, you must still take these courses, but you may do so either for credit or for audit.

Your choice in either scenario will not affect the cost of the program. In all other cases, no transfer credits or exemptions will be granted. If you have any questions, please contact the MALTS Administrator.

Contact Information

If you have questions about transfer credits or advanced standing, please contact Regent's Academic Advisor & Administrator, who can assess what transfer credits and/or exemptions you would be entitled to. Note that in addition to supplying an official transcript to Regent College, you may also be asked to provide a college catalogue or course syllabus that describes the course(s) you have taken.

Minimum Grade Point Average

In order to graduate, you must attain the minimum grade point average for your program.

GradDipCS	2.7
MACS	3.0
MATS	3.0
MALTS	3.0
MDiv	3.0
ThM	3.3

In determining their GPA, GradDipCS students are permitted to discount courses for which they received low grades, as long as they have successfully completed the specifically required courses for the program and have completed at least 24 credit hours with a GPA of at least 2.7. The overall GPA for Masters students, however, will always take into account grades for all courses taken.

You are required to complete your program according to the requirements as published when you were officially admitted into the program by the Admissions Office. If the program requirements have changed since your admission, however, you may elect to complete your program according to the newer requirements.

Academic Probation

The purpose of the probation policy is to alert students, where applicable, to the fact that they are not succeeding academically and to impress upon them the importance of giving serious attention to their academic performance in order to continue their studies. The policy also provides a mechanism for preventing students who are not likely to succeed from continuing their studies.

Criteria for Probation

Students admitted to Regent College are expected to maintain a grade point average (GPA) high enough to graduate. Students admitted to a program must maintain the minimum graduation GPA for that program (see Graduation Requirements and Procedures). Students who have a GPA below the minimum level shall be placed on academic probation.

Process for Students on Probation

Students who have been placed on probation for having a low GPA shall be required to develop a plan for academic recovery and to submit it to the Student Services Office. The plan should address what steps the student will take over the following year (e.g., retaking courses, reducing one's academic load, curtailing outside activities, changing one's program) in order to restore one's GPA to the level required for graduation. Students on probation are encouraged to meet with the Academic Advisor and/or with the Dean of Students to discuss ways of improving their academic performance.

Students shall be removed from probation whenever their GPA is sufficient to meet the graduation requirement for their current program.

Note: Students on probation are not eligible for financial aid from the College, and may not be eligible for Canadian or American student loans.

Action to Be Taken at the End of Probation Year

While the College wants all students to succeed academically and so to complete their programs, remaining on probation for an entire year shall be considered sufficient grounds for requiring a student to discontinue his or her studies.

The Academic Standards Committee shall meet to discuss the academic prospect of students who remain on probation for one year or more. In such a situation, the student shall be invited to write a letter of explanation to the Committee before it meets. The Committee will take into consideration all aspects of a student's performance and circumstances and, in its best judgment, will decide whether or not he or she is likely to succeed academically. In cases where the Committee allows a student to continue, it may stipulate whatever conditions it believes are appropriate in order to help the student to succeed academically.

In cases where the Committee decides to prevent the student from registering for further courses, an indication that the student is not in good standing shall be made on the student's academic transcript. Probationary status, however, shall not be indicated on the transcript.

Probation Appeal Process

Where the Academic Standards Committee has decided not to allow a student to continue to register for courses, the student may appeal in writing, within 60 days of the decision of the Committee, to the Senate of the College. The decision of the Senate shall be final. Students shall not be permitted to register for or take courses at Regent while an appeal is in process.

Combining & Relinquishing Degrees

If you wish to complete two master’s degrees in theology, you will be subject to certain restrictions on how many credit hours may be shared between the two degrees. In principle, you may share 50% of the credits of the shorter degree with the longer one. For example, in order to complete both an MATS and an MDiv degree, you are allowed to have a maximum of 30 credit hours in common between the two; thus, you must earn a minimum of 120 credit hours for the two degrees.

The sharing of credits does not apply to the ThM program, which requires a minimum of 24 credit hours beyond an MDiv or MATS.

We discourage students from attempting to complete two degree programs concurrently.

If you have graduated from a Regent College program and you wish to pursue another program at Regent College, you are permitted to relinquish your degree. In this case, you would be eligible to apply all of the credits from your first degree to a subsequent program, provided those credits satisfy the requirements of the second program. So, for example, if you graduated with an MACS degree and later decided you would like to pursue either an MATS or an MDiv, you would be permitted to relinquish your MACS degree so that you could (potentially) apply all 42 credit hours towards the new program. In order to relinquish your degree, you must do the following:

Be admitted to another program at Regent College;
Write a letter to the Registrar requesting that you be withdrawn as a graduate from your original program; and
Return your original graduation certificate to Regent College.

A comment will appear on your academic transcript indicating that you have relinquished a degree.

Appeals

Students who feel aggrieved regarding a decision relative to their academic program (e.g., admission to a degree, a ruling regarding an academic requirement or policy) may appeal the decision. The general appeal process is as follows:

The appeal would normally be made, in the first instance, to the person or committee responsible for the contested decision.
Where the student is not satisfied that the appeal has been fairly heard or considered, or where he or she wishes to appeal for an exception to College policy, a further appeal may be made:
- In the case of an admissions matter, appeal should be directed to the Admissions Committee, which meets regularly throughout the year.
- In the case of a ruling regarding an academic requirement or policy, appeal should be made to the Academic Standards Committee. For specific information on the appeal process for the following, see the relevant section in this Catalogue:
  - Course Extensions
  - Final Project Extension
  - Academic Probation
  - Academic Offences
- In a case involving an exception to Registration procedures or payment refunds, appeal should be made to the Director of Enrollment Services.
- In a case involving a question concerning financial aid, appeal can be made to the Financial Aid Committee.
- In a case involving a question concerning financial aid, appeal can be made to the Financial Aid Committee.

Grade Appeals

In the case of an appeal of a course grade, students are encouraged first to discuss the matter directly with the course instructor. If, in the opinion of the student, the issue is still not resolved, he or she may make a formal appeal to the Registrar. The appeal will consist of:

a written statement articulating clearly the basis on which the student believes he or she deserves a grade higher than what was received;
all graded material for the course, with the assignment(s) to be reviewed in the original marked form; and
a $75 re-assessment fee (to be returned to the student if the grade is increased).

This appeal must be received within one month of the posting of the course grade in the student’s academic record. Note that oral assignments, practica, and final or capstone projects are not eligible for re-assessment.

The Registrar will forward the appeal to the Academic Dean (or designate) who will do the following:

Based on the student’s written statement, the Academic Dean will determine whether there is a prima facie basis for an appeal. Appeals based merely on the student’s disagreement with the professional assessment of the instructor will not be considered.
In the case where the Academic Dean believes there is not a prima facie basis for an appeal, the appeal process will end and the student’s grade will remain unchanged.
In the case where the Academic Dean believes there is a prima facie basis for an appeal, he or she may discuss the matter with the original instructor and possibly assign the student’s work to another qualified grader for re-assessment.
The decision of the Academic Dean with regard to whether or not the grade is to be raised, lowered, or remain unchanged shall be final.

Submission Deadlines for Academic Standards Committee

Letters appealing for an exception to Regent’s academic policies or requirements should be written to the Academic Standards Committee and submitted to the Academic Advisor & Administrator. The deadline for submission of appeals is two weeks prior to a meeting.

Term	Submission Deadline	Committee Date
Fall 2025	August 7 September 9 October 7 November 4 December 2	August 21 September 23 October 21 December 18 December 16
Winter 2026	December 30 January 20 February 17 March 24 April 15	January 13 February 3 March 3 April 7 April 29