FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How Long is Each Course?
Each course is 8 weeks long with one additional week for a final. Each class/lecture is 1 ½ hours long.
Does Summit Offer Online Courses?
Summit currently offers live online classes via GoToMeeting and prerecorded online classes.
Does Summit Recognize Past Credits?
SBC recognizes life and ministry experience and transfer credits from other colleges.
How is Placement in Programs Determined?
Summit uses a combination of life and ministry experience combined with any previous college credits to determine what program is most suited for the student. To see what program you might qualify for, contact one of our academic advisors at 661-328-1151.
Are Graduate Students Required to Complete a Thesis or Dissertation?
Instead of a Thesis or Dissertation, Summit offers graduate students (Doctor and Master Levels) the opportunity to take a graduate exam called the ‘Test Out’. This exam is required for all graduate level students to finish their degrees and is taken at the end of their classwork.
Does Summit License its Graduates?
Licensing, Certification, and Ordination is available to all graduates who qualify and pass background checks.
What Programs Does Summit Offer?
Our most popular programs are in Leadership, Counseling, Coaching, and Chaplaincy. We also have programs such as Pastoral Leadership, Missions and Evangelism, Apologetics, Prayer and Worship, and more. Download our catalog for the complete listing of the programs we offer and program descriptions.
How Expensive is SBC and Do you Offer Financial Aid?
Our programs for each level are very affordable. Each degree program is offered as a package. Total package prices depend on the level and any past college and ministry experience you have that may be applicable to your degree.
Financial Aid, Special Scholarships and other Discounts are available for active Ministers, current Military or Military Veterans, active or retired Social Services personnel (such as Police, Fire, EMS, Chaplains, Sociologists, SBC professors, School Teachers & Counselors), seniors on a fixed income (based on age 60 years & older) friends of Summit Endowment Scholarship or religious institution scholarships (Affiliate status of a SBC Christian religious organization or ministry) and Extension Campuses of 10 or more students. Call to speak to an advisor about tuition at 661-328-1151
Will Summit Accept My Secular Credentials?
Summit accepts credentials from other colleges, institutions, and organizations. They are accepted on a case-by-case basis depending on the credentials and their applicability to the program the student is applying for. Call to speak to an advisor at 661-328-1151.
What Can I Do with My Degree?
Summit’s degrees have been used in many areas, such as business, education, counseling, and private enterprise. For example, our Leadership degrees have been accepted by businesses and corporations. Our students with Counseling degrees have been hired by churches to help with their congregational needs and our graduates have started a private practice in counseling.
Many Summit graduates have started non-profit ministries to help people. To date, Summit Bible College degrees have not been turned down by any ministries.
Is SBC Accredited?
SBC has been an IRS 501c3 non-profit religious organization since 1996. It is authorized to issue degrees in Theology.
Summit is not federally accredited, which allows Summit to operate independently from government regulations that would go against the Word of God. Many students desiring to enter ministry do not need a degree from an accredited college and students with our degrees have gotten jobs in both Christian and secular settings. For more information, please contact one of our advisors for assistance determining if our degrees will fulfill your educational needs.
Summit is a member in good standing with the Christian the Academic Council for Educational Accountability (ACEA) and has undergone review to ensure that the classes we provide give our students a quality education. Visit for their website for more information: https://acea-schools.org/.
In addition, our home offices are operated in the State of California. California’s stance on religious colleges is that there is ‘a separation of church and state’.