Have a question about studying at Faith Builders? Here are the questions we hear most often. Click any of the questions to reveal a response.
What is Faith Builders?
What does Faith Builders believe?
How do I travel to Faith Builders?
What public events does FB offer?
We recommend you visit
Events.
How can I schedule a choir program in my area?
If I take classes at Faith Builders, will I be able to receive credit for that work at other colleges and universities?
This question has a layered answer.
- Faith Builders does not award college credits. However, numerous colleges do recognize work done at Faith Builders and choose to award credit. For a number of schools, an FB transcript is all that is needed in order for them to award credit in their institution.
- In 2010 Faith Builders began working with the National College Credit Recommendation Service (National CCRS) to determine whether courses offered by Faith Builders are comparable to college courses and to establish credit recommendations. National CCRS established specific college credit recommendations for the courses they evaluated. These recommendations can be viewed on their website at www.nationalccrs.org. To receive credit for work done at Faith Builders by a college or university using the National CCRS recommendations, contact the Registrar at Faith Builders to have an official transcript sent to the college or university of your choice. Upon application to a college or university, meet with an academic adviser and review your transcripts. Tell them about National CCRS's online directory should they need detailed information about the course and credit recommendation. To view the Faith Builders courses that were evaluated and the credit recommendations of National CCRS, visit www.nationalccrs.org/ccr and select "Faith Builders Educational Programs, Inc" or browse to this page.
- Some colleges may not honor any transcripts from institutions that do not have national accreditation. In this situation students may be able to use the credit banking services of Thomas Edison State University of New Jersey. Credit banking services allow students to consolidate courses completed at Faith Builders into an official Thomas Edison State College transcript. This service is only available for courses recommended for college credit. It is the student's responsibility to ensure that the receiving institution's academic policy will allow transfer of each credit. Credit banking involves a fee based on the number of semesters hours consolidated.
- There are no guarantees in any of the previous options. The best way forward is to be in contact with the schools where you plan to attend and become familiar with their policies.
Is Faith Builders accredited?
Faith Builders is not accredited as an educational institute. There are several reasons for this. The primary reason is that FB is unwilling to structure itself according to criteria that could be destructive to its mission and purpose. However, individual courses offered by FB may be transferred to other schools. Courses are designed to meet academic standards for post-secondary education and to that end we have our courses evaluated by the
National College Credit Recommendation Service (National CCRS). The National CCRS has recommended that college credit be granted for over thirty courses offered by Faith Builders. Many of our students have received credit from other schools for work done at Faith Builders.
What FBEP courses are recommended by the National College Credit Recommendation Service (National CCRS)?
The current list of courses recommended for credit are available on the National CCRS listing for Faith Builders
here.
How do I receive credit for courses taken at FB?
Faith Builders does not award college credit. Numerous colleges and universities have agreed to grant college credit for work done at Faith Builders. Schools that have granted credit in the past or who have given documentation indication openness to granting credit for Faith Builders course work include: Bluffton University, Eastern University, Excelsior College, Goshen College, Grace College & Seminary, Hesston College, Lancaster Bible College, Liberty University, Messiah College, Regent University, Sterling College and Thomas Edison State College. To receive credit toward a degree program at a college or university using the National College Credit Recommendation Service (National CCRS) recommendations, contact the Registrar at Faith Builders to have an official transcript sent to the college or university of your choice. Upon application to a college or university, meet with an academic advisor and review your transcripts. Tell them about National PONSI's online directory should they need detailed information about the course and credit recommendation. To view the Faith Builders courses that were evaluated and the credit recommendations of National CCRS, visit
www.nationalccrs.org and select "Faith Builders Educational Programs, Inc" or browse to
http://www.nationalccrs.org/organizations/faith-builders-educational. Granting credits for Faith Builders course work is at the sole discretion of the college or university. Institutions may choose to grant credit for some courses while denying others.
What is the difference between Teacher Apprenticing, Christian Ministries, and General Studies?
What is mentoring?
FBEP offers mentoring opportunities to students, volunteers, and staff. Mentoring is a life-on-life relational process in which a discipler/mentor transfers his or her wisdom, information, experience, confidence, and insight to a disciple so that skills and character can develop. This takes place in group settings and in one-on-one meetings. All volunteers and students participate in the mentoring program.
Who could answer my questions about course load or difficulty of work?
We recommend you
contact us to be connected with an admissions counselor.
What does the number following the class indicate?
The number following the class title indicates the number of credit (semester) hours of the class. For example, Principles of Teaching is a three-credit-hour class, with a particular level of workload and cost.
What are credit hours, and what is a typical load?
Credit hours are a measurement of the classtime and work required of a class. Faith Builders operates on the semester system. The unit for counting course work is the semester hour. A semester hour consists of the equivalent of one fifty-minute period of class work per week for fifteen weeks, with an assumption of two hours of outside preparation, or two fifty-minute periods of laboratory work per week for each semester hour.
A typical load for a short term is 6-8 hours, and a typical load for a fall or spring semester is 12-14 hours.
How does Faith Builders decide what textbooks to use for classes?
FB recognizes the profound effect of the textbooks and other materials used for classes. The process for selection and usage of textbooks includes the following:
- When a textbook request is submitted by an Instructor, the Academic Committee considers compatibility with the Christian worldview, academic level, appropriateness for the FB mission, acceptability to the FB constituency, and overall quality of the materials. The materials are compared with the stated positions and values of Faith Builders as outlined in the current course catalogs to make a determination of acceptability and compatibility.
- Any controversial texts are sent (along with specific questions for consideration) to people who can help evaluate them in the areas of question. These people may include other teachers, Pastoral Council, FB Board and Advisory Members, and ministers. The Academic Committee considers the responses of the additional reviewers to make a final determination.
- Any student, alumnus, or constituent who has a concern about any textbook or material used is encouraged to put the concern in writing and submit it to the Academic Administrator. We value this kind of input.
May I suggest a class or textbook for Faith Builders?
We welcome input and recommendations on courses or texts. Please send your suggestion to the academics department at Faith Builders.
How can I apply to become a student?
We recommend you visit
Apply.
How can I apply for a volunteer position?
Faith Builders regularly accepts volunteer labor in kitchen, domestics, maintenance, and renovation capacities. We also arrange for youth groups or work crews to assist in renovation and grounds upkeep, typically in the spring. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer or would like more information about volunteering at Faith Builders, please contact our main office for more information or an application.
Who can I talk to about becoming a student?
We recommend you
contact us to be connected with an admissions counselor.
How much does a short term or semester at Faith Builders cost?
Each situation is unique, but we can generalize some costs. Tuition and Fees contains the charges for most terms. Single students can expect room and board costs between $505 and $690, plus the cost of their tuition (credit hours billed at $112 per hour). Many single students find their final bill (excluding textbooks) to approximate $1000-1200. Married students without children can expect room and board costs between $920 and $1080 for a short term, plus tuition fees. Families should call the main office for pricing information.
What discounts are available for missionaries, ministers, mission workers, volunteers, or other special-needs students?
We do offer tuition discounts to many special groups. Some restrictions apply. Please refer to Tuition and Fees for the discounts available. Please refer any further questions to our admissions office.
Does Faith Builders have any openings for a particular term or event I would like to attend?
We occasionally publish remaining openings on the FBlog. If you are interested in a particular term or event, please contact our main office. We are continually receiving and processing applications, so we rarely publish the exact number of remaining openings for any public event or term. Please note that earlier applications are more likely to be approved, and earlier requests for particular lodging will take precedence.