Undergraduate Requirements & Policies
rather than as prospective members of particular professions. This “whole person” approach to education is designed to help prepare our students to succeed in their roles in the family, the church, and the larger society of our culturally diverse world. It pays particular attention to the spiritual formation and character development of students by faculty members who are open and honest about their own need for growth. To assist students in their holistic development, the program includes traditional education in the arts and sciences, supplemented by contemporary explorations of important issues. As a Christian university, Biola rests its primary understanding of what “whole persons” are and need on the basis of the central teachings of the Christian faith. This understanding guides every aspect of our general education program. 3. Understanding Our Christian Heritag An essential element of Biola’s general education program is its requirement in biblical and theological studies. This curricular emphasis is integral to Biola’s institutional history, and it is foundational to a mature understanding of our heritage as Christians. Although the biblical and theological courses may address any aspect of the Christian heritage right up to contemporary developments, they are supplemented across the general education curriculum by other courses that give students further exposure to the broad range of Christian thought and cultural contribution since the close of the NewTestament canon. 4. BecomingThinking Christians The general education program at Biola aims at assisting our students to develop an intellectually mature understanding and practice of their Christian faith. To accomplish this, the program provides students with biblically- informed critical assessments of beliefs and practices prominent in the contemporary world, and it trains them to make their own Christian assessments of these things. A goal of every course is to challenge the students to put their maturing Christian thinking to use in the conduct of their lives.
Elective Courses
Upper Division Bible Elective Upper Division Bible Elective
3 3
BBST 465 Integration Seminar 3 May be taken with different content for a maximum of six credits counted toward graduation Note: Students who select a liberal arts major may count only a total of 30 credits of biblical studies and theology toward the required credits for a degree. In the BOLD Program, elective credits counting toward the graduation requirement cannot be taken in biblical studies. (Biblical studies and Christian education majors may count unlimited biblical studies or theology credits toward the required credits for a degree.) Challenge exams are available (see Biblical Studies section). Part-time students (less than 12 credits per semester) are required to include at least one biblical studies and theology course within each 15 credits completed at Biola University unless the 30 credits requirement has been met. Part-time students seeking a degree from Biola University must complete the entire requirement as outlined above. Arts & Sciences Requirement The students must make selections from the following courses in the arts and sciences. First Year Seminar 1 credit required First Year Seminar is not counted toward total number of credits for graduation. Required of all new students and students transferring with 12 credits or less. Behavioral Science 3 credits required Communication 3 credits required English 6 credits required Fine Arts 3 credits required Foreign Language 4-12 credits required History 6 credits required Literature 3 credits required Philosophy 3 credits required Physical Education 4 credits required Science / Mathematics 8 credits required
Biblical &Theological Studies Requirement Thirty credits of biblical studies and theology must be included in the program of each student. Each student must take at least one course each semester until the requirement has been fulfilled. The following are required: Foundational Courses BBST 103 Biblical Interpretation & Spiritual Formation BBST 105 Foundations of Christian Thought BBST 109 Old Testament History & Literature BBST 110 NewTestament History & Literature
The courses that fulfill the general education requirement are the following:
3 3 3 3
Behavioral Science
3 credits
Select 1 course from ANTH 200 General Cultural Anthropology PSYC 200 Introduction to Psychology SOCI 220 Sociology SOCI 362 Social Problems
Intermediate Courses BBST 251 Theology I BBST 254 Theology II
3 3 3
Note: Check the catalog to determine which majors require PSYC 200 as a support course. PSYC 200
BBST 306 Early Christian History-Acts
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