Moody Bible Institute

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Moody Bible Institute Degree Programs

Moody Bible Institute appears in our ranking of the Top 50 Online Christian Colleges for Future Missionaries.

The Moody Bible Institute offers students three ways to earn their degrees. They can study on either of the two campuses or take classes online. An Associate of Biblical Studies is available online for students who want to study the Bible more in-depth and those who plan on majoring in religious studies at the advanced level. There is a Bachelor of Science in Biblical Studies available online, but students can also major in theology, integrated ministry studies, and related subjects. The institute also offers online graduate programs in ministry studies and theology.

More than 20 traditional programs are available from the institute too. Students on the Chicago campus can study youth ministry or urban ministry to learn more about working with and helping their parishioners. This campus offers other majors that include teaching English as a second language and Biblical studies. The institute’s Spokane campus offers a unique Bachelor of Science in Missionary Aviation Technology, which includes both missionary and pilot training. By the time they graduate, students will have a full 325 hours of flight time. This same program is available with a concentration in aviation maintenance, which prepares students for working on aircraft and similar vehicles.

All nine of the graduate programs available at the Moody Bible Institute are seminary programs. There is a combined BA/MA in Pastoral Studies that includes five years of work that students do to earn two different degrees. The institute’s Master of Divinity is available online and on the Chicago campus. Some of the other programs designed for the institute’s graduate students include those in counseling psychology and mental health counseling, both of which include practicums. The Moody Bible Institute also offers some graduate certificate programs, including certificates in Biblical studies, ministry leadership, and spiritual formation.

About the Moody Bible Institute

The Moody Bible Institute is a private institute of higher learning that has an affiliation with the Christian Church. Dwight Lyman Moody worked as an evangelist in Chicago in the 1880s and worked with Emma Dryer to establish a school called the May Institute. It opened in 1883 and allowed local churchgoers to come together and talk about their beliefs and any issues on their minds. This would later become the Moody Bible Institute, which offered training for Christians who wanted to work in several professional fields.

The institute has its head campus in Chicago and operates a graduate school in Plymouth, Michigan. A third campus in Spokane only offers the aviation technology programs designed by the institute. Though the institute announced plans to close this campus in 2017, support from the community led to the campus staying open. As a Bible institute, MBI has strict rules that all students must follow. They will sign contracts when they start that show they agree to follow all its rules, including those regarding how they can behave on the campus and act when away from the institute. Though MBI is a strict private school, it has an enrollment of more than 3,400 students.

Moody Bible Institute Accreditation Details

MBI has accreditation from a theology association for all its religious studies programs and regional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) that covers all the institute’s programs. The HLC accreditation it has is why the institute can accept incoming transfer students and the college credits they have and why it can give students financial aid such as student loans that include funds from the federal government. It also uses the nickname MBI.

Moody Bible Institute Application Requirements

No undergrad can take classes at MBI without a high school grade point average of 2.0. If a student was homeschooled, the institute asks for a transcript that shows the student completed the same work that graduates did. The application asks undergrads to write a personal essay that shows their Christian character. They will also need to sign a contract that states they did not use any types of drugs or alcohol and did not engage in any sexual activities for at least one year before applying. This contract also states that students will continue to abstain from those substances and behaviors. MBI asks for an official high school transcript too. Students can also apply if they are married or divorced, though they’ll need to fill out more forms.

The MBI requirements for graduate students include a bachelor’s degree with a minimum GPA of 2.5, which students can show with the official transcripts they submit. All final transcripts sent to the institute should list the cumulative GPA the student earned and the date that the college/university awarded the student a degree as well as the type of degree earned. MBI requires that they sign a doctrinal agreement too, which states that they will not push their beliefs onto other students, especially if their beliefs differ from the official beliefs of the institute.

Tuition and Financial Aid

MBI is highly unique because it offers tuition-free programs for undergrads. Those who want to attend the institute without paying for tuition will need to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) MBI will then use the money from its donors to cover any costs that the student’s aid package does not. It offers a grant for students attending the Chicago campus that will cover their total cost of attending the institute. Undergrads on the Chicago campus are only responsible for covering their personal costs and room and board. Room and board will cost students at least $4,600. MBI offers married student housing and lets students get health insurance coverage for around $800 each semester. Students on the Spokane campus pay similar costs and receive access to similar financial aid opportunities.

Online MBI students pay $350 per credit hour for their undergraduate courses, which is the same rate charged of those doing independent study projects. Graduate students pay $445 per credit hour. Most students also pay an extra $40 each semester in fees. MBI requires that students use the FAFSA because it wants them to graduate with little to no student loan debt. Online students can qualify for a Pell grant and get some of the scholarships and grants offered by the institute. The Moody Bible Institute helps students get other types of financial aid before they need to take out any loans.

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