A. Purpose
Graduate level classes offered through the Institute of Biblical Studies are designed to spiritually nurture and equip Christians throughout Asia. Thousands of participants in the IBS program can attest to their growth through a deeper understanding and appreciation for the Word of God as it is applied to their lives and ministries.

IBS classes are held generally during summer break for two weeks. The instructors are notable Christian leaders and teachers from IGSL and elsewhere. Graduate credit toward an IGSL degree is offered for many classes, but all classes can be taken pass/fail for IBS Certificate credit, or simply audited for personal enrichment.

Because the content is condensed into a short period of time, IBS classes provide students an opportunity to thoroughly immerse themselves in the study of God's Word. IBS also offers a taste of graduate-level training that helps the student to decide about future enrollment in a degree program at the resident school.

B. Credits
Students may participate in the IBS Program and earn the IBS Certificate even if they have not completed a bachelor's degree. Classes taken within this program may be taken pass/fail for certificate credit.

Students with a bachelor's degree may take many IBS classes for degree credit (for a letter grade) yet still apply those credits toward earning the IBS Certificate. However, classes taken for certificate credit (pass/fail) may not be applied to a master’s degree program.

Students interested in sitting in classes for personal enrichment and not for credit may also audit them. Audit students must enroll nevertheless. Charges for auditing may be only slightly lower than those for credit enrollment.

C. Certificate Requirements
Students desiring to complete the Institute of Biblical Studies (IBS) Certificate must fulfill the requirements listed below. IBS certificate credit may be earned through Institute of Biblical Studies (IBS) classes and Correspondence Study (CS) classes.

The following distribution of 24 credits must be completed:

A maximum of eight credit hours of correspondence classes may be applied toward the IBS Certificate. The recommended curriculum for the IBS Certificate is available from the Extension Department of IGSL.

D. IBS Certificate-only Classes
The following are courses offered as extension courses or through correspondence which may be applied only to the IBS Certificate Program. While these may be taken for personal growth and edification, these are not given credit for IGSL degrees.

Old Testament Survey (E, C). Surveys the history and theology of the Old Testament, bringing out its unifying theme while probing each book to enhance the student’s personal study of God’s Word.

New Testament Survey (E, C). Surveys the history and theology of the New Testament. The entire course is centered on a personal tour of the New Testament and gives special insights into each book.

Church History Survey (E, C.). Presents the broad panorama of church history from the Apostolic age to the present. The course highlights key people and events and emphasizes what God has done in the past to provide guidelines for the present.

Ecclesiology Eschatology Survey (E, C). Presents the doctrines of the church and God's dealing with man in the end times. This course leads to a more thorough understanding of Christians responsibilities as members of Christ's body, the church, for today and tomorrow.

Salvation and the Christian Life Survey (E). Discusses the major biblical themes regarding salvation, such as faith, grace, justification, and spiritual rebirth, and shows how they apply to the practical outworking of the Christian life for today's believer.

How to Apply