Orientation & Registration Information
This notification is intended to acquaint you with a number of important items concerning the fall semester. Please familiarize yourself with this information, especially the information about on line registration.
This correspondence does not imply acceptance into a program at Biola University.
Orientation
Orientation is required for all new graduate students including those who earned a bachelor’s degree at Biola University, unless otherwise indicated. Some students may be required to complete the Talbot or TESOL and Applied Linguistics Writing Proficiency Examinations and/or the proficiency exams in Greek and Hebrew (see details below). If you are required to take the Talbot Writing Proficiency Exam (TWPE) you will be notified in your acceptance letter.
Talbot School of Theology
The Talbot New Student Banquet will be Monday, August 24th, 6:00-8:45PM, in Welcome Week Tent, Metzger main lawn (Biola Campus). All new students and spouses (or significant other) are invited and encouraged to attend (sorry, no children).
This Banquet is a highlight of the seminary experience for most students, so you won’t want to miss it! Meet your faculty members and their spouses, begin to form new friendships and support relationships with fellow students, and hear a word of encouragement from Talbot’s Dean, Dr. Dennis Dirks. The fellowship will be rich, the evening will be fun, and the food will be outstanding (served by Bon Appetit, Biola's award-winning caterer).
The Banquet is complimentary, but you will need to RSVP to Kasey Johnson to confirm your reservation: please email her at kasey.johnson@biola.edu. The deadline for dinner reservations is Tuesday, August 18th, noon.
Master of Arts in Christian Apologetics/Master of Arts in Science and Religion
Academic advising for on-line registration will be conducted via individual phone or in-office appointments. Please call 562-906-4570 to schedule an academic appointment with Christy Giannestrasor or Bo Lee. The office will be open 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday-Thursday and Fridays 9:00 am to 12:00 noon all summer until August 17, after which it will be open 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday-Friday. New students are required to meet with an advisor prior to registration; however, continuing students may schedule advising at their discretion.
Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership
The Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership (MOL) Department offers both, an On-site Orientation for our on-campus students, as well as a specified Modular Orientation for students learning through modular delivery.
The Orientation for MOL On-campus learners will take place on Thursday, August 13th, 2009 from 6:30PM - 8:00PM in the Metzger Board Dining Room. Light refreshments will be served.
MOL Modular learners will be receiving Orientation Packets via mail. After reviewing the packet, students may obtain further information by calling the MOL Office to arrange a phone consultation.
If you have questions regarding Orientation, call 562) 906.4571 and Laura Grove will be happy to assist you.
School of Education
Academic advising for on-line registration for the School of Education will be done by individual appointment from June 1st through July 24th. Please call (562) 903-4843 and schedule an appointment with Melinda Soto. The Education Office summer hours are Monday through Thursday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm and Fridays 9:00 am to 12:00 noon. NEW students are not granted permission to register on-line until they have met with an academic advisor. Meeting with an advisor is optional for transitioning students who have already taken credential courses as an undergraduate at Biola.
The Cook School of Intercultural Studies
The Orientation program for the School of Intercultural Studies takes place on Monday, August 24, 2009 from 5:00-8:00pm in the Crowell School of Business conference room 103/104. This includes a dinner. All students are required to attend even if completing registration on line. Following dinner students meet with their academic advisor. Please RSVP for the dinner through Thelma McLean at the numbers below or thelma.mclean@biola.edu Thelma McLean can be contacted at (562) 906-4577 or (562) 903-6000 x5686 if you have further questions. The dinner is complimentary for students/spouses, but you will need to RSVP by by Friday, August 14th, to confirm your reservation.
ROSEMEAD'S ORIENTATION EVENTS BEGIN ON
Monday, August 24: with a 5:00 pm Dean’s Buffet for new students at Biola’s lovely Collegium with Rosemead’s Associate Dean, Dr. Tamara Anderson. Students Only Please! Casual Attire
Tuesday, August 25: The day starts with a porch reception, class group and individual photos are taken, information exchanged and our welcoming Committee give new students a tour of the campus. This begins at 10:30 am.
At 11:45 am, New Students' Luncheon in Rosemead's Rose Hall Meeting Room. New students' spouses/finances are also invited to this event. You will have an opportunity to dine with other incoming Rosemead students, and the Rosemead faculty and staff. Following the luncheon, new students meet with their advisors and student's spouses meet with a representative of the spouse's group. Registration will take place during the afternoon hours for students that have not completed the web registration process. Spouses/fiancés are welcome! Business casual, coat and tie not required.
Wednesday, August 26: At 5:00pm in the evening, the Rosemead community has a New Student BBQ Picnic in Neff Park. Everyone in the family may enjoy this Rosemead community event!
Contact Melrose Oden at (562) 903-4867 if you have further questions.
Registration
Registration for new and readmit graduate students is being conducted on line from Tuesday, August 4th at 9:00 am through August 25th at 4:00 pm (Readmit students who were able to take part in phase I will finish phase II from July 27th August 18th only).
Classes begin Wednesday, August 26th, 2009.On line registration directions can be found at http://mywebreg.biola.edu (new students will receive their BSI [Biola Student id number] when they are accepted and passwords/net id’s will be available after August 1st at the above website). This will also link you to the class schedule and curriculum charts.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR TALBOT STUDENTS ONLY:
If you are planning on registering for more than 12 units you will need to get authorization. Please contact David Miller, Associate Director of Graduate Admissions at david.a.miller@biola.edu in order to petition for approval.
Enrollment Deposit
All accepted students must submit an Enrollment Deposit of $50 unless otherwise indicated in your acceptance letter/notice to approved applicants. (If you are currently an undergrad your initial deposit should still be on your account and we will not require this deposit/Rosemead students please disregard this informatio). The deposit allows the admissions office to transfer electronic data to other offices on campus. Submit the deposit as soon as possible upon acceptance. The deposit is not a fee. It stays on your account until you graduate or leave the university. At that time it will be refunded or credited toward your school bill. However, if you do not attend after submitting your deposit, the $50 is non-refundable.
Those who do not submit the deposit before the start of on line registration, may experience a significant delay in registration.
Finances and Payments
Please familiarize yourself with the information regarding finances and payments in the Catalog in the General Information section or in the enclosed inserts. It will assist you as you consider tuition payments. You may view the entire catalog at http://www.biola.edu/catalog/
Financial Aid
If you have not already done so, apply for financial aid immediately. Finances exist but we cannot help you without an application. The information about financial aid is now online at http://www.biola.edu/grad/financial_aid/. Time is a factor so begin immediately. (For domestic students only.) Not all programs qualify for financial aid assistance. International students apply for financial aid by petitioning the International Admissions Counselor. Details are on line, you may visit our website. Please note: Aid award on the financial aid insert is an estimate only. Please check with financial aid for your award.
International Students
International Student Orientation is held in the fall only and is mandatory for all international students. Additional information will be sent electronically by the International Student Services Department. For now, please note: New International Student Orientation will be from 9:00am on Monday, August 17th until Thursday, August 20.
The Biola English Placement Examination (BEPE) is required of International Students unless you have scored above 600/250 computer based on the TOEFL (BEPE information – see below).
The Talbot Writing Proficiency Examination (TWPE)
As stated in the catalog: “Advanced compositional skills, commensurate with graduate level theological studies, are foundational and indispensable, both in terms of educational and ministerial success.” If you are required to take the Talbot Writing Proficiency Exam (TWPE ) you will be notified in your acceptance letter. If you are not so notified, then you are not required to take TWPE.
The TWPE, if required (see attached sheet, referred to below), will be administered Monday, August 24th , at 8:00am in Myers 106. TWPE results determine whether the student must enroll in the Talbot course SS 500 Theological Writing. That is, if you do not pass the TWPE, you are required to enroll in SS 500. You may not request to retake the exam.
NOTE: If SS 500 Theological Writing is required, this course must be taken during the first semester of seminary study. Successful completion of this foundational course becomes the primary focus of the student. Theological Writing is offered this spring semester on Thursdays, 6:30-8:20 p.m. The course fee is $900.
Talbot policies regarding the evaluation of compositional skills in relation to admission and placement requirements for both native and non-native English speakers, and International students, are graphically detailed on the attached sheet entitled “Talbot Entering Student Placement Evaluation Rubric for Compositional Skills Testing and Requirements.” These policies, as well as additional mandatory requirements, are also officially detailed in the 2007-2009 catalog in the following locations:
- Page 199, in the section entitled “Talbot Writing Proficiency Examination (TWPE)”;
- Pages 199-200, in the section entitled “Admission of International Students," including the
- Information under the sub-heading “International Students English Skills Requirements; and,
- Page 273, in the section “Special Studies,” both “SS 500 Theological Writing,” and “SS 510 Theological Research Methodologies.”
Note: If English is your second language, see below under "Biola English Placement Exam."
Students in the Department of Applied Linguistics and TESOL (ALT)
All new students pursuing the MA TESOL, Certificate in TESOL, or MA in Applied Linguistics are required to take the ALT writing competency exam*. Results may indicate the need for additional work in grammar and composition in order to perform at the level expected for graduate students in
this field. Students who receive a score of Fail will be required to take an additional writing course. Students who receive a Conditional Pass will be given a list of areas on which they should work on their own. Both of these groups will need to take the test again next year.
All students, regardless of their score, are required to attend the ALT writing workshops. Here you will be given helpful information for departmental expectations regarding writing. These will be scheduled throughout the semester and/or will be available online.
* The exam is held in the fall only. The date is Saturday, August 29 beginning at 8:00am. It will be followed by a complimentary lunch and panel discussion with second year ALT students sharing their perspective. The writing workshop will be 1pm-3pm
Biola English Placement Exam (BEPE)
This exam is required of all non-native English-speaking students and English Language Studies Program (ELSP) students (unless you have a TOEFL score above 600-paper/250 computer/100 IBT). Course work in English may be required as a result of this examination and these courses must be taken every semester until the exit exam is passed. You cannot register without this test. Contact the ELSP office for details regarding this examination. Please be prepared to pay a $25 fee (cash or check) on the day of the exam. The $25 fee will be credited toward your student account upon registration. Should you choose not to register, the fee is non-refundable.
Course work in English may be required as a result of this examination and these courses must be taken every semester until exiting the department. The BEPE results will be issued at the Registration Orientation meeting and will indicate if you need to add English classes and drop classes in other departments.
The BEPE will be held on Monday, August 17, 2009 from 8:00 am-12:00 pm in Bardwell 112 (the science building). The Registration Orientation meeting is Monday, August 24 from 9:00-10:30 in Rose Hall, room Lower 2.
Greek and Hebrew Exams
For Talbot students wishing to challenge first year Greek and/or Hebrew or who are required to validate a transfer of these courses. These exams are held on Monday, August 24th. in Myers 106. The Greek exam is from 10:00-11:15am. The Hebrew exam is from 11:30am-12:30 pm. Please call (562) 903-4829 after August 10, 2009, to reserve your spot.
We look forward to having you study with us!
Contact your Graduate Admissions Counselor in the
Office of Graduate Admissions at
(800) 652-4652 if you desire further assistance.