Destiny School of Theology

General Information

The History
Destiny School of Theology (DST) is a video campus of Christian Life School of Theology (CLST) launched in 1983 by Dr. Ronald E. Cottle.  The faculty includes over 90 of the finest pastors and teachers in the U.S. who reach over 30,000 students in more than 300 churches, plus oversee sites in 21 foreign countries.  Each instructor is a proven minister and only teaches in his or her expertise.  Destiny School of Theology was launched in April 2004.

The Model
Destiny School of Theology provides a flexible, comprehensive quality education designed to prepare Christian workers who are not in a position to leave their employment or move in order to study on a campus.  The model is innovative in that the base of operation is located at a local church which is affiliated with CLST.

Generally, classes convene on Thursday and Friday evenings, and Saturday mornings once a month.  A video course is one in which students meet for instruction in a class setting via video presentation.  Lectures are recorded in a state-of-the-art studio on the Columbus campus so that the student has the sense of being right in the classroom.

Divisions of Study
The educational program offers a Bible Theology emphasis with courses in six divisions of study:  Old Testament, New Testament, Biblical Theology, Practical Theology, Historical Theology and Christian Counselling.  To graduate, students must take courses from all six divisions.

Local Campus
Although official records are maintained in Columbus, Destiny School of Theology is responsible for recruiting, course scheduling, maintaining a copy of student records and responding to student inquiries regarding grades, credits, status toward graduation, etc.

Authorization and Accreditation
CLST has been granted religious exemption to grant degrees under the provision of the Post-Secondary Educational Authorization Act, Georgia Code 20-3-100 et seq.  CLST has, therefore, met the requirements for issuing certificates indicating a specific theological focus, a Diploma of Theology, and degrees ranging from an Associate of Theology through a Doctor of Theology.

CLST is known world wide for its excellence as a School of Theology.  Although not accredited, we believe in the credibility of CLST and in the fruitfulness and surrendered lives of the students who have attended our courses.

Application for Advanced Standing
Students who have completed courses in institutions other than CLST or have ministerial experience in the local church may receive credit for their work.  This credit will be given for college courses taken or ministerial work performed prior to enrollment as a student at Destiny School of Theology.  This requires the submission of official transcripts, certificates, diplomas and/or ministerial resume to the Academic Committee for evaluation. The credits awarded through advanced standing are used to help determine the level of placement of the student.  This would give the student needed information as to the number of courses required for graduation.  Students should request an initial evaluation at the time of admission.  Initial requests for advanced standing evaluations must be submitted within six months of admission.

Course Format

Pre-Class Study (20 Hours)

  1. Students receive a syllabus, text and all study assignments at least three weeks before the first day of the classroom presentation.
  2. Twenty hours are to be spent in the reading of the syllabus, text, and pertinent Scriptures.

 Classroom Presentation (10 Hours)

  1. Students come together at the local campus for ten hours of classroom instruction presented by CLST faculty via video.
  2. A minimum of two hours of outside study is expected to accompany and support each hour of classroom lecture (pre-class study).

 Post-Class Study (15 Hours)

  1. Students are required to complete the course examination.
  2. Examinations are take-home and must be completed independently.
  3. Students have up to fourteen days after the last day of classroom presentation to complete the final examination.
  4. It is expected that an average of fifteen hours will be spent in the preparation and writing of the final exam.
  5. All final exams consist of 100 true and false and multiple choice questions and are recorded on a form for computerized scoring by the national headquarters of CLST.

 Programs of Study
            Diploma of Theology (Dip. Th.)                        30 Semester Credit Hours or 10 Courses
            Associate of Theology (A. Th.)                         60 Semester Credit Hours or 20 Courses
            Bachelor of Theology (B.Th.)                           126 Semester Credit Hours or 42 Courses
            Master of Theology (M. Th.)                            171 Semester Credit Hours or 57 Courses
            Master of Sacred Studies (M.S.S.)                   216 Semester Credit Hours or 72 Courses
            Doctor of Theology (D. Th.)                             261 Semester Credit Hours or 87 Courses

Grading Scale, Quality Points, and Grade Point Average

1.       All diplomas and degrees are earned by the accumulation of semester credit hours.  All courses in any department, any division, are applicable at any point of a student’s program.

2.       CLST courses are three semester credit hour courses.

3.       Students must maintain a grade point average of 2.0 (C) or higher in order to receive the Diploma of Theology, Associate of Theology, and the Bachelor of Theology. 

4.       Students must maintain a grade point average of 3.0 (B) or higher in order to receive the Master of Theology, the Master of Sacred Studies or the Doctor of Theology.

 Fees
A one time registration fee of $35.00 is required for each student.  Tuition is $175.00 for each course, which includes the course syllabus and textbook.

For those who wish to enroll as observers, no registration fee is required.  Tuition is $90.00 for each course, which includes the course syllabus and textbook.