Curriculum / Courses

•    ARTS & SCIENCE CORE - 30 Credits
• + GEN 122 -Introduction to Online Studies and Personal Discipleship
Credit Hours: 3

This course focuses on the foundational knowledge, skills, and character development required to succeed in the digital classroom and as a follower of Jesus Christ. The digital age of online learning has transformed higher education. The pervasive reach of the Internet has expanded the boundaries of the traditional classroom and created new opportunities for students to realize their goal of attaining a college degree. In addition to the practical skills and knowledge required to succeed in the online learning environment, the need for graduates who live out the values consistent with a Christlike character, in their homes, workplaces, and society has never been more necessary than today. (Replaced GEN 121)
• + BUS 115 -Introduction to Computers
Credit Hours: 3
Credit Hours: 3 This course encourages online learners to use technology as an effective communication avenue to research and present information for life and learning. Learners will gain experience with technology tools, including Microsoft® Word and PowerPoint that can be used throughout the student’s coursework to create documents and presentations and communicate those appropriately to academic and professional audiences.
• + ENG 105 -Introduction to College Writing
Credit Hours: 3
Writing is an important skill for academic, ministry, and vocational success. This course focuses on developing writing skills, providing students opportunities to break down the writing process. Students will learn how to create strong thesis statements to drive an academic paper. They will learn how to craft introductory and concluding paragraphs, build the body of a paper, consider their audience, and improve writing skills to communicate more effectively. They will develop basic skills in APA formatting and citations. Students will also work on refreshing grammar skills.
• + SPE 200 -Oral Communication
Credit Hours: 3
This course provides instruction and experience in preparing, delivering, and evaluating a self-introduction speech, an informative speech, and a persuasive speech.  Emphasis is on gaining skills and confidence in public speaking in academic, workplace, ministry, and community contexts.
• + HUM 231 -World Civilizations
Credit Hours: 3
This course will provide students with skills in historical research and analysis, a chronological understanding and factual knowledge spanning from the dawn of civilization to 1700. Emphasis is placed on the origins and achievements of the core civilizations of Asia, Africa, America, and Greco-Roman civilizations. In addition, Christian, Islamic and Byzantine cultures will be studied. The ultimate focus will be to provide students with a historical, factual, cultural, and geographical knowledge of ancient history and its relationship to the Bible. Upon completion, students should be able to analyze significant political, socioeconomic, and cultural developments up to the early modern world civilizations within the interrelations of societies and cultures.
• + SOC 343 -Cultural Diversity
Credit Hours: 3
This course is an exploration of cultural diversity and multiculturalism from a Christian faith perspective. This course provides a process to understand and practice cultural diversity competence.  It is designed to initiate and provide ongoing preparation for effective interaction with everyone in our culturally diverse world.  Growth in these skills equips individuals with the social graces needed to form bonds of mutual trust that will bridge the differences that ordinarily divide people.
• + SCI 220 -Environmental Science
Credit Hours: 3
This course will provide a general understanding of environmental science, while exploring the natural world and the resources it provides. The study of environmental science is approached with an understanding of the responsibilities of human beings to practice wise stewardship of God's creation. Topics include, but are not limited to, exploration of environmental issues, the relations between living and nonliving things, human responsibility for the environment and the earth’s resources now and the future. Through readings, lecture, and discussion we will examine geological, biological, and chemical aspects of science and how these influence economic and social issues on a personal, local, national, and global scale.
•    PSY 200
• + FIN 105 -Personal Financial Management
Credit Hours: 3
This course will provide a practical introduction to personal finance management and assist the student in being a good steward of God-given resources.  It addresses realistic ways to manage personal assets effectively.  Topics include the development of personal financial goals, planning and budgeting; avoiding fraud and swindles; buying, insuring and financing major assets; consumer credit; banking services; investments;  insurance; retirement and estate planning; and income tax. (Replaced LEA 271 Financial Stewardship)

• + ENG 300 -College Writing and Research
Credit Hours: 3
Students will learn the importance of using credible sources and building strong arguments. Students will develop thesis statements, introductions and conclusions, consider audience and purpose, and integrate credible and scholarly sources using APA formatting. They will develop writing skills to help in academic courses, business pursuits, ministry, as well as other career positions.
•    BIBLE & THEOLOGY CORE - 30 Credits
• + BIB 141 -Old Testament Survey
Credit Hours: 3
This course is a survey of Old Testament literature in its historical setting.  Attention is given to outstanding persons, events, and theological emphases.
• + BIB 143 -New Testament Literature
Credit Hours: 3
This course is a survey of New Testament literature including a study of its historical settings, literary types, and main theological themes.  Attention will also be given to outstanding persons, events, and major teachings. (Title and Course Description updated January 2020.) Course Title and Course Description for BIB 143 through December 2019: BIB 143 New Testament Survey This course is a survey of the background and content of the New Testament with an emphasis on learning to ask questions that will give the student a deeper understanding of the Scriptures. It is designed for students who desire to use the New Testament for the purposes intended by God both in their personal lives and in their teaching. The course is designed from a conservative, evangelical, and dispensational framework.
• + HUM 133 -Philosophy and Worldview
Credit Hours: 3
This course addresses the fact that our culture is confronted with a vast assortment of differing philosophies and worldviews; each claiming to be true. Focus is provided to understand and evaluate these various belief systems in an increasingly pluralistic society. Main ideas of eight different worldviews will be explored while the student develops and expresses a personal worldview. Topics will center around the nature of God, reality, nature of man, death, truth, morality, and the meaning of life. The primary purpose of this course is to challenge students to examine the timeless truths of Christianity.
• + THE 256 -Christian Theology I
Credit Hours: 3
This course is a survey of foundational doctrines of systematic theology including Bibliology, Theology Proper (God), Christology (Christ) and Pneumatology (Holy Spirit). It will include an overview of the mid-Acts dispensational perspective of theology held by the institution. The course also encourages the practical integration of these doctrines in the life and service of the Christian.
• + BIB 442 -Letters of Paul
Credit Hours: 3
This course examines the background and ministry of Paul, as well as the origin and purpose of each of the Pauline epistles in the context of the development of his ministry. The study will include an analysis and synthesis of major Pauline themes, including the Pauline concept of the church and its mission.
• + LEA 372 -Organizational Leadership
Credit Hours: 3
This course will provide an understanding of organizational leadership from a biblical, theoretical and practical point of view.  The topic of leadership will be discussed in four contexts that include intrapersonal, interpersonal relationships, organizational structure and processes, and organizational culture.  A biblical approach will be used as a unifying theme for leadership best practices within each of these contexts.
• + MIN 370 -Spiritual Formation
Credit Hours: 3
This course focuses on the practical outworking of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. Special consideration will be given to how the Holy Spirit equips God’s people for service, a development of a plan for lifelong spiritual growth, and appreciation for the historic spiritual disciplines.
• + THE 454 -Knowing God
Credit Hours: 3
This course provides an in-depth study of Theology Proper, the study of God the Father.  Included with this will be understanding the Trinity doctrine, with an emphasis on biblical, historical and theological dimensions of knowing God as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  The course supports not only knowing more about God, but actually knowing God better through the application of Christian doctrine to life, worship and mission.
• + HUM 332 -Personal and Social Ethics
Credit Hours: 3
This course lays the foundation for a Christian response to ethical issues arising in 21st Century Western culture. Attention is given to the biblical foundation of Christian personal and social ethics, the history of ethics, ethical decision-making, and personal character development. Application of these topics will be made to a range of contemporary issues.
• + THE 453 -Christian Theology II
Credit Hours: 3
This course is an in-depth study of the doctrines of systematic theology, including Anthropology (Man), Hamartiology (Sin), Soteriology (Salvation and the Atonement), Angelology (Angels), Ecclesiology (Church) and Eschatology (End Times).  These doctrines will be considered from the mid-Acts dispensational view of theology held by Grace Bible College.  The course also encourages the practical integration of these doctrines in the life and service of the Christian.
•    CRIMINAL JUSTICE MAJOR - 45 Credits
•    CJS 251
• + SOC 251 -Principles of Sociology
Credit Hours: 3
This course is a study of contemporary Western society. The emphasis is on culture, socialization, group life, social processes and social change.
• + COM 330 -Culture and Conflict Management
Credit Hours: 3
This course provides students with a basic overview of conflict resolution. The history, methods, and theory of conflict resolution will be explored. In addition, strategies in competitive versus collaborative negotiation will be examined in the context of culture and a Christian worldview.
• + CJS 350 -Criminology and Social Deviance
Credit Hours: 3
This course examines why and how certain attributes and behaviors considered deviant in the United States. We will explore major types of deviant behavior and discuss how norms, values, and rules are made and enforced. This course includes sociological theories to explain deviant behaviors and is divided into the five areas of defining and explaining the deviant, creating deviance, maintaining deviance, controlling deviance, and justifying deviance.
• + CJS 310 -Criminal Law
Credit Hours: 3
This course reviews criminal law and specific offenses and applies constitutional restrictions on government’s power.  The course emphasizes basic criminal law, inchoate crimes, crimes against persons and property, contraband and regulatory offenses, public order crimes, operating while intoxicated, court functions and civil law and process.  This course will also explore Biblical expressions of law and applications to modern laws and sanctions.
• + CJS 315 -Criminal Procedure
Credit Hours: 3
The course focuses on the substantive criminal procedure and on the constitutional restrictions on government’s power to search, seize and question.   The course emphasizes basic police criminal procedure, laws of arrest, search and seizure, laws on suspect identification, admissions and confessions, use of force, and other related topics.  This course will includes an analysis from the Christian worldview of justice and on the topics studied.
• + CJS 330 -Law Enforcement and Corrections
Credit Hours: 3
This course reviews contemporary institutional and community-based correctional systems including jails, prisons, probation, parole, and alternative sanctioning. The course examines how punishment justifications impact the policy and procedures in juvenile and adult correctional systems. Specific attention is given to identification of evidence-based practices and programs in all aspects of the corrections system.
• + CJS 370 -Juvenile Law & Delinquency
Credit Hours: 3
Juvenile Law & Delinquency focuses on the unique challenges of working with youth within the criminal justice system. Theories that seek to explain juvenile delinquency, including the nature and extent of illegal behavior will be explored, while also considering the significant role of media violence. The justice process for juveniles will be critiqued, highlighting the structure and function of juvenile justice, probation, detention, parole, diversion for child offenders and the roles of family and social institutions in addressing illegal juvenile behavior. A biblical worldview will be promoted in responding to juvenile delinquency.
• + CJS 380 -Current Issues in Security
Credit Hours: 3
Current Issues in Security discusses topics related to personal, building and corporate security.  Security knowledge in the workforce is extremely valuable and this course will help students understand the foundations of security. Furthermore it will teach how to defend and react against potential threats.  The course will review legal issues, identifying suspicious behavior, technology in security, personal and structural security. Similarly internal and external threats, and other related topics will be discussed.
• + CJS 440 -Culture, Crime, Ethics and Justice
Credit Hours: 3
An exploration of the relationships between culture, crime and social justice, with a special emphasis on ethical considerations in light of a Biblical worldview.  The course seeks to develop learner's cultural intelligence and foster compassion and greater understanding of diverse groups who are affected by the criminal justice system.
• + PSY 310 -Abnormal Psychology
Credit Hours: 3
Abnormal Psychology is designed to introduce students to models of thinking concerning mental health, mental disorders, and classification of mental disorders.  The general goals are to expose students to the range of thinking within the field of mental health and to help students understand the complexities of modern day classification of various mental disorders. The students will be challenged to define what is considered “normal” and “abnormal.” They will become familiar with the bio-psycho-social-spiritual model of abnormal psychology, including the various theories developed and used to explain causes and treatments for mental disorders. Emphasis in this undergraduate class will focus on symptoms and causes, although treatment will certainly be included. All information will be compared and contrasted with a Christian worldview of the various theories and concepts of Abnormal Psychology.
• + PSY 325 -Social Psychology
Credit Hours: 3
This course examines individual behaviors within the context of one’s society. It is a study of how people think, influence, and relate to one another. Components of these behaviors studied in this course include attitudes, beliefs, prejudices, aggression, leadership, altruism, conformity, attraction, persuasion, and stereotypes.
• + PSY 456 -Survival Psychology
Credit Hours: 3
This course focuses on the traits responsible for surviving in high-stress environments, including responding directly to high-threat encounters. Pro-survival behaviors are presented, including “the gift of fear” and balancing independence and leadership versus the need for teamwork collaboration in responding to stressful events. Organizational and professional psychological traits present in law enforcement, paramilitary organizations and high stress organizations are explored, as well as healthy lifestyle factors that lead to career effectiveness and avoiding burnout, such as managing vicarious trauma and promoting self-care.
• + PSY 383 -Studies in Research Statistics
Credit Hours: 3
This course is an introduction to fundamental constructs of statistics as they are applied to research. Learners are introduced to core concepts, including: sampling, reliability and validity, descriptive and inferred statistics, hypothesis formulation, statistical significance, confidence intervals, interpretation of research, common statistical tests, and ANOVA computations. Learners will also become familiar with software for statistical computing and graphics.
• + CJS 498 -Program Capstone
Credit Hours: 3
This course serves as a capstone course for Grace Online BS degrees. The purpose is for students to synthesize their learning and focus their ideas on a practical application of their ideas in a local community in the context of their degree program.
•    ELECTIVE COURSES - 15 Credits
TOTAL CREDITS: 120