Columbia International University
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Columbia International University |
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| Motto | Know Christ. Make Him Known. |
| Established | 1923 |
| Type | Private |
| President | Dr. George W. Murray |
| Students | 1328 |
| Undergraduates | 594 |
| Postgraduates | 422 |
| Location | Columbia, South Carolina, United States |
| Campus | Suburban, 400 acres |
| Colors | Blue and White |
| Website | www.ciu.edu |
Columbia International University is a Christian institution of higher education located in Columbia, South Carolina. The university is recognized for its emphasis upon spiritual formation, biblical authority and world evangelization.
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[edit] History
CIU began from modest beginnings in 1923 when it was founded as Columbia Bible School. The original purpose was to provide a two year course of study in biblical studies for local mill workers. By 1927, the decision was made to convert the school into a college and begin offering bachelor’s degrees in Bible. A location in downtown Columbia was established and the first dean (later president) of the college was chosen. The school continued to grow and eventually required a new campus. The college was relocated in 1960 to its present facility on Monticello Road. It was during the 1960’s that the institution’s longest serving president, Robertson McQuilkin, son of the first dean of Columbia Bible College, was inaugurated. During this period, the institution also changed its name to Columbia Bible College and Seminary. The name was changed yet again in 1994 to Columbia International University to highlight the growing educational mission as well as to demonstrate a commitment to preparing students from all parts of the world for global Christian service.
[edit] Presidents
- Rev. Robert McQuilkin, 1927 – 1952
- Rev. G. Allen Fleece, 1952 – 1966
- Rev. Robertson C. McQuilkin, 1968 – 1990
- Dr. Terry C. Hulbert (Interim), 1990 – 1991
- Dr. Johnny V. Miller, 1991 – 1999
- Dr. George W. Murray, 2000 - present
[edit] Divisions
CIU has three constituent divisions: the Bible College, the Graduate School, and the Seminary. Because of the closely knit nature of the institution and the emphasis on Christian education and biblical studies regardless of major, many of the divisions share faculty members.
[edit] Bible College
The Bible College is the undergraduate division of CIU and the oldest constituent division of the university. The college is headed by a Dean and possesses faculty from a variety of academic competencies, including English, humanities, music, foreign and ancient languages, philosophy, psychology, communications, and various others. While it offers majors in various disciplines, all students must take several core competency courses in biblical studies as a part of general education requirements. With this exception, the Bible College is similar to any other undergraduate Liberal Arts degree program.
[edit] Graduate School
The Graduate School primarily exists as a complement to the undergraduate programs available. At this time, the main focus of the school is offering courses leading to degrees in education, though there is a small postgraduate counseling program. The Graduate School also offers a doctoral degree in education.
[edit] Seminary
The CIU seminary (known as Columbia Biblical Seminary and School of Missions) exists for the purpose of training students who desire to pursue a vocation in full or part-time Christian ministry either in a congregational setting, in parachurch organizations or as a missionary. Students at the seminary are not required to hold a particular denominational affiliation to attend, though they must meet all the other requirements for attendance at CIU and must not belong to either the Roman Catholic or Eastern Orthodox churches. In addition to the two residential and part-time master’s degree programs, the seminary also offers a part-time doctoral degree and a certificate of graduate study.
[edit] Academics
As an institution of higher education, CIU’s primary emphasis is on its academic programs. Like most other Bible colleges, the traditional academic emphasis has been placed on the humanities and liberal arts rather than natural sciences, in addition to strong emphasis on ministerial and biblical studies, even at the undergraduate level. This is evidenced by the fact that there are four undergraduate majors relating directly to ministerial skills but no programs in the sciences, with the exception of a certificate in nursing, though a portion of the coursework is completed off campus at Midlands Technical College.
[edit] Degrees Offered
Undergraduate Certificates in:
- Information Systems Networking
- Middle Eastern Studies
- Nursing
Undergraduate Minors in:
- Deaf Ministry
- Outdoor Leadership
- Radio Broadcasting
- Teaching English as a Foreign Language
- Video Production
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) with majors in:
- Applied English
- Bible Teaching
- Biblical Languages
- Communication
- Family and Church Education
- General Studies
- Humanities
- Intercultural Studies
- Music
- Pastoral Ministries
- Psychology
- Teacher Education
- Youth Ministries
Graduate Certificate in Biblical Ministries
Master of Arts (M.A.) with majors in:
- Bible Exposition
- Bible Teaching
- Counseling
- Educational Ministries
- Intercultural Studies
- Leadership in Evangelism and Mobilization
- Ministry Leadership
- Pastoral Counseling and Spiritual Formation
- Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Educational Administration and Curriculum
Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T)
Master of Divinity (M.Div.)
Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.)
Doctor of Education (D.Ed.)
[edit] Accreditation
CIU is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools for its undergraduate and graduate programs and is listed as a Level V school, meaning that it offers three or fewer doctoral degrees. The Association for Biblical Higher Education has also granted accreditation to CIU for all of its undergraduate degree programs. The seminary is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada to award the Master of Divinity, the Master of Arts and the Doctor of Ministry. The Graduate School is also accredited by the SC Department of Education to offer graduate degrees in early childhood and elementary education leading to certification as a teacher in State of South Carolina.
[edit] Distance Education
CIU is also one of the few accredited institutions which offer university degrees where students may obtain degrees using a majority of distance education credits. The Advancement in Ministry track allows students seeking a M.Div. at the seminary to take courses via correspondence or the internet for up to two-thirds of the degree program, or approximately 75 credit hours. The remaining 25 credit hours are taken on campus during one week intensive courses offered throughout the year. The structure of this program has the clear advantage of permitting the student to obtain a degree but without relocating closer to the seminary campus or leaving full-time employment. One obvious disadvantage would be that the student only has limited interaction with other seminary students and the faculty. The Advancement in Ministry track is also available for students who wish to pursue certain M.A. degrees, but is not available in a formal way outside the Seminary.
[edit] Student Life
Like most evangelical schools and many seminaries, CIU does have doctrinal affirmations and lifestyle standards which all students (regardless of degree sought) are expected to affirm as a part of admission.
[edit] Doctrinal Standards
There are several doctrines which students must assent to as a part of their admission to and candidacy for a degree from CIU. The major points of affirmation include biblical inerrancy, salvation by grace, and premillennial eschatology. While students hold doctrinal views which CIU has deemed to be "historically divisive," students may still be admitted provided they do not discuss these views in a divisive manner. Students who do not agree with these doctrines may petition to receive a waiver prior to admission, and affirmation of premillienialism is not demanded as a condition for admission. The seminary requires affirmation of CIU’s doctrinal standards, excepting premillennialism, prior to graduation, even if the student received a waiver for admission. CIU also places restrictions on enrolling students and hiring faculty and staff who are divorced and requires faculty in Biblical studies to affirm premillenialism.
[edit] Lifestyle Standards
CIU holds to a goal of spiritual formation in preparation for life after college. Students are required to sign a covenant form agreeing to keep various lifestyle standards established by the university. Some of the standards include forbidding students from viewing R-rated movies and prohibition from alcohol and tobacco. During a semester all students are required to fill out “accountability forms” to report to the Dean how well they have kept the standards. Accountability forms include reports on hours of sleep, healthy eating, number of “quiet times” each week, church attendance, chapel attendance, as well as alcohol and tobacco use. Students are expected to maintain CIU lifestyle standards during summer and winter breaks.
The standards have been a point of contention for many years; while many of the faculty and students express frustration, the administration defends the standards and cites that those who fail to keep their word regarding standards lack integrity. While not actively publicized, a complete handbook is available for viewing at [1]. Some students contend that the CIU standards are unfair and antiquated. In recent years, students have attacked the standards as being not biblical. To the dismay of the administration, some students do not follow standards and do not feel convicted of any wrongdoing.
[edit] Denominational Relationships
CIU prides itself on being an interdenominational institution. It is not directly affiliated or sponsored by any single denomination though welcomes all students from any number of evangelical Christian denominations and somewhat more loosely, any Protestant denomination.
To preserve its evangelical character, CIU has prohibited enrolling students who are Roman Catholic or Eastern Orthodox (even to prohibiting potential students from taking single classes) and has prohibited churches belonging to those denominations from advertising on their affiliated radio stations. In addition, CIU requires that all faculty and staff belong to a local Protestant church. This policy has been enforced in the past when one faculty member, Dr. Edward Rommen, was removed from his faculty post upon his reception into the Orthodox Church in America.
While the school does admit students from a variety of Protestant backgrounds, the most commonly represented groups, as of 2004, are Baptist (25%), Independent (23%), and Presbyterian (11%), and are generally drawn from churches which could be termed conservative, evangelical, or fundamentalist.
[edit] Student Organizations
- Student Senate
- Student Union
- The Finial: yearbook
- Credo: theological/philosophical magazine with articles written by its staff members and students
- The Pilgrim's Protest: student newspaper that accepts submissions from the student body
- Mu Kappa: an organization for Missionary and Third Culture Students
- African American Fellowship Ministries
- Student Missions Connection: student group which prays for current missionary activities and helps members seek their role in global missions.
- The East 3 Report: Student-Written satyrical newspaper
- Refocus: Campus video news program
[edit] Additional Programs
While the primary mission of CIU is to provide an evangelical higher education to its students, the corporate entity also encompasses two other major educational and evangelistic entities.
[edit] Ben Lippen School
Ben Lippen is a private, interdenominational Christian school located on the CIU campus. It was originally founded as a boarding school in Asheville, North Carolina in the 1940’s, but was moved to its current location in 1988, offering middle and high school programs. An elementary school away from the main CIU campus was begun in 1989. The schools are co-education and feature a mix of commuting and resident students. The curriculum mirrors most public institutions with the exception of teaching subject from an evangelical Christian worldview and the inclusion of Bible classes and chapel for students, faculty, and staff.
[edit] Christian Radio Stations
Two commercial-free, listener supported radio stations playing Contemporary Christian Music are supported by CIU. The first, 89.7 WMHK-FM, is located on the CIU campus and broadcasts in the Columbia metro area. It received the Station of the Year Award in 1996 from the National Association of Broadcasters for religious/gospel programming, and is ranked #2 nationally for religiously oriented radio stations. A sister station in Charlotte, North Carolina, 91.9 WRCM-FM, has recently begun broadcasting as well. Both stations feature a mix of music and preaching and sponsor concerts in their listening areas by CCM artists. Both stations are targeted to reach women between the ages of 25 and 45.
