April 20, 2020 (Jackson, Miss.) - Belhaven's graduate theology program placed number one in two categories for OnlineU's 2020 Most Affordable Colleges rankings.
OnlineU, a college guide from researchers at Optimal, awarded two national distinctions to the University's Master of Arts in Biblical and Theological Studies (MABTS): 2020 Most Affordable Online Master's Theology Degrees and 2020 Most Affordable Online Master's Religious Studies Degrees.
“It is about time higher education came to grips with the need for dramatic price reductions,” said Belhaven University President Dr. Roger Parrott.“Our degree in partnership with Third Millennium allows us to charge about only 1/3of most seminary and universities tuition rates. This high-quality master's degree is taught with a passion and love for the Bible, and now that the 'price is right,' youth workers, Sunday school teachers, and anyone who loves the Bible can earn a graduate degree in Bible and theology.”
Belhaven earned the top spots among other prestigious colleges and universities such as Dallas Theological Seminary, Campbellsville University, Trevecca Nazarene University, and University of Mobile.
Belhaven University's partnership with Third Millennium Ministries was a major factor for their recognized success. The partnership combines Belhaven's online platform with Thirdmill's global multimedia curriculum.Ministry-minded professionals from around the world are able to earn a credentialed master's degree, but at a lower cost than most.
"This partnership with Third Millennium Ministries began with three major distinctions,” said Dr. Jeff Brannon, chair and assistant professor of Biblical studies at Belhaven. “We envisioned a degree with: excellent Biblical teaching coupled with state-of-the-art curriculum, a robust learning community in online classes, and a price-point that would make a degree in Biblical studies accessible for many people. This acknowledgment is encouragement that the degree we envisioned is coming to fruition."
Belhaven's top rankings come from research and methodology from OnlineU. The comprehensive guide enables students to compare all online colleges in the U.S., and use these rankings to help searching-students find an affordable degree. Their mission is to empower more Americans to go to college while lowering the overall cost of earning a degree. “We want to be part of the solution to the student debt crisis that has been plaguing our nation for years,” said Optimal CEO Sung Rhee. “To help, we published our 2020 Most Affordable Online Colleges on OnlineU. These 152 program rankings highlight schools making an effort to provide an economical option for prospective students.”