Admissions
Who Comes To Columbia?
EACH STUDENT AT COLUMBIA IS A GIFT TO OUR COMMUNITY. Columbia students range in age from 20-something to 60-plus. While many are from the southeastern United States, others are drawn from all corners of the world.
Politically and theologically, they represent a diverse spectrum of viewpoints. Yet, all of our students share one essential characteristic: God has called each one to faithful discipleship and leadership in Christ’s Church.
Student backgrounds are represented by a wide array of undergraduate experiences in liberal arts, sciences, mathematics, engineering, and other professional degrees.
Some students enroll in a basic degree program immediately after college; some after careers in fields such as banking and finance, education, law, marketing and communications, medicine, and visual and performing arts. God uses all of these vocations to provide depth and perspective on our common calling in the world.
Why Columbia?
Columbia Seminary is a great place to receive training for every aspect of ministry. Below are just some of the reasons why students from all over the United States and around the world come to Columbia Theological Seminary.
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
ACTIVE MINISTRY PREPARATION
A DIVERSE COMMUNITY
GROUNDED IN SCRIPTURE
GENEROUS FINANCIAL AID
BEAUTIFUL CAMPUS
Atlanta and Decatur
A Great Place To Live
CTS is located less than 2 miles from downtown Decatur, GA and less than 6 miles from downtown Atlanta. Our quiet campus is nestled in a residential community on the edge of the city limits of Decatur.
World-Class Faculty
Excellence in Teaching
“In teaching church history, I take my students on a journey of self-discovery through deep exploration into the past. As our knowledge of Christian history expands, we better understand how our faith traditions encompass a global story that spans centuries and diverse cultural contexts. We learn how Christians formed the theological doctrines we cherish today, but we also encounter the mistakes Christians made over the course of time. Ultimately, we study the complexities of the past in order to faithfully interpret our present and guide our future as leaders in the church and the world.” – William Yoo, Assistant Professor of American Religious and Cultural History
International Opportunities
“Looking at Christianity from a global perspective humbles me. Christianity is prevalent in the United States: this is a country where Christians can practice and express their faith freely. That is not the case all around the world. I have seen and met people who have been and are being persecuted because of their faith. I can no longer believe that Christian persecution is historical. It is current and it is real. My exposure to Christianity around the world has made me much more of a proponent for a theology of liberation and a seeker of justice for all people. Through my exposure to Christianity around the world with the international programs at Columbia, including a recent trip to India, I now claim the authority to question and challenge oppressive systems outside of my daily context.”
— Millicent Thomson, MDiv ’17
Admissions Steps
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