North Carolina Field Ministers Program (NCFMP)

The North Carolina Field Ministers Program (NCFMP), and educational program at Nash Correctional Institute (NCI) in Nashville, NC, offers the Bachelor of Arts in Pastoral Ministry with a secondary emphasis on counseling and psychology. This degree is the same degree that is offered on the SEBTS main campus in Wake Forest, NC and will be offered beginning in July 2017 at the newly established Nash County Extension Center (NCEC). To facilitate this program, SEBTS is partnering with the North Carolina Department of Public Safety (NCDPS), NCI, and Game Plan for Life (GPL). Game Plan for Life is the non-profit organization started and funded by Joe Gibbs, owner of Joe Gibbs Racing in Charlotte, NC.

SEBTS expects to admit approximately 30 students into each yearly cohort giving the NCFMP approximately 120 students at full, four year capacity. Graduates of this program will be designated as “NCDPS Field Ministers” and appointed to field ministry positions within the prison system across the state of North Carolina.

The NCFMP is designed as a “moral rehabilitation” program for inmates that have an extensive amount of time remaining on their sentence (15 years or more until release). The purpose of this program is to deliver theological education for the purpose of pastoral training to inmates serving extended sentences, thus, increasing the long=term, spiritual impact on the prison system of North Carolina. While the program is grounded in a Christian worldview, admission will be open to people of all faiths.

The four year major (Fall, Spring, Summer, and Winter instruction) in Pastoral Ministry introduces students to the knowledge and skills central to the work of pastors through classes in pastoral ministry, discipleship, counseling, and Bible exposition. The major also provides opportunity for additional classes in biblical and theological studies beyond those of the core curriculum. The program is designed to equip students for pastoral ministry and graduates will be equipped in the following ways:

1. Students will cultivate a heart of service toward fellow inmates.
2. Students will be able to plan and design various worship services.
3. Students will learn how to read and apply the Bible.
4. Students will formulate a philosophy of pastoral ministry.

Admissions Requirements

Admissions Policy:

This program is unique to one extension center and will only accept students in a cohort model on a yearly basis. As the program is unique and developed in conjunction with the North Carolina Department of Public Safety there will be unique admission policies developed and employed. The admission policies developed and employed by this program will only be applicable to this one extension center and for only cohort students attending at this extension center. The admission policies developed and employed will never be used for the general public or those outside the NCI extension center.

• Applicant must have completed a GED or High School Diploma
• Applicant must have at least 15 years of sentence remaining before parole eligibility
• Applicant must be in regular population
• Applicant may have a religious affiliation or none at all
• Applicant understands that The Bachelor of Arts in Pastoral Ministry is a totally voluntary program at the NCI
• The College at Southeastern (C@SE) in conjunction with the North Carolina Department of Public Safety (NCDPS) will conduct an admissions committee that will consist of 3 representatives from C@SE and 2 representatives from the NCDPS.
  • The representatives from C@SE will consist of:
    • Assistant Director of College Admissions
    • Program Coordinator
    • Faculty or Staff at large
• The Admissions Committee will accept up to 30 students per year into the student cohort.
• Application requirements:
  • Personal information, including religious testimony
  • (2) Recommendation forms completed by prison officials familiar with applicant
  • Recommendation from prison administration or official
  • (2) Essays describing interest in the program

Admissions Procedure:

• NCDPS prescreens offenders based on criteria agreed upon by NCDPS and C@SE
  • 15 years or longer remaining on sentence
  • No sexual offenders or sexual victims
  • Prison population
  • 21 years or older
  • Minimum 2A or Acute 2A/B medical care
• Application disseminated by NCDPS to prescreened prospective students
• Application submission window opens and applications received by NCDPS and submitted to C@SE
• Application window closes with no late applications accepted
• Application material review begins by C@SE staff
• Complete applications submitted to C@SE admissions committee
• C@SE and NCDPS admissions committee members meet to evaluate applications
• C@SE and NCDPS admissions committee members hold personal admissions interviews
• Application decisions made and students notified of committee decisions
• NCDPS begins inmate transfer procedures
• C@SE provides new cohort student orientation

Basic Qualifications:

• Applicant must have completed a GED or High School Diploma
• Applicant must have 15 years of sentence remaining before parole eligibility
• Applicant must be in regular population
• Applicant may have a religious affiliation or none at all
• Applicant understands that The Bachelor of Arts in Pastoral Ministry is a totally voluntary program at the Nash Correctional Institute

Transfer to Nash Correctional Institute:

Applicants who are accepted as students into the program will be transferred to the Nash Correctional Institute. Studies will commence according to the program schedule.

Extension Center Cohort Structure:

Students will move through their college studies as a cohort. For the duration of their studies, students will occupy class and other learning areas with the same group of students. The College at Southeastern will admit up to 30 students per year to the Nash Correctional Institute extension program.

Recruitment and Application Timeline: