Standards for Non-formal (part-time, campus-based) programs


1. General introduction on the levels of education
1.1 As a first step in the EAAA accreditation process a school may request that its non-formal programs at levels À, Â, Ñ (with specialization) be accredited. Every school can have accredited programs at different levels.
1.2 For levels A and B, there is no indication of degree levels on the diploma. At the same time, a student who graduates from a level A program can be provided with a certificate that indicates successful completion of their education without showing their area of concentration. For level B the graduate is provided with a diploma which can indicate their concentration in a specific area of theology or ministry. For level Ñ (with specialization) documents should include the educational level or the bachelor's degree + specialization, if there is no contradiction with the governmental requirements where the school is located.
1.3 In addition to the educational documents (certificate, diploma, etc.), a transcript must be provided which includes a list of subjects studied, the number of credits earned and their GPA (Grade Point Average). (For level A it is not necessary to indicate GPA).
1.4 Upon the completion of their programs graduates of theological institutions can be awarded a bachelor's degree in the following areas of practical theology:
-        pastoral or preaching ministry,
-        missiology or evangelistic ministry,
-        Christian education or pedagogics,
-        social work or Christian psychology,
-        Christian journalism
-        church music,
-        religious studies,
-        or in other areas approved by the EAAA.

These areas of ministry can be indicated in diplomas for level Â.
1.5 At the same time that degrees (qualification levels) indicated in section 1.4. are awarded a school has the right in the educational documentation to indicate equivalent degrees in an English-speaking educational system which are usually granted by other accreditation associations if this right is confirmed during the accreditation process at a school and the title of the degree is approved by the EAAA Board.
2. School as an institution, its purposes and management
 2.1 The purpose of the school
The school must have a clear, Scripturally-based mission statement, a Statement of Faith, a written history of the school, and a legal status which allows it to carry out its mission statement.
2.2 Legal status
As a rule, the school must have the legal status of a non-profit organization and be recognized by governmental bodies as an institution that has the right to provide theological education.
2.3 Mission statement
The mission statement must indicate the fact that the school is an educational institution based on the Bible with Christian life and ministry as the most important goals of its existence.
2.4 The goals of the school
The goals of the school must be clearly determined, relevant to the mission of the school, and publicly published. The school must provide evidence of having achieved its goals.
2.5 Specific purposes and evidence of their fulfillment.
The school must have well-defined purposes for each accredited program. It must be clearly demonstrated by written documentation that each graduate has fulfilled all program requirements. The school must also have evidence that the practical application of its graduates' knowledge answers the purposes of the programs in the school.
2.6. Stability of the school.
Before the EAAA Board will evaluate a school, the school should have existed for a minimum of 3 years. Its stability should be confirmed by continuity of the Board of Trustees and school administration; infrequent turnover of the school's faculty; uninterrupted operation of its program(s); and an adequate material/financial base. Its financial activity should be able to be easily checked and verified.
2.7. Critical review.
Every three to five years a school which has received full accreditation for one of its programs must again conduct a self-evaluation of its goals, programs and achievements, which includes not only a review of the programs as a whole, but also each subject (course) as well as other aspects of the School's activities. This self-evaluation report must be passed on to the EAAA office within a specified time frame.
2.8. Charter and structure.
A school should have a charter, bylaws and, if necessary, any other documents which clearly set forth the principles of management, levels of authority and lines of accountability of its leaders and staff, and the scope and limits of their authority and responsibility. The management structure should be adequate for the purposes of the school having clearly defined and operational management bodies and leadership for the life of the school.
2.8.1. Governing Council (i.e., Board of Trustees) - BoT.
The Board of Trustees (the actual title of this body is not important) is the highest body of management and control and determines policy for the administrative and financial affairs of the school, as well as for academic and student life. The function of the BoT includes (but is not limited to) the following:
- Appointment and removal of the rector (president) of the school;
- Responsibility for financing the school,
- Fulfilment of the role of official property holder of the school,
- Control of the major phases of development of the school,
- Upon recommendation of the rector (president), reviewing and approving nominees for the administration and permanent members of the teaching faculty of the school,
- Approval of the annual budget,
- Confirmation of the charter, mission statement and creedal statements of the school,
- Promoting the school to prospective students and financial supporters.
Members of the BoT should be professionally competent in their areas of expertise. If possible, there should be experts among them from the fields of education, management, finance, law and Christian ministry. The size of the BoT will correspond to the size of the school, but there cannot be fewer than five members. The majority of members of the BoT should be citizens of countries of the former Soviet Union.
The rector (or president) of a school participates in the work of the BoT and is the sole member of the administration of the school who takes part in the activities of the BoT. In most cases, the rector is not a voting member of the BoT. Under no circumstances can he officially or unofficially execute the functions of the chairman of the BoT. Upon request of the rector, other leaders of the school can participate in the meetings of the BoT as consultants. Members of the BoT cannot maintain any communications with the members of the school staff without the rector's knowledge.
2.8.2. Rector (President).
The rector (president) is the school's chief executive officer. All other members of the administration of the school are directly or indirectly accountable to the rector.
2.8.3. Board of Administration - BoA.
The BoA should conduct regular meetings for solving problems of school life. The BoA normally consists of the primary officers (rector, academic dean, administrative director, student dean or other officers according to the structure of the school). As a minimum, one of the two leading executive officers of the school (the first or the second administrative officer of the school, according to its charter) should be a citizen of one of the countries of the former Soviet Union.
2.9. Denominational control.
If a school is controlled by a denomination then all rights of leading the school must be delegated to the BoT. Thus, the denomination can manage the school through the BoT's accountability to the denomination.
3. Academic staff.
3.1. Composition of the academic staff.
The qualifications of the academic staff of a school should correspond to its stated goals and programs. A shortage of teachers mustn't limit the effectiveness of the program. Usually, this means that a school must have at least two full-time teachers. The accreditation commission designates the number of students for one teacher.

3.2. Faculty Qualifications.
3.2.1. The educational level of instructors should be at least one level higher than the level which they teach. They should be able to document their educational background by possessing transcripts of the appropriately accredited schools from which they graduated.
3.2.2. For teaching in a specific field of knowledge teachers should have an appropriate level of education in that field (see section 3.2.1.), or a specialization in an related area. In no case should they have fewer than 12 credits of academic preparation in the field of knowledge they are teaching.
3.2.3. Faculty who do not meet the above-mentioned criteria should have sufficient competence for their sphere of teaching; talent confirmed by practice; and significant experience in ministry. Their participation in the program should not exceed 20 % of the instructional staff (excluding students' practical training).
3.3. Spiritual qualities and commitment to Christian ministry.
Instructors should be mature Christians who fully share the goals and rules of the school, and willingly agree with its theological position. They should maintain and develop their knowledge in the area of their competency, including teaching methodology. They are expected, whenever possible, to participate in the spiritual life of the school and to demonstrate personal interest in the spiritual and physical well-being of the students.
3.4. Responsibility, limitation of loads and material support.
A written labor agreement (contract) should be concluded with each teacher for a definite period of time, with an appendix that specifies their rights and responsibilities. As a rule, school administrators should not be assigned to teach more than 80% of the load that an instructor who is free from administrative responsibility would teach.
Salary and additional compensation for instructors should conform to local standards, so that instructors can completely devote themselves to the school. The salary for their work should periodically be reviewed.
Insurance and retirement benefits for instructors should be in accordance with the laws of the country in which the school is located.
3.5. Professional development.
The school should promote improving the professional qualification of its teachers and should create conditions for their participation in research and writing.

3.6. National faculty.
At the time of its accreditation a school should employ on its faculty a minimum of 50 % of citizens of the countries of the former Soviet Union in the accredited program. The school should have a well thought out five-year plan of increasing that number to at least 75 % of its accredited programs.
3.7. Faculty Structure.
The administrative schedule of a school should ensure faculty meetings as a regularly scheduled part of the school. Under the direction of the academic dean, and also according to the school's Charter, faculty should participate in the development and improvement of programs; academic requirements; student admission requirements, and the organization of student life on campus.
3.8. Faculty Database
The school should keep a list of all faculty members who currently participate (and have participated) in the accredited program. This faculty database should be sufficient to give a clear and full representation of the level of their education (degree, specialization, when and where awarded), church affiliation, and experience of Christian life and ministry.
4. Material property of the school.
4.1. Real estate.
A school should own (or have a long-term lease) for its buildings and classrooms, library, and places for student meetings, and administrative offices on the property. For schools that serve more than one specific city or region, it is necessary to also have dormitories for students and dining facilities. Facilities should meet local building and sanitation standards. The condition of school buildings should not limit its ability to successfully operate its educational programs.
4.2. Library.
4.2.1. Library holdings.
The library should correspond in volume and quality to the level of training offered. In addition to books, the library should contain periodicals. The main purpose of the library is to provide each student with textbooks and other literature for their independent work on and off campus.

4.2.2. Quantity of books.
The library must have 10% more textbooks and other literature (for each correspondence course) than is necessary for the number of students in the program. There should be a sufficient amount of textbooks for students for courses taught on campus.
It is recommended to have not less than three titles of additional literature for each subject (excluding the main textbook) and a sufficient number of reference editions in an accessible language. It is also recommended to use textbooks approved by the EAAA Board as the main textbook for the appropriate level of education.
4.2.3. Book Usability.
Books and textbooks must be in languages comprehensible to students. In the case of using foreign language books schools must provide proof that students can use books and textbooks in foreign languages.
Book usage should be regulated by library rules. There should also be rules and accounts for books in circulation used for independent work outside the library.
4.2.4. Administration of the library.
The library should function according to standard library rules and procedures. The library staff should be adequate in number and professional training. The structure of the library and its procedures should support maintaining the library collection in good condition. Books and journals should be easily accessible for students, and the library should have a sufficient number of work places (no less than one place for every four students). The cataloguing system should correspond to the "General Recommendations for the Structure of Theological Libraries". It is recommended that the Dewey decimal system be used with its internationally accepted headings.
4.2.4.1. Schools that have programs at level C and higher must have a Library Council (LC) which develops operational policy for the library.
The LC consists of a library director, and representatives of the faculty, administration and students.
Books and periodical literature must be easily accessible to the students. The library must have enough room for study (it is desirable to have not less than one working place for every four students).
4.2.4.2. The library budget should support its normal operation and development. As a rule, this means that a school should use a minimum of 20 % of its operational budget.
5. Academic programs
5.1 Methods for the measurement of academic programs.
A standard unit - "academic credit" is accepted for the evaluation of an educational program independent of its type, i. e., one credit of a non-formal education course is equal to one credit of formal education work.
5.1.1. The study load for one credit of a non-formal, campus-based program is theoretically equal to the following:
Type of activity A B C
Lectures (academic hours), or 20 25 30
Pages of the required reading, or 250 350 450
Pages of written assignments 9 12 15
Hours of independent work-at teacher's discretion (Preparation for tests, interviews, consultations, exams, preparation and participation in practical ministry if it is directly connected with the course, research, research for conducting an interview, etc.) 20 25 30



The teacher has the right to change the methods of teaching and methods for testing student's knowledge and skills. However, they must construct the course in such a way that the study load for each credit will be distributed as follows adding up to 100%:

Type of activity % A B C
Lectures (academic hours), or 15-50 3-10 4-12 5-15
Pages of the required reading, or 20-60 50-150 70-210 90-270
Pages of written assignments 0-60 0-6 0-8 0-10
Hours of independent work-at teacher's discretion 0-60 0-12 0-15 0-18


It means for example for level C:
15-50% of lectures (equal to 5-15 academic hours)
20-60% of reading (90-270 pages)
0-60% of written assignments (0-10 pages)
0-60% of additional assignments (0-18 hours)

Note 1. For some courses it is possible to increase the number of lecture hours to 70% of the general study load so that it corresponds to the level in academic hours: Level A—up to 14, Level B—up to 18, Level C—up to 21.
Note 2. In the case of translated lectures the number of hours is multiplied by 1.33
Note 3. The study loads for credits cannot be limited to one type of activity.
Note 4. The overall number of credit hours for the entire program must coresspond to the level of the form of education.

5.1.2. For the credit evaluation of practical ministry assignments which are carried out as a special type of study activity the school should provide special instructions (or these instructions must be additionally elaborated).
5.2 General program requirements.
5.2.1. Program(s) should be constantly and critically evaluated by the school so that students can achieve stated goals, including the development of adequate analytical and communication abilities; a biblical worldview based on biblical and general knowledge, a global vision of the church's mission, practical skills from the application of knowledge, an understanding of people's needs in the world, and a passion for evangelism and charitable works.
5.2.2. Irrespective of its structure, each program should include at least one course of study on principles of evangelism, mission and church growth. The program should demonstrate a progressive sequencing of courses from lower to higher levels as well as from simple and general courses to more complex and specialized knowledge. The program should include study of biblical, theological, general and professional subjects, as well as practical studies in the amount (or proportion) indicated in this section.
5.2.3. The program of a school should be available to the public in printed form, including an explanation of its purpose and concrete goals that the school attempts to fulfil through this program.
5.2.3.1. For each subject in the program (including practical study) a syllabus should be composed which, in addition to other necessary information, should include the title and time at which the subject is taught, the name of the instructor, the course's purposes, specific objectives, themes and structure, textbooks and related literature used, tasks for independent study by students, and methods of measuring students' understanding of the subject studied.
The program and syllabi should not simply be copied documents from somewhere else, but should reflect the goals of the school to prepare graduates for work in a specific cultural and geographical context.
The goals of each course in the curriculum should be consistent with the agreed common goals of the program as a whole. The person or department responsible for the academic component of the school should approve the program and the syllabi according to the school's charter.
5.2.3.2 All materials relating to each student's fulfilment of the academic workload for each course must be kept in the academic affairs department for the current matriculation of students as well as for the previous two. That is the School must keep in its archive, as a minimum all final written assignments, diploma and course work and the results of tests and exams for all courses, and all materials reflecting students' work (see also section 3.5)
5.2.4. Students studying at different academic levels studying the same course is not allowed. In exceptional cases, students of differing levels can attend the same lectures. But the coursework and the depth of study must be distinguished and confirmed by the course plans, student assignments completed by the student and means for checking the knowledge they have received. The credits accumulated in this way cannot exceed 20 % of the overall program.
5.2.5. The credits accumulated by a student in a lower level program can be accepted into a higher level program (as an exception) only in order to prevent duplication of studies, and cannot exceed 20 % of the volume of the overall program. The decision concerning acceptance of credits of the previous level can be made only by the academic leader of the school, and in courses graded as not less than "good" on the school's grading scale.
5.2.6. Practical training should be organized by the school as appropriate for each level of study. For this purpose, a school should have on its faculty a person who manages the practical training of students. Such practical training, and its certification, should be properly documented.
5.2.7. The ongoing evaluation of personal development, academic progress and practical abilities and skills is a constant part of the academic process. For final examinations it is recommended that instructors use a three-tiered grading scale:
"Excellent," "Good," and "Satisfactory."  
"Excellent" 90-100 points
"Good" 80-89 points
"Satisfactory" 70-79 points
"Unsatisfactory" Less than 70 points


All subjects in the educational program should have final grades, about which students should be duly informed. After graduation the student must be provided with a final transcript. An "unsatisfactory" grade is not recorded in the final transcript that is received by the student with his/her diploma.
A student who has received an "unsatisfactory" grade for a course should complete additional tasks for learning the material (if the total grade for a course is 60-69), or repeat the course (if the total percentage for the course is less than 60), and should be able to demonstrate satisfactory knowledge upon retesting.
5.3. Program Requirements for level A.
Level A programs should be at least 21 credits in length and should include in proportion to all areas of learning indicated in item 5.2.2. Among these not less than:
Introduction to the Bible 3 credits
Principles of Bible Study 2 credits
Evangelism and Discipleship 3 credits
Doctrines of the Bible 3 credits
History of Christianity 3 credits
Practical Theology 2 credits
At the discretion of the School 2 credits
Practical Ministry 3 credits
Total: 21 credits


5.4. Program Requirements for level B.
The total length of the program should be at least 45 credits, but not more than 50 credits and should include in proportion to all areas of learning indicated in item 5.2.2. Among these not less than:
Biblical and theological studies 12 credits
Practical theology 15 credits
Church history and the history of the 5 credits
National Evangelical Movement  
Missiology 3 credits
Practical Ministry 3 credits
One term paper of at least 20 printed pages 3 credits
Total: 41 credits
The school can decide the remaining credits according to the desired specialization.
5.5. Program Requirements for level C + specialization.
5.5.1. Such programs are usually called “Bachelor + specialization”, e.g., Bachelor of Pastoral Ministry, Christian Education, or in other areas covered under section 2.4.
5.5.2. The total length of the program should be at least 110 credits, but not more than 122 credits and should include in proportion to all areas of learning indicated in item 5.2.2. Including not less than:

Biblical studies 12 credits
Hermeneutics 3 credits
Theoretical Theology (including church history) 12 credits
History of the National Evangelical Movement 2 credits
Practical Theology 6 credits
General social sciences (Recommended: Survey of philosophy, psychology, sociology and world history) 12 credits
Foreign language (English preferred) 18 credits
Missiology and Evangelism 3 credits
Practical ministry training 4 credits
Total 72 credits


The remaining credits are decided by the school according to the requirements stated in paragraph 5.2.1.
Note 1: If the school can provide enough literature in the national language for each subject, English can be excluded from the list of required subjects and other courses.
Note 2: In the event that a student possess sufficient knowledge in English, they may receive the equivalent number of credits usually granted for studying English at the School after an appropriate written test before the commission. This exam should indicate the student's ability to complete the tasks that would have been required in the regular English course.
Note 3: If the school accepts transfer credits from another school there must be an appropriate written procedure for this process approved by the president. The student's transcript must then show from which school these credits transferred from and the procedure for their confirmation by the current school.
Note 4: The content of programs of this kind ("Bachelor + specialization") must be approved by the EAAA Board and must be constructed according to the following proportions: Biblical Studies and the foundation of theoretical theology - 30 credits, specialization - 40 credits, and subjects at discretion of the school - 40 credits.

5.6 Entrance requirements for prospective students.
To study at level A it is necessary that a prospective student have an education appropriate for the successful completion of reading and writing assignments and for passing exams. To study at Levels B and C a prospective student must have completed their general education (i. e., secondary school).
6. Student life
6.1. Living conditions
On-campus student living conditions should correspond to regional norms in terms of space, layout, furniture, etc. The dormitory must be clearly divided by sex, be clean, and meet sanitary standards. If needed students should be provided rental apartments or rented living quarters through local churches.
It is important to provide students with needed medical facilities as well as necessary dining facilities. Students must be familiar with the written rules for dormitory behavior and with the consequences for violating these rules.
6.2. Extra-curricular activities. Spiritual Life
The school must provide students with a healthy environment within the student body. For this purpose, it is important to provide extra-curricular activities that stimulate intellectual, physical and spiritual development and fellowship amongst students. The leadership of the school, faculty and students must work together in carrying out this program. All student activities should contribute to the overall goals of the school. The school must organize counseling and pastoral care for all students while they are studying on campus.
6.3. Student representation.
Students must be well informed of all decisions that concern them. There must also be channels through which they can express their opinions and desires to the administration of the school. As a rule, students should have a committee, elected by them, through which they can have a measure of self-government.
6.4. Admission and graduation requirements.
The school must have a clear admission policy, which takes into consideration the personality of the candidate, his Christian faith and life, church ministry experience, academic qualifications, and professional experience. Academic requirements for receiving a diploma or degree, must be clear to, and mandatory for, each student from the very beginning of their studies. Students should be regularly informed of their academic status at the school.
6.5. Tuition fees.
Tuition fees should be determined according to the actual needs of the school and the actual financial possibilities of its students. From time to time it should be revised in accordance with regional conditions. Stipends and financial aid may be provided as long as there is proper written documentation
The amount of special grants and scholarship, and their usage, should be clearly described and documented.