Welcome to WSC! …Now What?

Congratulations, You’re In!

Welcome to Westminster Seminary California! We are excited that you will be joining our seminary community. On this page, you will find information regarding New Student Registration and a few other notes to make your transition to WSC as smooth as possible.

What are my next steps?

New Student Registration

1. If you are new to Populi, our student information system, please watch this introductory video.
2. Review the appropriate Degree Calendar for your degree. The degree program listed in your student profile in Populi is the program you provided on your application.  If you decide to pursue a different degree program, you will need to submit a request form to the Registrar. Sign up for the classes listed in the first semester of the appropriate degree calendar; following a degree calendar when signing up for classes helps you to complete your degree efficiently and to avoid course conflicts in future semesters.
3. Review the relevant course schedules.
4. Course registration in Populi is discussed in the introductory video linked above. For a more in-depth treatment of registration in Populi, you can also watch this Populi tutorial video entitled “How Do I Register for Courses?” After watching at least one of these videos, log in to Populi during the designated registration period and register for courses using the Registration tab of your Populi profile. Contact the Registrar if this tab does not appear on your profile page. Please note the following:

• You should register for all classes you may need to take this term, including those for which you hope to obtain advanced placement or to test out, such as Greek or Hebrew language courses, PT400 Graduate Theological Writing, or PT410 Oral Communication. You will be automatically removed (without charge) from any courses for which you receive a waiver.
• If you are registering for two terms (i.e., Summer/Fall or Winter/Spring), you will need to change the term directly under the profile menu on the Registration tab to get to the other term.
• You must register for Greek I (Summer or Spring) before you can register for Greek II (Fall).

4. Pay the $100 Enrollment Deposit, which is due by July 1 (Summer/Fall start), December 15 (Winter start), or January 15 (Spring Start). You can pay by credit or debit card in Populi (under the financial tab) or by sending a check to:

Westminster Seminary California
Office of Admissions
1725 Bear Valley Pkwy
Escondido, CA 92027

5. Once you are registered, you should see pending tuition charges for the courses you selected as well as any pending aid in the Financial Tab of your Populi account.  Please note, however, that if you have been awarded a scholarship based on a percentage of your tuition, the actual amount may not be calculated yet.  You will receive an invoice for these courses prior to the beginning of the term. Approximate invoice dates: July 7 (for Summer), August 7 (for Fall), December 2 (for Winter), and January 13 (for Spring).

If you would like to make a payment sooner, you are welcome to do that through Populi or by sending a check to our business office. To pay with a currency other than dollars, please use the WSC Flywire payment portal. More information regarding tuition and fees, payment schedules, refunds, etc., is available in the Financial Information appendix of the Academic Catalogue, found here.

If you have any further questions about New Student Registration, please contact the Registrar (registrar@wscal.edu).

What else can I do to prepare for seminary?

Spiritual Preparation

Seek to develop strong relations and personal growth within a Christian church both before and during seminary. It is primarily within this context that students will grow in the knowledge of God’s revealed Word and be built up into maturity. Maintaining a consistent prayer life, study of the scriptures, and involvement with and commitment to a local Christian church is integral and vital to your preparation for seminary and to your own spiritual life in Christ.

Academic Preparation

Cultivate strong academic knowledge in areas related to Biblical studies, such as history, philosophy and language studies. A strong understanding of the liberal arts will assist you in establishing clear, concise, and cogent writing skills that are essential to a seminary education.

Recommended Reading

This resource is provided to introduce various topics that will be covered or referenced during studies at WSC. Please note that this information is provided as a resource only; this reading list is not prerequisite to beginning a degree program at WSC.

Recommended Reading List

English Bible Knowledge

Thorough knowledge of the English Bible is expected of all students at Westminster Seminary California. In order to ensure that all students have an in-depth understanding of the Bible, the Seminary has established an English Bible Exam. The examination is administered two times per academic year. All incoming students are required to take the English Bible Exam during their first semester of studies.  Students who take the English Bible Exam and fail it on their first attempt have the opportunity to retake the exam the next time it is offered. Students who take and fail the exam twice, or who fail to take the exam when required to do so, are required to take OT520 English Bible Survey the next spring semester.

A score of 110 or higher out of 150 questions is required in order to be exempt from OT520 English Bible Survey. Students who fail the exam once will be allowed another attempt to pass it. After a second failure, or neglecting to take the exam, the student is required to take OT520 English Bible Survey (which is offered only in the spring semester) as an elective. Each student must pass the exam or OT520 prior to registering for OT601, OT701, OT702, NT601, NT602, NT701, and ST604 and ST605.  Please note that WSC does not provide a sample test for the English Bible Exam.

Graduate Theological Writing

This propaedeutic course is offered to assist students in developing competency in the organization and composition of essays and papers, correct use of source materials in writing, clarity and style in sentence syntax and paragraph construction, diction, grammar, punctuation, and spelling.  New students registered for their first semester will have an opportunity to obtain a waiver of PT400 Graduate Theological Writing by submitting an academic paper to the Registrar’s office.

For paper requirements, download: Graduate Theological Writing Requirements (PDF)

Oral Communication (MDiv Only)

All MDiv students are required to enroll in PT410 Oral Communication during the first fall semester unless a waiver is granted.  Students may obtain a waiver by delivering a brief devotional speech that exhibits adequate oral communication skills (in preparation, structure, and delivery) to representative faculty of the Department of Practical Theology prior to the first fall semester of study. Further information about student speeches will be provided during the WSC New Student Orientation.  If you do not receive a waiver for PT410, you will be required to take this class before enrolling in PT504 Sermon Preparation and Delivery and the advanced homiletics practica (PT603, PT604, PT704, PT708).  Non-Native, English-speaking students should review the Academic Catalogue for additional information regarding the TOEFL score and eligibility for a waiver of the PT410 requirement.

In preparation for the devotional speech, incoming students are encouraged to review the following guidelines: Writing Your First Speech.

Biblical Languages

Although WSC offers thorough instruction in both Greek and Hebrew, preparation in these languages before seminary will be extremely beneficial for you since WSC places a strong emphasis on the original languages.  Students with prior studies in Greek or Hebrew may “test out” of some of the language requirements by taking a placement exam given by the Biblical Studies Department.  A Greek placement exam is held on the day prior to the start of the Greek I course during both the summer and winter terms, and during New Student Orientation in the fall. The Hebrew placement exam is held prior to the start of fall and spring semesters by arrangement with the Old Testament faculty.  Each exam covers the fundamentals of grammar, vocabulary, and translation of selected passages (see the sample exams below).

Greek and Hebrew Texts

These are the primary texts used for language study at WSC:

Greek

• Baugh, S. M. A New Testament Greek Primer. Third Edition. Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2012.
• Baugh, S. M. A First John Reader: Intermediate Greek Reading Notes and Grammar. Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 1999.

Hebrew

• Practico, Gary D. and Miles V. Van Pelt. Basics of Biblical Hebrew Grammar. Third Edition. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2019.

Language Program Information and Sample Placement Exams

Greek Program Information (PDF)
Sample Greek Placement Exam (PDF)
Sample Hebrew Placement Exam (PDF)