ONLINE LEARNING
Providing the opportunity to dive into the Scriptures with the flexibility of online learning
You might be a busy parent, a full-time employee, or living on the other side of the country. No matter what time zone or life stage you’re in, online courses fit into your schedule. All our online courses earn you academic credits which will transfer into our many degree and diploma programs.
Current Online Course Offerings
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“The most important thing I learned about the Bible at CBC is that God transforms the reader through studying it. It’s more than just a collection of letters and laws. It’s convicting, raw and beautiful. Wrestling with it is okay. Most importantly, we learn about and worship our King Jesus through it.
I discovered my passion for youth and kids at Columbia! I’ve already started my first job as a youth pastor, and I am living the dream! The future of the church lies with kids and youth, and if I can have a role to play in walking alongside these kids in their everyday lives, I would argue that is the biggest privilege of any vocation. I love talking about God and life with kids, and just hanging out with them, it’s the best!”
—Jack M
“Being at CBC over the past four years has been such a beautiful space of challenging growth and gentle encouragement. I think the biggest area of growth for myself has been learning to see my life as not something that I need to control but as something to be given freely into the hands of the Father to be used for his purposes, whatever and wherever those purposes may be.”
—Sarah T
“I am passionate about finding unity that celebrates our diversity, a common ground that I believe can only be found in the Gospel. As such I desire to find beauty in the things that make every person and group unique. This has created an interest in mediation, a field of study that I may pursue, or use in some way in the future. In the future, I would like to try working in a church, preferably in the arts, as well as pursue further education.“
—Jon W
Frequently Asked Questions
Tell me about online course timing. Can I start anytime? Can I study at my own pace?
Our online courses are offered within the same semester time-frame as the College: Fall (September-December), Winter (January-April), and Summer (May-August.) Each course needs to be completed within its 13-week timeframe.
Columbia’s online courses don’t have set-times for lectures, so you are free to access the course material according to your own schedule. That said, you will have weekly readings, quizzes, and due dates for your assignments, so you will need to keep up with your work as with any other college course. Expect to spend an average of 8-10 hours per week per 3-credit course.
Are there any special policies that apply to online courses?
Not usually! All standard academic policies (grading scales, course refunds, etc.) apply to online courses unless the online course syllabus states otherwise.
May I live in residence if I am taking courses online?
If you are a full-time student enrolled in on-campus classes and taking one online class, you’re eligible to live in residence.
I'm already a Columbia student. Am I able to take online courses?
Yes! Students are welcome to complete up to 18 online credits towards their degree, 9 online credits towards a diploma program, or 3 online credits towards a certificate program.
If you’re a part-time student (fewer than 12 credits per semester), you may take online courses in Fall, Winter, or Summer semesters.
If you’re a full-time student, you may take an online course in the Summer semester to accelerate or catch up in your program. If you have an unresolvable course scheduling conflict, you may also take an online course in the Fall/Winter semesters.
Keep in mind if you’re using a student loan to pay for your tuition, you are not eligible to take online classes at Columbia during the regular academic year (September-April). Please contact our Financial Aid Advisor if you have any related questions.
I'm brand-new to Columbia. Am I able to take online courses?
Definitely. You can apply to Columbia as a ‘Online Studies Student’ if you want to take one to three courses, total. You are are able to take up to 9 credit hours of classes, and after that, you will need to apply to a specific program of study. Keep in mind that if you enroll in a certificate program after taking 9 credits online, you will only be able to apply 3 credits towards your certificate’s graduation requirements. This is because we emphasize discipleship in the context of everyday interactions within community, which is missing in the online learning experience.
What are tuition fees for online courses?
The same tuition rates apply to both our online and on-campus courses. The most up-to-date tuition fees are found here.
How do I access my online courses?
After you apply and register as an online studies student, your Columbia supervising instructor will send you an orientation email that will set you up with your online course. This email will also establish the official start and end dates for your course, along with specific due dates for your course work.
How do I order my textbooks?
Most of our online courses include access to an online textbook, so you won’t need to buy a separate textbook unless you’d like a hard copy for your home library. You will also receive access to Columbia’s online database of e-books and periodicals to help you with assignments.