Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary

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The Rev. Mary Hinkle Shore, Ph.D. - Rector and Dean

Mission Statement: To teach, form, and nurture women and men for public ministry in a context that is Christ-centered, faithfully Lutheran and ecumenically committed.

Accreditation: Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary is accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada, and the following degree programs are approved: Master of Divinity, Master of Theological Studies, and Master of Arts in Christian Ministry.

The Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada:

10 Summit Park Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15275, USA
Telephone: 412.788.6505
Fax: 412.788.6510

Core Values

• Teach
  • Curriculum and pedagogy that support excellence in academic and practical instruction
  • Commitment to the apostolic witness as the foundation for ministerial faithfulness and the mission of the church
  • Challenges that invite theological reflection, broaden horizons and encourage an expansive mission
• Form
  • An educational setting formed by the mission of God, practice of ministry, and the needs of the Church
  • A racially, economically, and culturally diverse community united in worship, prayer, study, and play
  • Engagement with our neighborhood, our city, our nation and the world
• Nurture
  • Wellness of the whole person: body, mind, spirit
  • Pastoral care for all in the seminary community
  • A commitment to holy living

History

Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary was founded in 1830 by the South Carolina Synod. The first class met in Pomaria, SC, and consisted of five students and a professor, all living, learning, and forming together. As years passed, the seminary began to serve more synods, and its location moved from various sites across the south as finances, professors, and student populations shifted.

In 1911, southern Lutherans came together to build a permanent home for the seminary in the Eau Claire neighborhood of Columbia, SC. The original building held the entire seminary - classrooms, dorms, offices, library and chapel - under one roof. With a permanent home the seminary began to thrive, growing the enrollment and faculty and expanding the campus.

LTSS continues to serve as a seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.  Students come not only from the south but from across the country and globe. The seminary also serves ecumenical partners, including formal partnerships with The United Methodist Church (since 1979) and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (since 2003). Other Christian traditions represented on campus include African Methodist Episcopal, Episcopal, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, and others. As an ecumenical seminary, students and faculty with different theological perspectives study, discuss, and deepen their own faith through interactions with each other.

In the summer of 2012, the seminary merged with Lenoir-Rhyne University, a Lutheran institution located in Hickory, NC, and shares its campus with other graduate programs of LRU.

Transfer Credit

Students may transfer credits to LTSS programs provided those credits (1) have been earned at an accredited graduate institution, (2) contribute to the student’s LTSS program either in the form of required courses or relevant electives, (3) are no more than ten years old from the time of LTSS matriculation, and (3) represent a grade of B or higher. Transfer credits are typically not allowed for pass/fail courses. Students may need to provide course syllabi to help determine the relevance of transfer credits. 

Students interested in transferring credit should send a copy of relevant transcripts to the Associate Dean of Academic Programs, indicating the courses proposed for transfer. The seminary does not allow students to transfer credits in excess of two-thirds of a program’s total credit requirements. If a student has already earned a degree from an accredited graduate institution, only one-half of the credit hours earned from that degree may be transferred to an LTSS program. 

Advanced Standing

In the case of advanced standing, a student substitutes the required course with an elective. The student is encouraged, but not required, to find an elective in the same academic field as the exempted required course. Advanced standing is granted on the basis of substantial undergraduate academic work, not prior life or work experience. The seminary does not grant advanced standing in excess of one-third of a program’s total credit requirements.

Students interested in receiving advanced standing should send a copy of relevant undergraduate transcripts to the Associate Dean of Academic Programs, indicating the courses proposed for advanced standing. Advanced standing will be granted only for courses that (1) have been completed at an accredited undergraduate institution, (2) correspond to required courses within the student’s LTSS program, (3) are no more than ten years old from the time of LTSS matriculation, and (3) represent a grade of A or higher. Students may need to provide course syllabi to help determine the relevance of courses proposed for advanced standing.

LTSS Language Proficiency Exams

Students who wish to exempt an LTSS language requirement (Greek or Hebrew) but cannot meet the criteria for transfer or advanced standing may arrange to take a proficiency exam. Interested students should contact the Associate Dean of Academic Programs, who will arrange with the appropriate faculty member(s) for the administration and evaluation of the exam. Students who pass a language proficiency exam will be granted advanced standing for the corresponding language requirement, meaning the total number of credit requirements will not be reduced. Students will substitute the language requirements with an equal number of elective courses. 

Classification of Students

In addition to the classification of degree and non-degree students, MDiv, MACM, and MTS students at LTSS are also categorized by the number of earned credit hours.

MDiv:
Juniors 0-28 credit hours
Middlers 29-56 credit hours
Seniors 57-84 credit hours

MACM:
Juniors 0-25 credit hours
Seniors 26-49 credit hours

MTS:
Juniors 0-24 credit hours
Seniors 25-48 credit hours

Course Work Limitation

A full-time student will normally carry between nine and 13 hours in a semester. A student who wishes to petition the dean for enrollment in more than 13 credit hours must hold a GPA of 3.25 or higher. There are additional tuition costs for credits beyond 13 hours in a semester.

LTSS Policy for Academic Probation and Dismissal

At the end of every term, the Associate Dean of Academic Programs will review the grades of each student to determine grounds for academic probation and dismissal. While on academic probation, a student may not enroll in more than 10 credit hours at one time.

¹LRU does not assign Ds for final course grades. 

²In the case of a non-elective required course, the student must retake the course with a grade of C or higher in order to graduate. 

³A student must earn a cumulative GPA of 2.3 or higher to graduate from LTSS. 

Change of Degree Procedure (LTSS Programs Only)

Students interested in changing LTSS degree programs should first discern with their faculty advisors about the wisdom of such an action. If a program change is deemed appropriate, the student will begin a new application process through the Office of Enrollment, completing all admissions requirements for the new degree program. The student will also request a letter of recommendation to be sent to the Coordinator of Seminary Enrollment from the student’s faculty advisor. If the student is admitted to the new degree program, the degree change becomes effective at the beginning the term after an offer of admission is made and accepted. 

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