About Baptist Student Center Online

The Baptist Student Center (BSC) was founded in 1939 and has combined the ministries of higher education and student ministry on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University, located in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.

BSC strives to meet the needs of numerous adult students, many who are not enrolled in the university but who are looking for a general elective that they would like to take in religion and transfer later in their program of studies.  We found that there is great demand during the summer and an even greater demand through the regular semester for online religion classes. 

Online classes will allow students anywhere to branch out in their interests and learn more in the area of religion or biblical studies.

BSC will offer in the summer a graduate online course - Understanding the Old Testament Concepts - accredited through Missouri Baptist University. We are also planning to offer in the future a more specialized class Life of Christ, in a live (synchronous) online format.

Why Choose BSC Online?

Taking an online course at BSC Online provides numerous benefits:

• Leadership - The Baptist Student Center encourages students to bridge the gap between the academy and the community, taking Christ's example of servant leadership to heart. 
• Degree Prestige and Value - For 69 years, BSC has provided students with education in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.
  • Baptist Student Center courses have attracted generations of students and members of the Cape Girardeau community from a variety of denominations. 
• Flexible Schedules - Curriculum is designed to accommodate busy, non-traditional students.
  • The BSC has always been committed to non-traditional students.  For years, a Monday night class has been offered.  Offering online classes continues and elevates this tradition. 
• Knowledge Excellence - Dr. Bruce W. Gentry has been Director and Chair of Bible at the Baptist Student Center since 2003. 
• Dr. Gentry teaches religion classes part time in the Department of Political Science, Philosophy, and Religion at Southeast Missouri State University.  In previous positions, Dr. Gentry has served as a pastor, campus minister, and director of missions.  He has articles published in the Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible and the forthcoming New Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible.
• In January 2006, Dr. Gentry presented a paper entitled Goliath's Sword as a Trophy of War:  An Anthropological Interpretation of 1 Samuel 21:1-9 at the Annual Meeting of the Hawaii International Conference on the Arts and Humanities.  Dr. Gentry received the Ph.D. Degree from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1995 and has studied American History at the University of West Alabama.  Presently, he is the only faculty teaching online classes at the Baptist Student Center.
• Online Campus - Dr. Gentry will be offering the student center's first pilot online class for the summer and fall semester of 2008.
• Advice on academic, financial, technical or professional matters is available for all students any time.
• Financial Aid -For financial aid information for graduate credit consult with a BSC specialist or request more information through the form below.
• Fast Online Degree Completion - Graduate online courses and credits can be transferred into other programs available at BSC or at Missouri Baptist University.  The advantage of taking online courses through the Baptist Student Center is that will help you achieve your academic goals faster. In the future, more specialized online courses will be available. 
  • Our students often transfer academic credits and enroll in the Masters in Christian Ministry Degree at Missouri Baptist University. The MCMD is a 24 month degree.

Enjoy the Online Experience at BSC College

Make your academic schedule work for you rather than spending a tremendous amount of energy attending traditional classes.  Think of all the energy involved in commuting (with the ever-increasing price of gas!), balancing your schedule with work and family, and rushing from one place to the next.  You can engage in learning on a collegiate or graduate level in your pajamas, at the coffee house, or at 3:00am in your own home. 

Accreditation

The Baptist Student Center's graduate credit is accredited through Missouri Baptist University.  Both institutions are accredited through the Higher Learning Commission, A Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCACS).