United Methodist Course of Study School
The UMC Course of Study (COS) School is an education program designed for Licensed Local Pastors, those certified for ordained ministry, or those under appointment in the United Methodist Church. The (GBHEM) developed (https://www.gbhem.org/clergy/licensing-course-of-study/) and approved seminaries such as ϳԹ to administer the program. Classes are open only to United Methodist Church members.
UMC Course of Study School at ϳԹ - Our UMC Course of Study School prepares pastoral leaders for local church ministry. This school is designed to be a year-round learning experience and is learning intensive. Within our program, foundational and functional classes are taught, exposing students to both theory and application. Additionally, our Course of Study School offers all 20 courses several times a year, across four semesters.
New students to the Saint Paul Course of Study School program should complete the online ϳԹ form. They will then receive login credentials, including a Saint Paul email address, access to Populi for registration and bill paying, and access to BrightSpace, our online classroom. Upon completing registration, whether online or by submitting the paper registration form, students can access the book lists and assignments via the syllabus on our LMS, Brightspace (beginning Fall 2026).
Students interested in Course of Study should note that GBHEM requires specific prerequisites to be taken and passed before further registration into COS courses. COS 121 Bible I Introduction and COS 122 Theological Heritage I Introduction must be taken, in either order, before any other courses.
Advanced Course of Study at ϳԹ
- The purpose of the Advanced Course of Study for Ordained Ministry is to provide a curriculum that will enable a local pastor to meet the educational requirements for full conference membership and ordination as an elder.
- The Advanced Course of Study (ACOS) consists of thirty-two semester hours of graduate theological study offered by a seminary recognized by the University Senate or its equivalent, as determined by the GBHEM, which shall include United Methodist history, doctrine, and polity.
- Saint Paul students can pursue these courses in 2 ways:
- As a degree-seeking student pursuing the MACM degree UM Studies Specialization, which is a 38-credit-hour degree program, or
- As a non-degree-seeking student, you may take any District/Conference required classes for ordination, such as UM Doctrine, UM History, and UM Polity, as a non-degree-seeking student with our Saint Paul Seminary and receive a certificate.
- Saint Paul students can pursue these courses in 2 ways:
Please contact Shannon Hancock in our ϳԹ ϳԹ Department at or 913-253-5084. She will be able to explain this degree in more detail, describe the seminary admission process, and discuss any associated fees. You may also want to contact our Regional Director of COS, .
Sacred Spaceevery Tuesday at 11 AM CT:Participation Welcomed (not required).Weekly Worship service with Saint Paul Seminary via Zoom:
Saint Paul meets you where you are by offering a weekly worship and spiritual formation opportunity, calledSacred Space,every Tuesday at 11:00 AM CT.Many of us are busy leading worship in our own contexts, often neglecting our own spiritual well-being. Sacred Space will be an opportunity to pause and be fully present to the Spirit and to one another. Each week, Sacred Space will include music, liturgy, scripture, prayer, and a homily or spiritual practice (e.g., lectio divina, art, or embodied prayer) led by a guest preacher or practitioner. We will also celebrate Eucharist at the final service of each month./worship/.We welcome your creativity and participation! If you are on theSPSTKansascampus, join us inroom C136. If you are inOklahoma, join us atHarris Chapel on the OCU campus. If you are joining us on Zoom, the link is.
MFA - Multifactor Authentication - 2 step login - in order to login to email, Populi, Moodle, etc.
The (paragraphs 310 through 319 for COS) provides guidelines for local pastors. Some of the basics include:
- Detailed steps to becoming a Licensed Local Pastor:
- Make initial contact with an elder/deacon in your local parish.
- Read The Christian as Minister (available from Cokesbury).
- Visit with your district superintendent.
- Contact your district committee on ordained ministry for help with the inquiry and discernment process. A mentor will be assigned to you for guidance and supervision.
- The District/BOM will appoint you to a part-time or full-time ministry setting. The Discipline requires Full-time local pastors to complete FOUR 4 Course of Study classes per calendar year. Part-time local pastors are required to complete TWO 2 courses per calendar year.
- Attend licensing school facilitated by your annual conference’s board of ordained ministry. .
- Request your six / or seven-digit PID number from GBHEM. .
- New to Saint Paul COS Students, please fill out this free
- After submitting the admissions form, you will receive login credentials to access , so that you may register yourself in class(es).
- After registering for class(es), you can use your login credentials to access your You will find the syllabus in , which includes your booklist and assignments.
Please click on this link for a printable Course of Study Basics flyer sheet.
Please click on this link for a detailed COS Program Overview with instructors and course schedules.
If mailing a CHECK, please send it directly to our Bank at the following address, and make sure your name, semester/term & class is listed on the check:
Saint Paul School at Commerce Bank
GROUP 1
P. O. Box 843740
Kansas City, MO 64184-3740
To pay online, students (or anyone making a payment on the student’s behalf) can make a payment as follows through your new student account in Populi:
Costs are listed per course. The registration fee is due when you submit your registration. Full payment is due no later than the first day of the semester. Payment can be submitted online or by check.Check payments should be RECEIVED by the Payment Due Date.
Registration Fee $75 per course (non-refundable, non-transferable)
Tuition $300 per course
External Financial Aid - Most Annual Conferences offer some form of financial assistance in the form of a scholarship or reimbursement. For specifics to your Conference, please contact your Annual Conference Registrar / LPR Local Pastor Registrar, or dCom / BOM Board of Ordained Ministry or District Superintendent DS.
Arkansas Conference, visit
Great Plains Conference, visit
Iowa Conference, fill out the .
Oklahoma Conference (for Saint Paul COS students, too)
Kansas Conference, visit KAUMF regarding the Pass the Torch Scholarship/Loan Fund
Michigan Conference:
Missouri Conference, educational grant
Nebraska United Methodist Foundation .
Mountain Sky Conference, and complete the Ministerial Education Fund Application found under Clergy and Candidacy Forms ,
- COS Curriculum Course Number
- 2024 Saint Paul COS School HANDBOOK
- GBHEM COS Policy Handbook 2021
- paragraphs 310 through 319 focus on Course of Study:
- - detailed steps to becoming a Licensed Local Pastor:
GBHEM COS Policy Handbook 2021
information
GBHEM online courses approval - Online extended to June 2024
Book of Discipleship paragraphs 310 thru 319 focus on Course of Study:
Licensed Local Pastor detailed steps:
New and current Course of Study students can access the following:
Writing Tips (as a reference to better papers):
- Grammarly - sign-up instructions
- SPST Guidelines for Constructive Use of AI
- Citing Biblical Sources-Chicago style - Google this
- Citing Biblical Sources-Turabian style - Google this
- Writing Lab - tips & tricks as a reference
- Turabian Writing Style
- Exegesis - Definition (more info on Moodle pages)
PML COS Certificate Program - Part-Time Missouri Conference Ministerial Leaders
THIS IS FOR ONLY THOSE IN THE MISSOURI CONFERENCE, AND ARE ESTABLISHED IN THE PML PROGRAM. NO NEW STUDENTS ARE BEING ALLOWED INTO THE PML PROGRAM.
Part-Time Ministerial Leader (PML) Course of Study (COS) is a practical theology curriculum designed for part-time local pastors entering ministry following Licensing School. Local pastors must enroll within two years of completing Licensing School and complete all 10 courses within three years. Courses are offered in virtual or hybrid formats. Any part-time local pastors needing to fulfill a regular COS course may enroll for the PML course through the Missouri PML program as an SPST extension school. Approval is required from the Director of Leadership Excellence and the Course of Study Director for ϳԹ.
| PML / COS 121 | Bible I: Introduction (prerequisite) |
| PML / COS 122 | Theological Heritage I: Introduction (prerequisite) |
| PML / COS 123 | Formation and Discipleship |
| PML / COS 124 | Transformative Leadership |
| PML / COS 223 | Worship and Sacraments |
| PML / COS 224 | Administration and Polity |
| PML / COS 321 | Gospels |
| PML / COS 323 | Congregational Care |
| PML / COS 324 | Preaching |
| PML / COS 422 | Theological Heritage IV: Wesleyan Movement |
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Contact Us
Our mailing and physical address is:
ϳԹ - COS
13720 Roe Ave, Bldg C, Leawood, KS 66224
Dr. Lucas Endicott
Regional Director of Course of Study School
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Jennifer Smith
Course of Study School Coordinator
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913-253-5051