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Introduction
University Setting
Columbia International University (CIU) is a multi-
denominational Christian higher education institu-
tion dedicated to preparing world Christians to
serve God with excellence.
The schools of CIU’s university division, the
College of Arts & Sciences, the College of
Education, the College of Counseling, the College
of Intercultural Studies and the Seminary &
School of Ministry, offer postsecondary degree
programs ranging from Associate of Arts to
Doctor of Ministry. All postsecondary programs
emphasize spiritual formation, mastery of biblical
content and interpretation skills, cultivation of a
biblical worldview and ministry skills develop-
ment, the latter through field education and
internship experiences.
In its residence programs, CIU serves students
from more than 40 states and more than 30 for-
eign countries. More than 50 church denomina-
tions and independent fellowships are
represented in the faculty and student body. The
majority of CIU graduates serve in vocational
Christian ministry roles, including approximately
30 percent of CIU graduates who serve in cross-
cultural contexts. Online courses serve several
hundred additional students, both graduate and
undergraduate, in the United States and around
the world.
Other CIU ministries include Ben Lippen School
and two radio stations, WMHK in Columbia, S.C.
and WRCM in Charlotte, N.C.
The purpose of Columbia International University
is to educate people from a biblical worldview to
impact the nations with the message of Christ.
History and Mission
Columbia International University Seminary &
School of Ministry was organized in 1936 as the
graduate division of Columbia Bible College,
established in South Carolina’s capital city in
1923. From its beginning, the school has empha-
sized the preparation of men and women for
overseas missionary service.
In 1947 the graduate division became the
Graduate School of Missions. From 1973 until
1987, the seminary was known as the Columbia
Graduate School of Bible & Missions, emphasiz-
ing our commitment to prepare men and women
for biblically-based ministries both in North
America and overseas. This emphasis now is
expressed in our name Columbia International
University Seminary & School of Ministry (abbre-
viated to CIU SSM in this catalog). CIU SSM is
one of the schools in the university division of
Columbia International University.
CIU SSM and its parent university occupy a 400-
acre campus with forests and lakes on the north
side of Columbia, the 200-year-old capital of
South Carolina. Combining the convenience and
challenge of an adjacent urban area with the
charm and serenity of the South, the locale pro-
vides an environment ideal for study, ministry and
reflection.
With a well-qualified faculty and resources for
learning, students find the incentive and curricular
guidance necessary for progress toward their
goals. Through the spiritual, academic, social and
physical dimensions of CIU SSM life, we seek to
educate people from a biblical worldview to
impact the nations with the message of Christ, or
to put it more succinctly, “to know Him” better
and “to make Him known” more effectively.
Together we recognize that God’s purpose for
CIU SSM corporately and for its faculty and stu-
dents individually can only be achieved by the
Holy Spirit working supernaturally through yielded
believers.
At CIU SSM, implementation of the corporate
purpose is expressed in the following statement:
The mission of Columbia International University
Seminary & School of Ministry is to equip Great
Commission Christians to minister in multicultural
communities.
Your study at CIU Seminary & School of Ministry
is intended to transform your life. You will have
many formal and informal experiences that help
you grow in maturity academically, spiritually and
in your skills for ministry. Opportunities exist not
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