After I returned from the Evangelical Theological Society meeting, I kept the bookstore open for a couple of days before going to South Carolina for an overnight trip. I am applying to Columbia International University (graduate sister school of Columbia Bible College), in (you guessed it) Columbia, SC. This was my first visit to the campus which sits on 400 partially wood acres outside of Columbia, not far from Interstate 20.
I had a very helpful visit with Dr. Gordon Brown, director of the Ed.D. program and we were able to discuss various aspects of the schedule, classes, my transcripts, etc. The campus is beautiful, spacious and well maintained. If you don’t know the history of CBC, it has been known for many years as a strong training program for missionaries and pastors. The CIU family campus includes a seminary, the grad school, and a Christian boarding school, Ben Lippen Academy.
I’m still in the application process, but if I get into the program, I’ll be going there in mid-summer for orientation, then going to Chattanooga for my summer residency at Temple and then returning the Columbia for a week of residency there before returning home.
There are a number of reasons (that I will spare you the details) why I hope to complete a Ph.D. degree and an Ed.D. degree during the same time. One reason is that the program at CIU is highly regarded, is fully accredited, and the focus on leadership in higher education (specificaly adult ed) has always been my ultimate career path.
