Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley: Current Student Q & A

New Students

Will someone be available to help me select appropriate courses and guide me through my academic program?
Yes, every student at the Jesuit School has an academic advisor who is a member of the school faculty. Your advisor is available to assist you with course selection and other matters relating to your academic program.

When do new students register for classes?
New students register during Orientation Week, which is the week before classes begin. This registration period is known as General Registration, during which new students, as well as returning students who did not go through Early Registration, enroll in classes.

What is considered full-time and part-time study?
Full-time study is 12 units or more (most semester courses are 3 units each). Part-time study is anything less than 12 units.

Am I required to carry health insurance?
All students registered for nine units or more and all M.A. students regardless of the number of registered units are required to have health insurance. Students must participate in the Health Insurance Plan for Students (HIPS) offered through the Graduate Theological Union unless they can certify that they have coverage through another carrier or self insurance through their religious congregation. For non-M.A. students taking fewer than 9 units, health insurance is optional. HIPS is available to non-M.A. students taking six units. Further information may be obtained through the JSTB Business Office.

What kind of health insurance coverage is available to me if I don't already have some?
As a Jesuit School student, you would be eligible for medical benefits through the Health Insurance Plan for Students (HIPS), offered through the Graduate Theological Union. This plan offers major medical (hospital), as well as primary care (walk-in, same-day appointments, etc.). Optional coverage for dependents is also available. More information on this plan is available from the Jesuit School Business Office.

When do I pay my tuition and fees?
Currently, students who register during General Registration (which includes all new students) pay at the time of registration. The Jesuit School Business Office can help you with any questions you might have about payment or billing.

I might qualify for transfer credit or advanced standing toward my Jesuit School degree program. How do I apply for this?
If you took graduate courses in theology not longer than six years prior to your matriculation at the Jesuit School, you may petition for advanced placement. This can be requested either during admission or after you have arrived at the school. Forms for transfer credit petitions are available from the Jesuit School Dean's Office. No units will be transferred which have already been counted toward another degree, and all transferred units must be from accredited institutions of higher learning.

General Questions

What grading options are available to me?
Depending on your academic program, you can take courses for letter grade, pass/fail or audit. A letter grade is a quality mark: A (excellent), B (good), C (passing), D (poor), F (failing). Teachers often use + (plus) or - (minus) with these grades to provide quality marks between letter grades. You can also take a course for Pass/Fail as long as you are not in the M.A., Th.M., S.T.B., S.T.L. or S.T.D. program.

You can also choose to audit a course or courses if you don't need them for academic credit. Auditors are required to register, pay regular tuition for the course and attend classes. This is a good option if you will be at the Jesuit School in a sabbatical program and would prefer not to be required to write papers or take exams.

Can I take courses at the University of California at Berkeley while I am enrolled at the Jesuit School?
All full-time degree students may cross-register into one course per term in the Graduate Division and in the College of Letters and Sciences of the University at the normal tuition rate of the Jesuit School. (GTU-M.A. students may take up to two courses at UCB per term.) Registration is made through the Jesuit School during the normal registration period. You can get additional information and forms from either the Jesuit School Assistant Academic Dean or the GTU Common Registrar.

Also, as a student of the Graduate Theological Union (which includes the Jesuit School and the other member schools), you are granted complimentary borrowing privileges at the libraries of the University of California at Berkeley. This is in additional to the excellent library facilities available to you at the Graduate Theological Union Library. The GTU also has a bookstore on campus.

How can I request a copy of my Jesuit School transcript?
You should send a written request to the GTU Common Registrar to obtain a Jesuit School transcript. Print GTU's transcript request form, fill it out, and fax or mail the form to the Registrar's office:

Common Registrar
Graduate Theological Union
2465 LeConte Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94709

Fax: 510-649-1730

Cost: $5.00 each after the first transcript, which is free, payable to the GTU and sent to the GTU Common Registrar.

The transcript request form is in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. If you don't already have the Adobe Acrobat Reader, you can obtain the free Adobe Acrobat Reader software from Adobe's web site.