Prospective CORE Faculty

The CORE Program is an initiative of Cloverdale College, the undergraduate division of the Graduate Theological Foundation.  The mission of the CORE Program is to provide an opportunity for doctoral degree graduates of the Foundation to offer courses within their own faith communities.
Doctoral alumni of the Foundation may establish a CORE Program relationship with Cloverdale College by completing the application process.  Requirements are as follows:
  • Submission of a “letter of intent” (sent via email) to Cloverdale College containing a list of course titles to be developed and offered within the venue of the applicant’s faith community.
  • Following a review process by the Academic Affairs Committee of the Foundation, the CORE Program applicant will be notified of acceptance of the proposed list of courses.
  • The CORE Program applicant (known as “CORE Program faculty”) will commence the development of a syllabus for each of the proposed courses directly with the applicant’s faith community (known as the “host institution”).
  • The CORE Program faculty person will submit each course syllabus to the Academic Affairs Committee of the Foundation via email prior to receiving final approval for the offering of the courses.
It is the responsibility of the CORE Program hosting institution to notify the relevant judicatory (if applicable) of its intention to offer religious education courses which will be accepted for credit towards the B.R.E. from Cloverdale College.  Many graduates of Cloverdale College have been admitted into graduate study at the Angelicum and the Marianum in Rome, among other distinguished institutions.  Graduates of the Cloverdale College B.R.E. program qualify for admission into a graduate program at the Graduate Theological Foundation.
 
COMPONENTS OF THE CORE PROGRAM:
FACULTY    CORE faculty are made up of doctoral degree graduates from the Foundation who apply and are approved to offer a range of courses in their home parish or faith community.
 
HOST INSTITUTION    The CORE faculty person’s faith community must agree to host the CORE Program courses on site.  The host institution may provide access to an educational venue, including classroom space and relevant facilities for accommodating the CORE students.
 
CURRICULUM    Each course the CORE faculty person submits to Cloverdale College for approval must be 24 hours in length, including required readings.  There are usually 16 hours of classroom instruction and eight hours of assigned readings for each course.  Courses are commonly offered over eight weeks with one class each week lasting two hours. 
Each course syllabus submitted to Cloverdale College for approval must be relevant to the needs of the CORE faculty person’s own faith community.   The College approves of the curriculum for degree credit. 
If 10 courses are offered on-site at the host institution (the CORE faculty person’s faith community), then the entire degree must be completed there.  If few than ten courses are offered at the host institution, the balance of the courses needed to complete the B.R.E. degree may be taken directly through Cloverdale College.
*See below for a sample course syllabus to serve as a standard formula for course development.
 
COURSE ASSIGNMENTS    Every CORE faculty person must employ a mechanism to assess student performance in each course taught.  That mechanism may take a variety of forms, including:
  • a series of weekly examinations
  • mid-term and final examinations
  • weekly response papers
  • a final paper written for CORE faculty evaluation and approval. 
The evaluation mechanism is left to the discretion of the CORE faculty person teaching the course.  

Each student must write a 10-15 page “senior paper” at the end of the program.  The CORE faculty person must submit these papers directly to Cloverdale College for review and approval.  The senior paper is the final academic requirement of all undergraduate students. The senior paper should adhere to the following requirements:
  • Senior papers should consist of the student’s personal reflections on his/her ministry or social service work to date.
  • Students should address the nature and extent of their experience and current social service/ministry work.
  • Students should address their plans for furthering their work.
  • Students should address how the CORE Program and resulting degree from Cloverdale College will benefit them in their service to their community.
  • Senior papers must be 10-15 pages in length, double-spaced and typed in 12-point Times New Roman font.
  • Senior papers must be submitted by the CORE faculty person via email to the Office of the Registrar of Cloverdale College.
 
FEES     It is a requirement of Cloverdale College that a fee must be charged for each course taught in a CORE Program; however, the decision on the amount of the fee is left to the discretion of the CORE faculty person and host institution.    The College strongly recommends that a minimum of $100.00 (US) be charged per course, with scholarships offered at the discretion of the host institution.
Course fees may be made in the form of a donation to the faith community or any other mutually agreed upon arrangement between the faith community and the CORE faculty person. 
Cloverdale College will not accept any course fees paid directly to the College.  Only the tuition for the bachelor’s degree (and not CORE courses) is paid by the student directly to the College. 
 

APPLICATION    Students attending CORE courses may apply to the B.R.E. program at Cloverdale College at any time before or during the course of the CORE Program. The student applicant must be approved by the CORE faculty person in the form of a letter of recommendation submitted to Cloverdale College.
 

CREDIT REPORTING     As students in the CORE Program complete each of the required courses, the CORE faculty person must notify the College (by email or mail) of the following:
  • Student name
  • Course title
  • Date course was completed
  • Grade assigned to student
The College does not accept any grade lower than “B” for credit.  Coursework that is not deemed to be at “B” grade level must be revised by the student and approved by the CORE faculty person before credit can be awarded.  The senior paper is the only written assignment that must be submitted directly to Cloverdale College by the CORE faculty person.  All other assignments do not need to be submitted to the College.
 

PROMOTION     The CORE faculty person is responsible for promoting the courses offered at the host institution.  Cloverdale College lists CORE faculty and host institutions on this website and requests that host institutions reciprocate.  Mutual promotion greatly enhances the profile and marketing of the CORE Program.
CORE Program Faculty
CORE Program Host Institutions
*SAMPLE COURSE SYLLABUS
This sample is meant to serve as a standard formula for CORE Program course development.

I. Course Instructor:  (A doctoral-level alumnus of the Foundation)
(Rev.) John Smith, D.Min.
II. Course title:   INTRODUCTION TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
III. Course Description:
This course will explore the history of the canon of the New Testament, the categories within which the books of the New Testament fall, the situations which existed at the time each book was written, and the issues addressed by each book at the time and their relevance for the Christian community today.
IV. Outline of eight two-hour class sessions with topics covered in each session.
A. Introduction to the History of the New Testament Canon
B. The Synoptic Gospels
C. The Gospel of St. John
D. Acts of the Apostles and the Birth of the Church
E. The Epistles of Saint Paul
F. Paul Theology
G. The Minor Epistles and the Growth of the Church
H. Revelation and the Apocalyptic Literature of the New Testament
V. Eight hours of required reading (usually two texts amounting to 250-350 pages).
Introduction the New Testament by John Smith  (175 pages)
The History of the Christian Scriptures by Tom Jones (175 pages)
VI. Evaluation Mechanism:  Written examinations / written assignments
VII. Senior Paper: The senior paper is the final academic requirement of all undergraduate students. This paper should consist of the student’s personal reflections on his/her ministry or social service work to date. Students should address the nature and extent of their experience and current social service/ministry work, their plans for furthering their work, and how the CORE program and resulting degree from Cloverdale College will benefit them in their service to their community. The senior paper must be 10-15 pages, double-spaced, and use 12-point Times New Roman font.  Papers are submitted via email by the CORE faculty person directly to the Office of the Registrar of Cloverdale College.