Pathways Online Courses – Overview

Pathways Online Courses are offered to provide educational preparation toward leading a congregation as a Commissioned Ruling Elder (CRE) or Commissioned Lay Pastor (CLP).  The program is taught by faculty of Union Presbyterian Seminary and experienced practitioners. Courses are open to all, regardless of denomination affiliation or role in the church, and one does not need to be working toward becoming a CRE or CLP in order to participate.

Courses aim to enhance knowledge and discipleship, and each course includes live (synchronous) class meetings as well as asynchronous (at-home) assignments. Courses do not have to be taken in any particular order. Class meetings will not be recorded.

Why Pathways?

The Leadership Institute desires to assist presbyteries to train church members to be Commissioned Ruling Elders or Commissioned Lay Pastors, AND to offer quality educational opportunities for church members and lay leaders in an affordable and accessible way.

  • We do not regulate how many courses are taken within an academic year.
    • Even though the courses are divided by type (foundational and practical ministry), you are welcome to take the courses in any order.
    • Many try to go through the program in a two-year period by taking five courses each year, others stretch it out longer, and some have even been known to go through all ten courses in one academic year.
    • Please consult with your presbytery on their particular requirements, as these courses should be taken in consultation with your presbytery or denominational office to provide educational experiences toward becoming a CRE or CLP.
  • Church members and lay leaders interested in taking any or all of the courses offered are welcome to do so.

Read more about our course offerings HERE.

Course offerings for the 2025-2026 Academic Year coming soon.

The Five Foundational Courses

  • Biblical Interpretation
  • Reformed Theology
  • Church History
  • The Christian Life
  • Mission & Evangelism

The Five Practical Ministry Courses

  • Polity and Administration
  • Teaching the Bible
  • Worship and Sacraments
  • Introduction to Pastoral Care
  • Preaching

Additional Course Info:

  • Registration
    • Our Pathways Online Courses cost $170 per course for regular registration, which ends two weeks before the course begins. Late registration is available up until two business days before the course begins and includes a $10 late registration fee.
    • Each course may include a required text, not included in the course tuition.
    • UPSem students and faculty are eligible for free registration. Contact Deborah Keyes if you are a student or faculty member and would like to register for a Pathways Online Course, subject line “PW Registration: UPSem student/faculty”
    • After you register for a course and as it is shared with us by the instructors, the syllabus will be sent to participants, usually in advance of the first class meeting. The online class meeting link will be shared within the course syllabus and/or by way of email.
  • CEUs: 3.0 per course
    • CEUs are Continuing Education Units and are different from college credits.
    • Please consult with your presbytery on their particular requirements, as these courses should be taken in consultation with your presbytery or denominational office to provide educational experiences toward becoming a CRE or CLP.
  • Course size
    • Course sizes are limited. If a course reaches maximum registration capacity, a waiting list will be started.
  • We also offer two fully-asynchronous courses, fully online with pre-recorded lectures and quizzes (see below)

Bible Survey Courses –

Self-paced to complete at your convenience on your own timeline within a year of registration. After you register for one of the Bible Survey courses, you will be sent a login and password to begin the course for which you registered. The cost per online Bible Survey course is $170.

  • New Testament Bible Survey course – available now – Click HERE to register for the NT Bible Survey Course ONLY.
    • This course introduces students to the writing of the New Testament, the cultural environments in which they arose, and appropriate methods for interpreting them in English translation. By listening to a series of ten lectures and studying both the New Testament and an accompanying textbook (not included in course tuition), students explore the historical setting, literary features, theological message, and contemporary significance of the New Testament writing. Students assess their mastery of course material by completing a set of quizzes.This online course is asynchronous–that is, pre-recorded lectures, resources, and quizzes may be accessed online at one’s own pace. At the end of each of the 10 sessions, there is a quiz to test understanding of the material. For this course, a score of at least a 75% on each quiz must be achieved in order to move on to the next session. Quizzes may be retaken as often as necessary.The tuition grants a one-year access to pre-recorded lectures for each of the 10 sessions, outlines or presentations from those lessons, and quizzes. One required textbook must also be purchased.
  • Old Testament Bible Survey course – available now – Click HERE to register for the OT Bible Survey Course ONLY.
    • This online course offers a general introduction to the Old Testament. It surveys the major themes of the Torah, Prophets, and Writings. The lectures and the readings unpack the literary features of the different genres found in these Scriptures. They discuss the meaning of these texts in their historical context, and they reflect on how the theological witness of the Old Testament relates to contemporary issues.This course is asynchronous, which means you may access the lectures, resources, and quizzes online at your own pace. At the end of each of the 11 sessions, there is a quiz to test your understanding of the material. You must achieve at least a 70% on each quiz to move on to the next session. You may retake the quizzes as often as necessary.The course tuition grants a one-year access to pre-recorded lectures for each of the 11 sessions, outlines or presentations from those lessons, and quizzes. One required textbook must also be purchased.

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