United Methodist Course of Study School

Advanced Course of Study at Saint Paul School of Theology

• The purpose of the Advanced Course of Study for Ordained Ministry is to provide a curriculum that will enable a local pastor to meet the educational requirements for full conference membership and ordination as an elder.
• The Advanced Course of Study (ACOS) consists of thirty-two semester hours of graduate theological study offered by a seminary recognized by the University Senate or its equivalent, as determined by the GBHEM, which shall include United Methodist history, doctrine, and polity.
  • Saint Paul students can pursue these courses in 2 ways:
    • As a degree-seeking student pursuing the  MACM degree UM Studies Specialization, which is a 38-credit-hour degree program, or
    • As a non-degree-seeking student, you may take any District/Conference required classes for ordination, such as UM Doctrine, UM History, and UM Polity, as a non-degree-seeking student with our Saint Paul Seminary and receive a certificate.

Please contact Shannon Hancock in our Saint Paul School of Theology Admissions Department at or 913-253-5084.  She will be able to explain this degree in more detail, describe the seminary admission process, and discuss any associated fees.  You may also want to contact our Regional Director of COS, .

MACM Degree details

MACM Degree Course Completion Plan

    Sacred Space every Tuesday at 11 AM CT: Participation Welcomed (not required).  Weekly Worship service with Saint Paul Seminary via Zoom:  https://zoom.us/j/91407665808 

Saint Paul meets you where you are by offering a weekly worship and spiritual formation opportunity, called Sacred Space, every Tuesday at 11:00 AM CT.  Many of us are busy leading worship in our own contexts, often neglecting our own spiritual well-being.  Sacred Space will be an opportunity to pause and be fully present to the Spirit and to one another.  Each week, Sacred Space will include music, liturgy, scripture, prayer, and a homily or spiritual practice (e.g., lectio divina, art, or embodied prayer) led by a guest preacher or practitioner.  We will also celebrate Eucharist at the final service of each month.  https://www.spst.edu/worship/ .  We welcome your creativity and participation!  If you are on the SPST Kansas campus, join us in room C136.  If you are in Oklahoma, join us at Harris Chapel on the OCU campus.  If you are joining us on Zoom, the link is https://zoom.us/j/91407665808.

MFA - Multifactor Authentication - 2 step login - in order to login to email, Populi, Moodle, etc.

The United Methodist Book of Discipline (paragraphs 310 through 319 for COS) provides guidelines for local pastors.  Some of the basics include:

• Detailed steps to becoming a Licensed Local Pastor:  https://www.resourceumc.org/en/content/ministerio-del-pastor-local.

• Make initial contact with an elder/deacon in your local parish.
• Read The Christian as Minister (available from Cokesbury).
• Visit with your district superintendent.
• Contact your district committee on ordained ministry for help with the inquiry and discernment process.  A mentor will be assigned to you for guidance and supervision.
• The District/BOM will appoint you to a part-time or full-time ministry setting.  The Discipline requires Full-time local pastors to complete FOUR 4 Course of Study classes per calendar year.  Part-time local pastors are required to complete TWO 2 courses per calendar year. 
• Attend licensing school facilitated by your annual conference’s board of ordained ministry.  Licensing Schools.
• Request your six / or seven-digit PID number from GBHEM.  .  
• New to Saint Paul COS Students, please fill out this free online admissions form.
• After submitting the admissions form, you will receive login credentials to access Populi, so that you may register yourself in class(es).  
• After registering for class(es), you can use your login credentials to access your class page inside of Moodle.  You will find the syllabus in Moodle, which includes your booklist and assignments.

Please click on this link for a printable Course of Study Basics flyer sheet.

Please click on this link for a detailed COS Program Overview with instructors and course schedules.

If mailing a CHECK, please send it directly to our Bank at the following address, and make sure your name, semester/term & class is listed on the check:
Saint Paul School at Commerce Bank
GROUP 1
P. O. Box 843740
Kansas City, MO 64184-3740

To pay online, students (or anyone making a payment on the student’s behalf) can make a payment as follows through your new student account in Populi:

Online Payment Instructions

Costs are listed per course.  The registration fee is due when you submit your registration.  Full payment is due no later than the first day of the semester.   Payment can be submitted online or by check.  Check payments should be RECEIVED by the Payment Due Date.  

Registration Fee   $75 per course (non-refundable, non-transferable)
Tuition                $300 per course  

External Financial Aid - Most Annual Conferences offer some form of financial assistance in the form of a scholarship or reimbursement. For specifics to your Conference, please contact your Annual Conference Registrar / LPR Local Pastor Registrar, or dCom / BOM Board of Ordained Ministry or District Superintendent DS.

Arkansas Conference, visit www.arumc.org/financial-assistance/

Great Plains Conference, visit www.greatplainsumc.org/boomscholarships

Iowa Conference, fill out the Iowa Annual Conference Board of Ordained Ministry Scholarship Form.

Oklahoma Conference (for Saint Paul COS students, too) https://www.okumc.org/scholarships

Kansas Conference, visit KAUMF regarding the Pass the Torch Scholarship/Loan Fund  https://kansasmethodistfoundation.org/scholarships/

Michigan Conference:  https://michigan-reg.brtapp.com/ContinuingEducationApplication 

Missouri Conference, educational grant https://missouri-reg.brtapp.com/EducationGrantApplication 

Nebraska United Methodist Foundation https://www.numf.org/scholarships-grants.

Mountain Sky Conference, and complete the Ministerial Education Fund Application found under Clergy and Candidacy Forms https://www.mtnskyumc.org/BOM, https://www.mtnskyumc.org/files/tables/content/9438265/fields/files/97690f3c2ea24d5390363d74af92d16e/meh+updated.pdf

COS Curriculum Course Number Comparison OLD vs Current

2025/2026 Saint Paul COS School HANDBOOK with Adjuncts

GBHEM COS Policy Handbook 2021

Book of Discipleship paragraphs 310 through 319 focus on Course of Study:  https://www.cokesbury.com/book-of-discipline-book-of-resolutions-free-versions

Resource UMC - detailed steps to becoming a Licensed Local Pastor:  https://www.resourceumc.org/en/content/ministerio-del-pastor-local.

GBHEM COS Policy Handbook 2021

GBHEM COS information

GBHEM online courses approval - Online extended to June 2024

GBHEM Approved Licensing Schools

Book of Discipleship paragraphs 310 thru 319 focus on Course of Study:  https://www.cokesbury.com/book-of-discipline-book-of-resolutions-free-versions

Licensed Local Pastor detailed steps:  https://www.resourceumc.org/en/content/ministerio-del-pastor-local

If you need your FULL OFFICIAL transcript of all COS classes taken at all COS Schools, please email .  If you need a quick, unofficial transcript of COS classes taken only at Saint Paul, email .  There is no charge for either.

New and current Course of Study students can access the following:

Library Resources

Using E-Books

Using KC Towers Catalog

Using Atla & EBSCO Databases

Using Ministry Matters

United Methodist Book of Discipline & Book of Resolutions

Addendum to The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church, 2016

Writing Tips (as a reference to better papers):

Grammarly - sign-up instructions

Citing Biblical Sources-Chicago style - Google this

Citing Biblical Sources-Turabian style - Google this

Writing Lab - tips & tricks as a reference

Turabian Writing Style

Exegesis - Definition (more info on Moodle pages)

PML COS Certificate Program - Part-Time Missouri Conference Ministerial Leaders

THIS IS FOR ONLY THOSE IN THE MISSOURI CONFERENCE, AND ARE ESTABLISHED IN THE PML PROGRAM.  NO NEW STUDENTS ARE BEING ALLOWED INTO THE PML PROGRAM. 

Part-Time Ministerial Leader (PML) Course of Study (COS) is a practical theology curriculum designed for part-time local pastors entering ministry following Licensing School.  Local pastors must enroll within two years of completing Licensing School and complete all 10 courses within three years. Courses are offered in virtual or hybrid formats. Any part-time local pastors needing to fulfill a regular COS course may enroll for the PML course through the Missouri PML program as an SPST extension school.  Approval is required from the Director of Leadership Excellence and the Course of Study Director for Saint Paul School of Theology.

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