Graduation Requirements for Seminaries and Institutes of Religion
Graduation from seminary and institute means much more than just receiving a diploma or finishing all courses of study. When students graduate from seminary or institute, they should have participated in a process where:
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Their relationship with and testimony of the Savior has been strengthened.
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Regular study of the scriptures has helped them build a strong gospel foundation for the future.
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They have developed confidence to ask and answer important and sometimes difficult gospel questions.
Students who receive a diploma should have elevated their learning so that they are fulfilling the Objective of Seminaries and Institutes of Religion (Gospel Teaching and Learning: A Handbook for Teachers and Leaders in Seminaries and Institutes of Religion [2012], x).
In the video “The Importance of Graduation” (11:36), Chad H Webb, administrator of Seminaries and Institutes of Religion, shares several points related to what graduation truly represents and how working toward that goal will bless students.
Understanding the purpose of graduation will help you communicate to students the importance of the seminary and institute graduation requirements. As you explain that these requirements can help deepen students’ conversions to the gospel of Jesus Christ, graduation will become more meaningful not only for them but also for you.