IBS Course Completion Policy
- All Cru Staff are required to complete the eleven core IBS courses.
- Cru Staff who joined before the summer 1992 are under an old system of requirements of 24 IBS Credits. These requirements are outlined here.
- In order to fulfill IBS requirements, staff members must complete all the work for IBS courses (e.g., reading, papers, exam, etc.) and receive a grade of C or better. Auditing IBS courses (i.e., merely attending the lectures) is not adequate.
- First-year courses should be completed before staff members report to their initial assignment. First-year courses are included in the five week New Staff Training conference hosted by the Campus Ministry every winter and summer. If an applicant does not attend IBS during New Staff Training, they will return to complete their first-year courses according to the following schedule:
Staff who have to maintain full-time employment during MPD, will attend IBS as soon as their employment ends.
- Second-year courses should be completed within five years of joining staff.
- Third-year courses should be completed within ten years of joining staff.
- Staff may fulfill the requirements for some of these eleven courses by completing an equivalent graduate level course with a grade of C or better. See the Exemptions page.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Where are IBS courses offered?
IBS courses are offered two times per year in a two-week modular format. First-year IBS courses will be offered in Daytona Beach, January 18 to February 1, 2016. All IBS courses will be offered in Orlando, Florida, June 20 to July 15, 2016. Intro to Mission, Old Testament Survey, God/Bible/Holy Spirit, and Church History courses are offered online. Select IBS courses are also offered at Cru world headquaters in Orlando. Click on the link to see which courses are being offered. Select IBS courses are also offered at Family Life Headquarters in Little Rock and at locations around the country. Click on the link to see which courses are being offered.
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Are any IBS courses offered online?
Yes. Intro to Mission, Old Testament Survey, God/Bible/Holy Spirit, and Church History are currently available online. Eventually we hope to have all the third year courses available online so that after completing first-year courses, a staff member would only need to attend IBS one additional summer. For more information about online offerings, visit the virtual IBS page.
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Can I take similar courses live or online through a nearby seminary to fulfill IBS requirements?
Yes. Eight of the eleven IBS courses can be completed by taking an equivalent graduate-level course through an accredited seminary. For more information, visit the Course exemptions page.
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How can I find out which IBS courses I have completed?
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How can I find out which IBS courses I still need?
There are two sets of requirements depending on when you came on staff. See points 1 and 2 above. If you came on staff summer 1992 or later, you are under the new requirements (see point 1 above). You simply need to determine which of the eleven core IBS courses you have not completed. If you came on staff before 1992, you are under the old requirements (see point 2 above). The old requirements page will help you determine what you still need.
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What if I live overseas?
U.S. Staff serving overseas are still required to finish the IBS requirements. If your area has IBS requirements that differ from those in the US, you should follow requirements of your area. If you complete all the IBS courses required by your area, that can fulfill your IBS requirements in the US as well. If your area has no IBS requirements, you should follow the US requirements.
There are at least four ways you can complete IBS while living outside the U.S.:
- Take an IBS course online. Currently three courses are available online with more courses to follow in the future.
- Take an equivalent IBS course offered by your area. A number of areas offer IBS courses. To receive credit for core classes taken overseas you will need some kind of transcript that indicates you have completed the class. An email from a professor teaching the class stating that you have completed the requirements for the class is sufficient if an actual transcript is not available. You will need this document when you apply for your IBS Certificate once you have completed all course work.
- Take an equivalent course online through an accredited seminary. Our US seminary partners (along with other schools) offer a number of online courses that cover the same content as IBS courses. Some have entire degree programs that can be done from overseas. In order to count toward your IBS requirement, this course you take must cover the same content at the IBS course. To apply this course toward your IBS requirements, you will also need a transcript indicating you have completed the class.
- Take IBS Classes while in the U.S. on furlough. U.S. staff serving overseas are always welcome at IBS in the states. You can take advantage of IBS courses during your furloughs. Any additional time apart from furlough to take IBS classes needs to be approved by your in-country and possibly area leadership.
