Hybrid at Charlotte

HYBRID AT CHARLOTTE

Accessible, vibrant, and built for your life in ministry

UPSem’s hybrid model in Charlotte is designed for students who want high-quality theological education that fits alongside real-world commitments. Combining flexible online learning with regular in-person engagement, Charlotte offers a vibrant, relational community where students can grow academically, spiritually, and vocationally without stepping away from their current context. Especially well-suited for working adults, bi-vocational leaders, and those already rooted in ministry or community leadership, the Charlotte model makes seminary both accessible and deeply connected—equipping leaders where they are, for where they’re called next.

The Charlotte Experience

Format

Synchronous and asynchronous courses with 12 in-person Saturdays/year. Fall in-person Saturday classes are held September 12, October 10, November 14, and December 12. Winter in-person classes are held January 9, February 6, March 6, and April 3. Spring in-person classes are held April 17, May 1, May 22, and June 12. The full academic calendar can be found here. Each in-person Saturday includes space for fellowship, lunch, and a chapel service.

Features

Charlotte based classes are a combination of online (both synchronous and asynchronous) and hybrid. Classes can be on Saturday morning, afternoon, or during the week in the evening. Our hybrid classes take place on Saturday and have an in-person component 4 Saturdays per term – usually once per month. When we are together in person, we have midday worship and lunch together and end the day with a social gathering.

Faculty

We have 21 faculty members, including 7 full-time professors based primarily in Charlotte. This incredible community of scholars, teachers, and mentors is deeply committed to student learning and formation. Faculty teach and engage with students across both campuses throughout the year—ensuring every student benefits from their expertise and care. Faculty from both campuses serve all students.

Formation

Each term begins with an in-person gathering before transitioning to virtual classes until we meet again. This regular rhythm of connection—four in-person gatherings per term across three terms each year—creates a strong sense of community. Our days together are full of energy, with students filling breaks with lively hallway conversations, walks around campus, coffee breaks, and quiet moments in the library.

Charlotte Hybrid FAQs

  • Will classes be synchornous or asynchronous?

    • Courses fall into two categories, hybrid or online. Hybrid courses contain face-to-face, synchronous online, and asynchronous online components. Online courses usually contain a mix of synchronous and asynchronous components. A few courses are wholly asynchronous and are marked as such in course schedules.

  • What time of day are synchronous courses offered?

    • Most synchronous class sessions are held in the evening or on Saturdays. A few are on afternoons, Monday through Thursday.

  • When do I have to be on Zoom?

    • You will be expected to join via Zoom for synchronous, online class sessions. Most synchronous class sessions are held in the evening or on Saturdays. A few are on afternoons, Monday through Thursday.

  • Will classes just be/involve discussion boards?

    • Classes will always be much more than discussion boards. Most classes involve a combination of synchronous and asynchronous activities. Even asynchronous activities are often quite interactive, involving student-faculty interaction, group projects, and engagement with videos, texts, learning tools, etc.

  • What's the face time like?

    • The Saturday hybrid taught on the Charlotte campus includes four Saturdays during which each of your two classes meets for three hours on the face-to-face Saturday. Many classes vary the kinds of activities you will engage in during face-to-face instruction, including group discussions, lectures, group projects, reflection time, and question-and-answer sessions.

  • Will I need to be on campus every Saturday in the Charlotte hybrid program?

    • Not necessarily. You’ll only need to be on campus for Saturdays if you’re enrolled in a class that meets on Saturdays.

      Some courses—often electives—are offered during the week, typically in the evenings, and those do not include Saturday sessions. Your on-campus Saturday commitment depends on your specific course schedule each semester.

  • Is Charlotte Hybrid right for me?

    • Charlotte Hybrid may be right for you if you’re called to deepen your theological education while staying fully engaged in your current life and ministry. If you’re working, serving in a church, or leading in your community and need a program that meets you where you are, this model is built for that balance—offering rigorous academics, meaningful relationships, and spiritual formation without requiring you to relocate or step away from your commitments.

      It’s especially well-suited for bi-vocational leaders, second-career students, and those already rooted in ministry contexts who want to immediately integrate what they’re learning into real-time practice.

      And if you need even more flexibility, the Master of Arts in Christian Education (M.A.C.E.) can be completed fully online—providing a clear pathway for students who want a UPSem education that fits entirely within their schedule and setting.

      In short: if you’re looking for a seminary experience that is accessible, relational, and grounded in the realities of ministry today, Charlotte Hybrid is designed for you.

  • How will I build relationships and network with others?

    • At Charlotte, connection is built into the rhythm of the program. Each term begins with an in-person gathering, giving you the chance to meet, reconnect, and ground your learning in community before transitioning into online coursework. This rhythm repeats throughout the year—four in-person gatherings per term across three terms—creating consistent, meaningful touchpoints that deepen relationships over time.

      Those in-person days are more than just class. Conversations spill into the hallways, over coffee, on walks around campus, and in quiet moments in the library. These shared experiences create a strong sense of belonging and trust that carries into your virtual learning, making online discussions richer and more relational.

      In short, you’re not just attending classes—you’re becoming part of a vibrant, supportive community that learns, grows, and stays connected together.

  • What if I want to live in residence year-round?

    • If you’re looking for a fully residential experience, UPSem offers the Community Scholars program on our Richmond, Virginia campus. This is a pathway designed specifically for students who want to live, learn, and grow in an intentional, on-campus community.

      Community Scholars live in residence in Richmond throughout the academic year, sharing rhythms of daily life together—meals, worship, study, service, and recreation—while participating in the same hybrid courses as their peers. This means you receive both the depth of residential formation and the flexibility and reach of UPSem’s hybrid model.

      It’s ideal for students who feel called to immersive community: those who want the day-to-day experience of seminary life, deeper relational formation, and a structured environment for spiritual growth.

      In short: if you want to be fully rooted in campus life while still benefiting from a flexible, forward-looking model of theological education, Community Scholars is built for you.

      HOUSING FOR COMMUNITY SCHOLARS (RICHMOND)

      For full-time students seeking on-campus or subsidized housing in Richmond as part of the Community Scholars covenantal community, or for international residents, rates vary by size and location. Apartment and dormitory charges should be paid promptly on the first day of each month. A $50 housing deposit is required for new students to hold a dorm room or apartment. A damage deposit equal to one month’s rent is required at move-in. A $25 key deposit is collected at move-in.

      On-campus housing charges are less than Richmond-area standard market rates and include basic utilities.

      Dormitory rates range from $490 to $530 per month, depending on size and location. Two-bedroom family apartments are $850.