PBC + IWU Partnership

The first step is to apply to Portland Bible College. Freshman classes are all hosted live on the PBC campus. Once accepted, the Registrar’s Office can help you apply for an IWU program. Students are encouraged to apply to IWU after their Freshman year at PBC. You will work with the PBC-provided IWU academic counselor to map out a course plan for your remaining three years.

Indiana Wesleyan University is a private Christian University that is fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

Indiana Wesleyan University is the largest member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, with nearly 3,000 students enrolled in traditional programs on the University’s 350-acre residential campus in Marion, Indiana. IWU-Marion offers more than 80 undergraduate degrees and an expanding list of graduate degree programs to residential students representing more than 80 Christian denominations and ten foreign countries. More than 8,000 adult learners attend classes through IWU-National & Global online or at education centers in Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio. IWU-National & Global offers over 100 degree programs at the associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels. Learn more here.

The double degree is achieved concurrently. All your Bible and Theology will be with PBC faculty. General education credits and the requirements of the second degree will be split between both PBC and IWU. Students must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours with IWU to achieve the 2nd degree. Students can choose to live on the PBC campus for the entirety of the dual Bachelor program. IWU classes are all available online, and this arrangement allows you to stay connected with the PBC community as well as benefit from the affordability of living on campus.

The time it will take for you to graduate with two degrees depends on the IWU degree you choose and how many classes you take each year. (For example, students who take one or more classes during the summer will make faster progress than those students who take the summer break off). In our two most popular degree pathways (Integrative Studies and Missional Leadership), you can easily achieve both bachelor’s in the traditional four years as long as you maintain a full-time course load and pass all your courses. For students who choose more technical programs with more specific requirements, both degrees can be achieved in 4.5 to 5 years.

PBC charges $2950 per semester for full-time students (12-18 credit hours). Our partnership with IWU provides PBC students and graduates with a steeply discounted tuition rate of $334 per credit hour for IWU online classes (normally $400-$450). The actual final cost will vary based on the number of IWU credits needed. Yet, because of the affordability of PBC’s tuition and debt-free commitment, the cost of TWO degrees through the PBC-IWU partnership is significantly less than it would be to get just one degree from IWU and even more affordable than attending most other private 4-year colleges. Note: PBC tuition is paid to PBC, and IWU tuition is paid directly to IWU.

PBC classes are available in person at our Portland campus or online. IWU classes are all delivered online.

Yes. Your entire first year (and often the second as well) will be PBC classes. PBC students do have time to decide which dual degree pathway they want to pursue and the best time to get started. At the end of your freshman year, the Registrar’s Office can assist you in the process of applying to IWU. We highly recommend that students try IWU online courses during the PBC summer break to see if the program is a good fit and help to spread out their course load over the year. Typically, in order to complete both degrees in four years, a student must start IWU classes by the summer after the sophomore year. So your first two years will be entirely PBC classes, while your third and fourth years will be a mix of PBC classes and IWU classes.

Yes! One of the things we love most about this partnership is that you can pursue both degrees while remaining part of our PBC community and staying active in your local church. With permission of the Dean and subject to room availability, it is often an option for you to live on campus for your fifth year of classes. This not only allows you to remain an active part of our school community but is also one of the most affordable options to cover your living expenses and help you graduate debt-free – with two degrees rather than one.

PBC and IWU are actively working to extend the number of programs that qualify. For programs that are not yet listed here, IWU will still accept up to 90 PBC credits. Our Registrar’s Office can work with you and IWU to develop a customized pathway for you even if the program you wish to pursue is not yet listed here; it’s just more likely to be a five-year pathway. Either way, you will still finish with two degrees and save thousands of dollars by taking PBC classes that transfer to IWU and taking advantage of the discounted IWU tuition rate offered to PBC students.

Yes! Your PBC credits will transfer to IWU the same as if you were a current student, and you qualify for the discounted IWU tuition rate. If you have a Bachelor’s degree from PBC, you also are eligible for admission to several IWU graduate degree programs and qualify for a 15% discount on tuition costs. Click here to read about Master Program options.