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Start with
No loans
End with
No debt
Gain hands-on
experience
in the field of your choice
Education is not just theory
In the Practicum phase, we help you discover your passions, gifts, and strengths while you get hands on experience in the field of your choice through an apprenticeship, internship, or self-directed research study.
Learn how to
thrive in the context of community
Grow deeper with God and His Body
Learn to thrive in real homes (not dorms), prepare and eat real meals (not cafeteria food) and build real, lifelong friendships in a community of like-minded people following Jesus into a life of flourishing.
Become wise, mature, and productive...
...through Holistic Education & Discipleship
We’ve cultivated an environment that encourages growth in every aspect of life – intellectually, spiritually, practically, professionally, and missionally.
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Graduate with
a Bachelor's
in 3 years
2 Phases. 36 Months
In Phase 1, build a foundation for the rest of your life as you come to understand our common human calling. In Phase 2, discover and pursue your personal kingdom calling through hands on experience in the field of your choice.
The Excel College Bachelor's Program
The Excel College Bachelor of Arts Degree in Religious Studies, Integrated Economy, and Critical Thinking allows you to gain hands on experience in the field of your choice while providing you with the context to grow intellectually, spiritually, practically, professionally, and missionally.
components of learning
months of
growth
The Core
Discover Our Common Human Calling
As carriers of the “Imago Dei,” each and every one of us is called to represent God to the world and bring His Kingdom to Earth. In The Core Program, we study one subject at a time in the flow of the biblical narrative, beginning and ending with God, to lay a foundation for this common human calling – a foundation from which to build your life.
In the current system, knowledge is fragmented. But our modular, sequential curriculum restores the unity of knowledge through the flow of the biblical narrative. From Theology to Biology, on to Anthropology and Fine Arts, and back through again, our unique Core Curriculum walks you through what has traditionally been called “the Liberal Arts” in a way you’ve never experienced before. In Phase 1, students embark on the pursuit of Wisdom through each module of the Core Curriculum. In Phase 2, they'll go through the same curriculum in the pursuit of Virtue - getting to know God as Alpha and Omega.
The Practicum
Discover Your Personal Kingdom Calling
In the Core, you discovered our common human calling and built a framework to understand God's story. Now it's time to play your part in it. In the Practicum, you will discover your passions, gifts and talents and craft a plan to build marketable skills through hands-on experience in the field of your choice.
Our unique approach empowers you (in collaboration with our team of mentors and coaches) to create your own customized path into the marketplace, all the while becoming a wise, mature and productive adult. Students begin the Practicum component in Phase 1 by learning the soft-skills necessary to succeed in the marketplace. By Phase 2, you're ready to choose an industry to hone your skills in, and receive specialized training from experts and professionals in that field. At the end, you'll graduate with a resume. Scrolling below are some of the existing practicum tracks our students have done or are currently doing. You can choose from one of our extensive list of programs or add to our ever-growing network with a practicum track that YOU pioneer. Don’t see the field you are interested in? We are constantly adding new partnerships as we help students build out their practicum track. Talk to our admissions team to see if we can help you pursue an emphasis that is right for you! Contact admissions.
Students in the Marketplace
Below are just a few examples of recent graduates showcasing what their practicum track entailed. We call these tracks "emphases". Click "Learn More" to see what your dossier will look like when you graduate after acheiving your unique emphasis.
Koehn Manthei
For the first 15 months of the accelerated bachelor's program, I gained a broad foundation of wisdom through a 15-month intensive study of the liberal arts, with an emphasis in philosophy. Then in January of 2024, I began working in The Excel Creative art studio. My work focused primarily on audio engineering, but it included all aspects of music production, like writing, arranging, producing, mixing, mastering, and performing my original music, as well as producing and mixing music for other artists. By the end of my time at Excel, I had mixed and produced my own EP. In the future, I hope to use the skills I learned here to empower other artists, bringing their creative ideas to life. I purposely learned every step of the process of producing a song so that I could help anyone with any step along the way.
Carter Abney
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Starting my real estate journey in April 2024, I knew I had a lot to learn. While pre-licensing coursework gave me the foundation in contracts, property law, and market principles, I quickly realized that knowledge alone wouldn’t make me successful. I made it a priority to study the market consistently, ask questions, and lean on mentors for guidance. Slowly, I realized that expertise isn’t just about time in the industry—it’s about preparation, effort, and how well you listen to your clients’ needs. Not sure what I would be able to accomplish in my first year, I was thrilled when I helped buyers purchase a house for the first time in August, just four months after getting my license. Each challenge reinforced that real estate is about more than just closing deals—it’s about guiding people through uncertainty and helping them make informed decisions. Not long after, I secured my first listing for sellers, which felt like a major breakthrough. Since then, I've been able to sell three homes within my first year in the industry.
Katie Schmidt
In my role as a Social Media Manager at Provisions Mercantile and Radius Chiropractic, I have gained immense knowledge on content creation, marketing strategies, and marketing execution. One of the key strengths I have developed is creating effective content strategies that align with the brand's objectives and target audience. I have honed my skill of discovering trends early on and customizing them to fit the company's brand. This helps the business reach their niche audience and stay relevant in the ever-changing realm of social media marketing. This has allowed me to build authentic connections with my audience while producing measurable results.
Elisabeth Schneider
I attended Excel College from 2020 to 2023 where I received a holistic education that equipped me to collaborate, create, and problem solve not only in a classroom setting, but also in multiple community contexts. My time there challenged me to grow in confidence and leadership by learning to disciple my peers, lead corporate worship, and maintain flexibility in tending to the daily practicalities of life. My hope is to use these skills and insight to develop creativity and flourishing in any community I have the opportunity to be a part of.
Joshua Pile
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My training in media production didn’t necessarily happen in a classroom—it was something that matured through boots on the ground experiences behind my camera. It happened in intense disaster zones, on construction sites, firing ranges, in conversation with small business owners, and during tame coffee shop moments when I could put the camera down and finally reflect on what on Earth just happened. This has been a self-driven, deeply personal, and entrepreneurially rich journey that has taught me that in the end it’s been the relationships along the way that held the most value.
Matthew Conlin
Fueled by a desire to make a difference in wilderness settings, I pursued an associate's degree in Emergency Medical Science and worked diligently to obtain my Paramedic Certification. Along the way, I was honored to be elected class president, a role that allowed me to bridge communication between faculty and students while also earning my BLS, PALS, and ACLS certifications. Over the past three years, I've had the privilege to serve at Buncombe County EMS in both full-time and part-time positions. I've been trained as a Community Paramedic, and I take great pride in my role as a BLS instructor, where I've had the opportunity to teach several BLS and CPR classes.
Danielle Walz
I have served at Radius Chiropractic for almost 3 years now as a Chiropractic Assistant. This role has allowed me to grow my administrative skills in a medical office environment while serving the greater community of Asheville. Prior training for this position required a 6 month onboarding process that consisted of online training module videos, in person shadow experience, reading books and other online resources, and in person science training from local physicians and professionals.
The Practicum is a
3-Step Process
That Helps You...
Discover
Our team will help you identify your unique callings and understand how they could be exercised for the benefit of the marketplace and community around you.
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Plan
After discovering your calling, we'll walk alongside you to craft a personalized plan to achieve proficiency in your field of choice. The focus is on achieved outcomes — not test scores.
Advance
The most important part of any plan is execution. In the Advance Stage, you’ll grow through hands on experience, accountability, and one-on-one coaching all the way through. Below are just a few of the employers and ministry partners in our network that make experiential learning possible for Excel students.
Throughout Your Time, You Will...
Live Within Community
Phase 1 and, for many, Phase 2 takes place on our Excel Black Mountain campus in the beautiful mountains outside of Asheville, North Carolina. You’ll learn to thrive in real homes (not dorms), prepare and eat real meals (not cafeteria food) and build real, lifelong friendships in a community of like-minded people following Jesus into a life of flourishing.
For many, our community has been the biggest part of their growth journey. Whether it’s hiking or visiting waterfalls, playing soccer and grilling out on the weekends, interacting with the faculty and staff who live on campus, worshipping together and getting to know God deeper in one of our community gatherings, or experiencing the eclectic culture of Asheville, your time here will be full of moments that help you come to life.
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Flourish Through Discipleship
Discipleship is at the core of what we do. From the classroom to the marketplace, the home, and our community gatherings, we’ve cultivated an environment that encourages growth in every aspect of life – intellectually, spiritually, practically, professionally, and missionally. Our team of coaches and mentors lives and works from Excel Black Mountain, and it’s our joy to walk with students through each step of their journey. You’ll be encouraged, challenged, and strengthened as you learn what it’s like to participate in a healthy, flourishing community focused on discipleship.
Grow by Experiential Learning
True education must go beyond the classroom. That’s why experiential learning is a key component in BOTH phases of the program. You’ll discover truth together in a unique classroom experience, learn to manage and take care of a home, and build practical, marketable skills in your place of work – all while building the character and characteristics needed to be a flourishing member of a community. Below are just a few of the employers and ministry partners in our network that make experiential learning possible for Excel students.
Summer Missions:
Help Us Rebuild WNC
Come and serve with Excel College and our partners in helping Western North Carolina recover from Hurricane Helene. You'll make a difference in the Swannanoa Valley by working with disaster relief teams while also having the opportunity to grow in your faith through experiencing the vibrant Christian community at Excel.
For who?
Ages 17+
How much?
$1,000/mo
When?
May-August (you can sign up for the duration or individual months)
*If a student attends one of the Excel summer camps, they may attend the rest of the calendar month of a disaster relief summer experience at only an additional $250 charge (50% discount for that month).
What's Happening
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PO Box #190
Ridgecrest, NC 28770
admissions@theexcelcollege.com
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