Accreditation
The Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) accredit CTSFW. ATS accredits theological institutions in the United States and Canada while HLC accredits degree-granting post-secondary educational institutions in the United States. CTSFW accreditation by ATS began in 1968 and by HLC in 1981.
Accreditation is a process that evaluates quality and provides a roadmap for institutional improvements. It assures students that their academic programs meet nationally recognized standards and is required for CTSFW to receive federal funds for student financial aid. It assures financial supporters that CTSFW is engaged in appropriate educational efforts and that those efforts conform to normative expectations of quality. While it is not an audit, accreditation functions as an external, independent judgment about the strengths and weaknesses of the institution and encourages wise use of its resources and careful attention to its mission.
To that end, CTSFW engaged in an institutional self-study during the 2018/2019 academic year. The board, administration, faculty, and staff looked at CTSFW through the lens of our mission and the lens of the ATS Standards for Accreditation and HLC Criteria for Accreditation. The process resulted in an institutional self-study for ATS and an assurance argument for HLC in preparation for the comprehensive peer reviews by both commissions in 2020. Both commissions reaffirmed CTSFW’s accreditation for the maximal ten years.
The ten-year HLC Open Pathway includes a Year 4 Assurance Argument Update. For CTSFW, this update occurred during the 2023/2024 academic year. A team of five peers reviewed the update during early summer 2024.
CTSFW views the work of accreditation as an opportunity to build on the school’s strengths as well as to discover and implement institutional changes to further the CTSFW mission to “form servants in Jesus Christ who teach the faithful, reach the lost, and care for all.”
Accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS).
The following degree programs are approved:
- MDiv
- MA in Deaconess Studies
- MA in Pastoral Studies
- MA
- DMin
- STM
- PhD–Missiology
- PhD–Theological Studies
The following extension site is approved as specified:
Gothenburg, Sweden
Approved Degree: STM
Approved for a Comprehensive Distance Education Program
The Commission contact information is:
The Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada
10 Summit Park Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15275
Telephone: (412) 788-6505
Fax: (412) 788-6510
Website: www.ats.edu
Concordia Theological Seminary is an accredited member of the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
The Commission contact information is:
The Higher Learning Commission
230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500
Chicago, IL 60604-1413
Telephone: (800) 621-7440 / (312) 263-0456
Fax: (312) 263-7462
Website: www.hlcommission.org
Statement of Educational Effectiveness
As a part of our accreditation process, CTSFW is committed to assessing the effectiveness of our programs. We use what we find to improve the ways we form pastors, deaconesses, and church leaders to serve the Church nationally and internationally.
Concordia Theological Seminary assesses its various academic programs to ensure that students are accomplishing the learning outcomes established for these programs. Additionally, CTFSW reports to the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and monitors the student success measures of time to completion, graduation rate, and vocational placements.
The Master of Divinity program is our largest academic program. For the most recent 10 years, 89.6% of students successfully completed the program in four to less than five years. Of the 2024/2025 graduates, 91.2% completed the program in this time frame.
ATS uses six years as the time in program for the Master of Divinity graduation rate success measure. For the most recent 10 years that CTSFW has reported this success measure, the graduation rate is 87.7%. Of the students who began in fall 2019, 86.1% graduated by fall 2025.
Reports to ATS show that 100% of all pastoral candidates certified by the faculty and seeking a call to serve as a pastor are placed in a pastoral position. Of the 2024/2025 academic year graduates, 91.2% were placed in a pastoral position and the remaining 8.8% deferred placement for further graduate study.
Vicarage supervisors and members of the faculty directly assess nine student learning outcomes for the Master of Divinity program. The 2024/2025 graduates had a 4.63 average competency on a scale of 5.00, where 5.00 is exceptional. This is slightly above the historical average competency of 4.50 for graduates from 2015/2016–2023/2024.
Eight to ten women, on average, graduate with the Master of Arts in Deaconess Studies each year.
The ATS categorizes the Master of Arts in Deaconess Studies as a Master of Arts Professional program. CTSFW’s Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies is also categorized as a Master of Arts Professional program. Therefore, the student success measures for both completions and graduation rates for both programs are identical.
For the past five years, in which CTSFW has had two Master of Arts Professional programs, 63.8% of students have successfully completed the program in four years or less. Of the 2024/2025 graduates, 75.0% completed the program in this time frame.
ATS uses four years as the time in program for the Master of Arts Professional programs graduation rate success measure. For the most recent 10 years that CTSFW has reported this success measure, the graduation rate is 74.1%. Of the students who began in fall 2021, 83.3% graduated by fall 2025.
Reports to ATS for the most recent 10 years show that 54.9% of all Master of Arts in Deaconess Studies candidates certified by the faculty and seeking a commission to serve as a deaconess are placed in a vocational position. Of the graduates for the 2024/2025 academic year, 28.6% were placed in a vocational setting; the remaining 71.4% of the graduates were seeking a placement. This is expected since the women complete their program at the end of the summer and are placed after reports are made to ATS.
Internship/practicum supervisors and members of the faculty directly assess eight student learning outcomes for the Master of Arts in Deaconess Studies program. The 2024/2025 distance graduates had a 4.85 average competency on a scale of 5.00, where 5.00 is exceptional. This is comparable to the historical average competency of 4.77 for graduates from 2015/2016–2023/2024. The 2024/2025 residential graduates had a 4.60 average competency on a scale of 5.00, where 5.00 is exceptional. This is comparable to the historical average competency of 4.68 for graduates from 2015/2016–2023/2024.
This recent program began graduating students during the 2018/2019 academic year. This program is very small, with about two graduates on average each year. This program is designed for either 1) students from foreign contexts who are seeking the essential curriculum in Lutheran pastoral formation within two academic years without vicarage or certification for placement in the LCMS, or 2) LCMS students who are admitted to and simultaneously enrolled in the Alternate Route (AR) program.
The ATS categorizes the Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies as a Master of Arts Professional program. CTSFW’s Master of Arts in Deaconess Studies is also categorized as a Master of Arts Professional program. Therefore, the student success measures for both completions and graduation rates for both programs are identical.
For the past five years, in which CTSFW has had two Master of Arts Professional programs, 63.8% of students have successfully completed the program in four years or less. Of the 2024/2025 graduates, 75.0% completed the program in this time frame.
ATS uses four years as the time in program for the Master of Arts Professional programs graduation rate success measure. For the most recent 10 years that CTSFW has reported this success measure, the graduation rate is 74.1%. Of the students who began in fall 2021, 83.3% graduated by fall 2025.
Reports to ATS show that, historically, these graduates are most likely to receive a vocational placement or continue with further studies. At the time the report was made to ATS, the one 2024/2025 academic year candidate was placed in a non-vocational setting.
Vicarage supervisors and members of the faculty directly assess nine student learning outcomes for Option 2 of the Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies program. The 2024/2025 graduates had a 4.94 average competency on a scale of 5.00, where 5.00 is exceptional. This is above the three-year average competency of 4.29 for graduates from 2021/2022–2023/2024.
Four to five students on average graduate with the Master of Arts degree each year.
For the most recent four years, 83.3% of students successfully completed the program in two years or less. Of the 2024/2025 graduates, 100.0% completed the program in this time frame.
ATS uses four years as the time in program for the Master of Arts graduation rate success measure. For the most recent years, CTSFW has reported that the graduation rate is 88.9%. Of the students who began in fall 2021, 100.0% graduated by fall 2025.
Reports to ATS for the 2024/2025 graduates show that 80.0% of the program’s graduates are placed in a vocational setting. The placement status of the remaining 20.0% of graduates is unknown.
Members of the faculty directly assess seven student learning outcomes for the Master of Arts program. The 2024/2025 graduates had a 4.66 average competency on a scale of 5.00, where 5.00 is exceptional. This is slightly below the three-year average competency of 4.50 for graduates from 2021/2022–2023/2024.
This program operates two programs, one on the CTSFW campus and the other at the international extension site at the Lutheran School of Theology in Gothenburg, Sweden. Between the two sites, there are typically eighteen students actively taking classes and exams in the Master of Sacred Theology program each year.
Note: The students in the Gothenburg program complete their coursework intensively over three years, with the fourth year devoted to researching and writing their thesis. We will see this difference most noticeably in the Time to Completion and Graduation Rate success measures.
For the most recent 10 years, 25.9% of students successfully completed the program in two years or less. Of the 2024/2025 graduates, 28.6% completed the program in this time frame.
ATS uses two years as the time in program for the Master of Sacred Theology graduation rate success measure. For the most recent 10 years that CTSFW has reported this success measure, the graduation rate is 38.9%. Of the students who began in fall 2023, 50.0% graduated by fall 2025.
Reports to ATS for the most recent 10 years show that 91.9% of the program’s graduates are placed in a vocational setting. Of the remaining graduates, 6.8% continued with further study, and 1.4% were classified as other. Eighty-five point seven percent of the 2024/2025 graduates were placed in a vocational setting with the remaining 14.3% continuing with further study.
Members of the faculty directly assess seven student learning outcomes for the Master of Sacred Theology program. The 2024/2025 CTSFW campus graduates had a 4.33 average competency on a scale of 5.00, where 5.00 is exceptional. This is below the three-year average competency of 4.80 for graduates from 2021/2022–2023/2024. The 2024/2025 Gothenburg campus graduates had a 4.89 average competency on a scale of 5.00, where 5.00 is exceptional. This is slightly above the three-year average competency of 4.68 for graduates from 2021/2022–2023/2024.
The current Doctor of Ministry program was re-envisioned for the 2013/2014 academic year. The new program is structured so that the pastor can complete the coursework and project in three to four years.
For the most recent five years, none of the students successfully completed the program in four years or less. Of the 2024/2025 graduates, 0.0% of the students completed the program in this time frame, while the remaining graduates completed the program in more than four years (100.0% in four to less than six years).
ATS uses six years as the time in program for the Doctor of Ministry graduation rate success measure. For the most recent 10 years that CTSFW has reported this success measure, the graduation rate is 53.3%. Of the students who began in fall 2019, 75.0% graduated by fall 2025.
Reports to ATS for the most recent 10 years show that 100.0% of the program’s graduates continue in a vocational setting. The 2024/2025 graduates continued this trend.
Members of the faculty directly assess six student learning outcomes for the Doctor of Ministry program. The 2024/2025 graduates had a 4.89 average competency on a scale of 5.00, where 5.00 is exceptional. This is above the three-year average competency of 4.55 for graduates from 2021/2022–2023/2024.
The PhD Missiology program averages five to six graduates each year. The PhD in Theological Studies program launched in fall 2018 and had its first graduate in 2023/2024; four students are in PhD candidate status.
For the most recent 10 years, 40.0% of students successfully completed the program in six years or less. There were no 2024/2025 PhD graduates.
ATS uses eight years as the time in program for the Doctor of Philosophy graduation rate success measure. For the most recent 10 years that CTSFW has reported this success measure, the graduation rate is 47.1%. Of the students who began in fall 2017, 41.7% graduated by fall 2025.
Reports to ATS for the most recent 10 years show that 74.4% of all PhD graduates continue in a vocational position, with 12.8% moving into a non-vocational placement, 7.7% seeking placement, and the remaining 5.2% are unknown or other. There were no 2024/2025 graduates.
Members of the faculty directly assess seven student learning outcomes for the PhD in Missiology program. There were three PhD in Missiology candidates and no graduates for 2024/2025. The candidates had a 4.69 average competency on a scale of 5.00, where 5.00 is exceptional.
Members of the faculty directly assess six student learning outcomes for the PhD in Theological Studies program. There were no 2024/2025 PhD in Theological Studies graduates to be assessed.