Master of Divinity

The Master of Divinity program is our largest academic program. For the most recent ten years, 85.5% of students successfully complete the program in 4 to less than 5 years. Of the 2021/2022 graduates, 91.9% completed the program in this time frame.

ATS uses 6 years as the time in program for the Master of Divinity graduation rate success measure. For the eight years that CTSFW has reported this success measure, the graduation rate is 87.2%. Of the students who began fall 2016, 95.2% graduated by fall 2022.

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. The graduates for the 2021/2022 academic year continue this trend where 100% of those seeking a call were placed. Of these graduates, 8.1% 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 2021/2022 graduates had a 4.52 average competency on a scale of 5.00, where 5.00 is exceptional. This is slightly above the historical average competency of 4.49 for graduates from 2011/2012 – 2020/2021.

Master of Arts in Deaconess Studies

Six to seven women on average graduate with the Master of Arts in Deaconess Studies each year.

For the most recent ten years, 80.0% of students successfully complete the program in 4 years or less. Of the 2021/2022 graduates, 70.0% completed the program in this time frame.

ATS uses 4 years as the time in program for the Master of Arts in Deaconess Studies graduation rate success measure. For the eight years that CTSFW has reported this success measure, the graduation rate is 75.4%. Of the students who began fall 2018, 73.3% graduated by fall 2022.

Reports to ATS for the most recent ten years, show that 62.2% 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 2021/2022 academic year, 50% were placed in a vocational setting. Of the remaining graduates, 30% were seeking a placement.

Internship/Practicum supervisors and members of the faculty directly assess eight student learning outcomes for the Master of Arts in Deaconess Studies program. The 2021/2022 distance graduates had a 4.86 average competency on a scale of 5.00, where 5.00 is exceptional. This is comparable to the historical average competency of 4.78 for graduates from 2014/2015 – 2020/2021. The 2021/2022 residential graduates had a 4.86 average competency on a scale of 5.00, where 5.00 is exceptional. This is comparable to the historical average competency of 4.42 for graduates from 2015/2016 – 2020/2021.

Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies

This recent program began graduating students during the 2018/2019 academic year. This program is very small with about 2 graduates on average each year. This program is designed either for 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 (A.R.) program.

100% of the 2021/2022 Master of Art in Pastoral Studies graduates completed the program in less than 3 years. This exceeds the historical average for four years of 87.5%.

ATS uses 4 years as the time in program for the Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies graduation rate success measure. The design of this program has students graduate either in two years or less or in three years or less. 100% of the students graduating from this program have completed the program in 4 years or less.

Reports to ATS show that 75.0% of all pastoral candidates certified by the faculty and seeking a call to serve as a pastor are placed in a pastoral position. At the time the report was made to ATS, the one 2021/2022 academic year candidate received a vocational placement.

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 2020/2021 graduates had a 4.85 average competency on a scale of 5.00, where 5.00 is exceptional. This exceeds the 3-year average competency of 4.08 for graduates from 2017/2018 – 2019/2020.

Master of Arts

Three to four students on average graduate with the Master of Arts degrees each year.

For the most recent ten years, 46.2% of students successfully complete the program in 3 years or less. Of the 2021/2022 graduates, 100.0% completed the program in this time frame.

ATS uses 4 years as the time in program for the Master of Arts graduation rate success measure. For the eight years that CTSFW has reported this success measure, the graduation rate is 69.8%. Of the students who began fall 2018, 100.0% graduated by fall 2022.

Reports to ATS for the most recent ten years, show that 48.3% of the program’s graduates are placed in a vocational setting. Of the remaining graduates, 13.8% received a non-vocational placement, 12.1% seek further study, 8.6% are seeking placement, and the remaining 17.2% are unknown or other. The 2021/2022 graduates all were continuing with further study.

Members of the faculty directly assess seven student learning outcomes for the Master of Arts program. The 2021/2022 graduates had a 4.65 average competency on a scale of 5.00, where 5.00 is exceptional. This is above the 3-year average competency of 4.06 for graduates from 2018/2019 – 2020/2021.

Master of Sacred Theology

The 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 course work 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 ten years, 21.9% of students successfully complete the program in 2 years or less. Of the 2021/2022 graduates, 0.0% completed the program in this time frame.

ATS uses 2 years as the time in program for the Master of Sacred Theology graduation rate success measure. For the eight years that CTSFW has reported this success measure, the graduation rate is 34.6%. Of the students who began fall 2020, 35.3% graduated by fall 2022.

Reports to ATS for the most recent ten years, show that 93.1% of the program’s graduates are placed in a vocational setting. Of the remaining graduates, 6.9% continue with further study. All of the 2021/2022 graduates were placed in a vocational setting.

Members of the faculty directly assess seven student learning outcomes for the Master of Sacred Theology program. The 2021/2022 CTSFW campus graduates had a 4.78 average competency on a scale of 5.00, where 5.00 is exceptional. This is slightly below the 3-year average competency of 4.84 for graduates from 2018/2019 – 2020/2021. The 2021/2022 Gothenburg campus graduate had a 4.50 average competency on a scale of 5.00, where 5.00 is exceptional. This is slightly below the 3-year average competency of 4.58 for graduates from 2018/2019 – 2020/2021.

Doctor of Ministry

The current Doctor of Ministry program was re-envisioned for the 2013/2014 academic year. The new program is structured so that a pastor can complete the coursework and project in 3-4 years.

For the most recent five years, 20.7% of students successfully completed the program in 4 years or less. Of the 2021/2022 graduates, 0.0% completed the program in this time frame while the remaining graduates completed in the program in more than 4 years (33.3% in 4 to less than 6 years and 66.7% in 6+ years).

ATS uses 6 years as the time in program for the Doctor of Ministry graduation rate success measure. For the eight years that CTSFW has reported this success measure, the graduation rate is 40.0%. Of the students who began fall 2016, 40.0% graduated by fall 2022.

Reports to ATS for the most recent ten years, show that 100% of the program’s graduates continue in a vocational setting. The 2021/2022 graduates continued this trend.

Members of the faculty directly assess six student learning outcomes for the Doctor of Ministry program. The 2021/2022 graduates had a 4.54 average competency on a scale of 5.00, where 5.00 is exceptional. This is slightly below the 3-year average competency of 4.82 for graduates from 2018/2019 – 2029/2021.

Doctor of Philosophy in Missiology and Doctor of Philosophy in Theological Studies

The PhD Missiology program averages five to six graduates each year. The PhD in Theological Studies program launched fall 2018 has two students in PhD candidate status.

For the most recent ten years, 53.5% of students successfully complete the program in 6 years or less. Of the 2021/2022 graduates, 33.3% completed the program in this time frame.

ATS uses 8 years as the time in program for the Doctor of Philosophy graduation rate success measure. For the eight years that CTSFW has reported this success measure, the graduation rate is 55.0%. Of the students who began fall 2014, 60.0% graduated by fall 2022.

Reports to ATS for the most recent ten years, show that 72.1% of all PhD graduates continue in a vocational position, with 11.6% moving into a non-vocational placement, 4.7% seeking placement, and the remaining 11.6% are unknown or other. Of the 2021/2022 graduates, 100% continued in a vocational position.

Members of the faculty directly assess seven student learning outcomes for the PhD Missiology program. The 2021/2022 PhD Missiology candidates and graduates had a 4.74 average competency on a scale of 5.00, where 5.00 is exceptional. This is slightly below the 3-year average competency of 4.76 for the candidates and graduates from 2018/2019 – 2020/2021.