Accreditation & Approvals - Dallas Theological Seminary

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Dallas Theological Seminary is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award master’s and doctoral degrees. Dallas Theological Seminary also may offer credentials such as certificates and diplomas at approved degree levels. Questions about the accreditation of Dallas Theological Seminary may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org).

Other than for questions about the seminary’s accredited status, the SACSCOC should be contacted only if there is evidence that appears to support a significant noncompliance with a SACSCOC requirement or standard. Normal inquiries about the seminary, such as admission requirements, financial aid, educational programs, etc., should be addressed directly to the seminary and not to the Commission’s office.

Association of Theological Schools

The seminary is also accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools (www.ats.edu) and is approved to offer the following degrees: ThM, STM, MA in Christian Education, MA in Intercultural Studies, MA in Christian Leadership, MA in Counseling, MA in Media Arts and Worship, Master of Biblical and Theological Studies, MA in Bible Translation, MA in Christian Studies, MA in Jewish Studies, MA in Chaplaincy and Ministry Care, MA in Apologetics and Evangelism, Graduate Certificate of Christian Studies, Doctor of Education, DMin, DEdMin, PhD.

The following extension sites are approved as specified:

Atlanta, Georgia
Passion City Church
Approved Degrees: MA in Christian Leadership, Master of Biblical and Theological Studies,
MA (Christian Studies)
Austin, Texas
Approved Degrees: MA in Christian Leadership, Master of Biblical and Theological Studies, MA (Christian Studies)
Guatemala City, Guatemala
Approved Degrees: DMin
Houston, Texas
Approved Degrees: ThM, MA in Christian Education, MA in Christian Leadership, MA in Counseling, MA in Intercultural Studies, Master of Biblical and Theological Studies, MA (Christian Studies), DMin
Burke, VA (Washington, DC extension)
Approved Degrees: ThM, MA in Counseling MA in Christian Education, MA in Christian Leadership, MA in Intercultural Studies, Master of Biblical and Theological Studies, MA (Christian Studies)
San Antonio, Texas
Approved Degrees: MA in Christian Leadership, Master of Biblical and Theological Studies, MA (Christian Studies)
Grace Bible Church, College Station, Texas, is approved as an ongoing course-offering site for less than fifty percent of the programs approved at this site.

In June 2023, the ATS Board of Commissioners approved a five-year experimental Doctor of Philosophy degree, permitting the degree program to be completed in a reduced-residency format.

DTS is also 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 USA; Telephone: 412-788-6505; Fax: 412-788-6510; Website: www.ats.edu

DTS is a member of the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI), the Evangelical Training Association (ETA), and an affiliate member of the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU).

DTS is nondenominational and seeks to serve those of like biblical faith in evangelical Protestantism. The faculty, governing boards, and students are members of various denominational or independent churches.

DTS Programs with CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) Codes

Master of Theology (ThM) — 39.0602 Divinity/Ministry
MA in Counseling (MAC) — 39.0701 Pastoral Studies/Counseling
MA in Chaplaincy and Ministry Care (MACP) — 39.0706 Chaplain/Chaplaincy Studies
MA in Apologetics and Evangelism (MAAE) — 39.0601 Theology/Theological Studies
MA in Christian Education (MACE) — 39.0401 Religious Education
MA in Christian Leadership (MACL) — 39.0699 Theological and Ministerial Studies
MA in Intercultural Studies (MAIS) — 39.0301 Missions/Missionary Studies and Missiology
MA in Media Arts and Worship (MAMW) — 39.9999 Theology and Religious Vocations
MA in Jewish Studies (MAJS) — 38.0206 Jewish/Judaic Studies
MA in Biblical Exegesis and Linguistics (MA) — 16.1103 Ancient Near Eastern and Biblical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
MA in Christian Studies (MACS), Master of Biblical and Theological Studies (MBTS) —39.0201 Bible/Biblical Studies
Graduate Certificate of Christian Studies (GCCS) — 39.9999 Theology and Religious Vocations
Master of Sacred Theology (STM) — 39.0601 Theology/Theological Studies
Doctor of Ministry (DMin) — 39.0602 Divinity/Ministry
Doctor of Educational Ministry (DEdMin) — 39.0401 Religious Education
Doctor of Education (EdD) — 13.0401 – Educational Leadership and Administration
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) (Bible Exposition) — 39.0201.17 Bible/Biblical Studies
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) (New Testament, Old Testament) — 16.1103 Ancient Near Eastern and Biblical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) (Theological Studies) — 39.0601 Theology/Theological Studies

State Authorizations

Arkansas

Dallas Theological Seminary has received a Letter of Exemption from Certification issued by the Arkansas Department of Higher Education to offer non-academic or church-related courses and grant non-academic awards or church-related degrees.

North Carolina

Degree programs of study offered by Dallas Theological Seminary have been declared exempt from the requirements for licensure, under provisions of North Carolina General Statutes Section (G.S.) 116-15 (d) for exemption from licensure with respect to religious education. Exemption from licensure is not based upon assessment of program quality under established licensing standards.

Virginia

Dallas Theological Seminary is certified to operate in the state of Virginia by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. Classes meet at Burke Community Church (9900 Old Keene Mill Rd, Burke, VA 22015).

Other Associations

Dallas Theological Seminary is associated with the following:

Evangelical Training Association (ETA)
Jerusalem University College
Institute of Theological Studies (ITS)

Statement of Educational Effectiveness

To assess the effectiveness of its educational programs, Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS) tracks persistence rates, graduation rates, and placement information for its educational programs. Persistence and graduation data are further subdivided by type of degree to better track students’ achievement in the Master of Theology (ThM) program (the seminary’s flagship degree) and in the Master of Biblical and Theological Studies (MBTS) and Master of Arts (MA) degrees (non-ThM, master’s-level programs). Placement information is tracked only for ThM graduates. Since most graduate theological institutions track such effectiveness data in a variety of ways, the following information is designed only to give interested individuals and the seminary's constituents information about the seminary. It should not be used as a comparison, either good or bad, to the effectiveness of other seminaries and graduate-level theological institutions. The student achievement measures presented in the statement are assessed annually, and the findings inform program and service improvements.

Persistence

Persistence rates are a measure of the number of students that continue in a DTS degree program three years after initial matriculation into the seminary. DTS has set a goal of 65% for MBTS and MA students and 60% for ThM students and desires that neither rate fall below 40%. Of the MBTS and MA students initially matriculating from fall 2010 through fall 2019, 74% of MBTS students and 68% of MA students continued or graduated after three years. Of the ThM students matriculating during that period, 66% continued after three years. The seminary exceeded the targets of 65% and 60% for non-ThM and ThM programs, respectively.

	MBTS	MA	ThM
Minimum Acceptability	40	40	40
Goal	65	65	60
Actual	74	68	66

Graduation Rates

Graduation rates are a measure of the number of students who graduated with a DTS degree within eight years of initial matriculation. Eight years is the upper time limit within which a student must complete a program of study. DTS has set a goal of 60% for MBTS students, and 50% for MA and ThM students and desires that neither rate fall below 35%. Of the MBTS and MA students initially matriculating from fall 2010 through fall 2015, 74% of MBTS students and 54% of MA students graduated within eight years. Of the ThM students matriculating during that period, 50% earned their degree within eight years. The seminary maintains a goal of increasing the graduation rate for all master’s-level and ThM students matriculating to 50%. The seminary’s current minimum threshold of acceptability for graduation rate is 35% for all master’s programs. The seminary is actively reestablishing new graduation rate targets for all master’s programs and the ThM program.

	MBTS	MA	ThM
Minimum Acceptability	35	35	35
Goal	60	50	50
Actual	74	54	50

Placement Information

The seminary also tracks the percentage of known ThM graduates who are in various categories of employment within a specified number of months post-graduation (6 months). Of the graduates in 2021 whose ministry placements are known to the seminary, 42% are working in church ministry, 21% in education, 14% in parachurch ministry/secular employment, 7% are students in doctoral and other programs, and 3% are in missions. Excluding those in secular employment, 87% of the seminary’s ThM graduates are either in some form of ministry or pursuing further education for ministry.

NOTE: Updated cohort and disaggregated degree program (ThM, MBTS, and MA) data retrieved from student information system (Anthology Student).