Accreditations

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

Memphis Theological Seminary is Senate-approved and operates as one of the Non-United Methodist Affiliated Schools of Theology. While not officially affiliated with the United Methodist Church, MTS is approved by the University Senate to educate United Methodist students seeking ordination, offering theological education that meets the denomination’s academic and formation standards.

A key component of the Memphis Theological Seminary educational experience is the diversity of our community of faith and learning (denominationally and racial-ethnically). The Memphis Theological Seminary faculty is made of 8 teachers and scholars, 4 women and 4 men. One third of Memphis Theological Seminary’s faculty is African American and among the faculty are a variety of denominational traditions including Christian Methodist Episcopal, Cumberland Presbyterian, United Methodist, Disciples of Christ, Episcopalian, and Baptist.

Memphis Theological Seminary’s student body is ecumenically diverse: 21% in the Methodist tradition (UMC, CME, AME), 36.6% Baptist (American, Cooperative, Full Gospel, General, Missionary, National, other), 12.6% Cumberland Presbyterian, 15.6% non-denominational, and the remaining 14.2% an array of other denominations and traditions (e.g., Church of God in Christ, Disciples of Christ, Presbyterian Church USA, Pentecostal, Seventh Day Adventist, Episcopal).  We are also racially-ethnically diverse (68.9% African American, 26.3% Caucasian, 2.4% Asian, 2.4% Hispanic/other). 45.5% of our students are male. 54.5% are female.

(Fall 2024)

Graduation Rate

The placement rate for Memphis Theological Seminary (MTS) is listed below. As a threshold of acceptability, the seminary’s rate has been compared with the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) institutional average for each year listed. ATS has a total of 281 member institutions.

Data is provided for 3 years.

2022: MTS 79% | ATS 91%

2023: MTS 100% | ATS 90%

2024: MTS 100% | ATS 91%

Placement Rate

Loan Default & Debt Management

Memphis Theological Seminary has participated in the Lily Endowment Debt Study and has received grants to develop debt-reduction programs and education for seminarians. The financial aid coordinator for Memphis Theological Seminary provides student support in finding and applying for scholarships, and in addressing loan debt.

Annually, Memphis Theological Seminary participates in a survey of graduating students administered by ATS. Below you will find a link to the results of the 2023-2024 survey.

Graduating Student Survey Link

As required by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC), if a student is unable to resolve any grievance at the institutional level, the student may contact the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, 404 James Robertson Pkwy #1900, Nashville, TN 37219 or at 615-741-5293. Complaints can be submitted at THEC’s website. THEC also receives complaints related to distance education delivery of courses as it relates to the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA).

If a student is not satisfied with the response to a grievance and believes that the Seminary is out of compliance with the criteria, the student may file a complaint in writing with the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada, 10 Summit Park Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15275-1103. The complaint policy can be reviewed at ATS’s website.

A student may also file a complaint with the Seminary’s institutional accrediting agency, SACSCOC. Information can be found at their website. The Electronic Complaint Form can be completed online or a hard copy can be requested and mailed to President, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097.