Accreditations
Accreditations and Authorizations
The following degree programs are approved:
Master of Divinity (MDiv)
Master of Arts in Christian Ministry (MACM)
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
NC-SARA Authorization
Memphis Theological Seminary has been approved to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements.
SARA increases administrative efficiency and lowers the costs of obtaining authorization to provide postsecondary distance education in states that join. These benefits result in increased access as institutions like yours are able to make their academic programs more widely available and accept enrollments from students in all states except for California without additional work to seek state authorization.
But increased access and efficiency will mean little if they are not accompanied by high quality. That is why all SARA institutions annually commit to several requirements designed to ensure that courses and programs they offer through SARA provide high-quality learning opportunities that can help students reach their goals as well as to ensure appropriate consumer protections for students.
While MTS does not offer any degree in its entirety via distance education, the institution does offer distance education courses, whether in synchronous or asynchronous format. If a student feels they have a complaint regarding such courses and it has not been dealt with at the institutional level, she or he can visit this link to file a complaint with NC-SARA.
ATS Accreditation
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
SACSCOC Accreditation
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
1866 Southern Lane
Decatur, GA 30033, USA
Telephone: 404-679-4500
Fax: 404-679-4558
Website: www.sacscoc.org
THEC Authorization
Tennessee Higher Education Commission
312 Rosa L Parks Blvd, 9th Floor
Nashville, TN 37243, USA
Telephone: 615-741-3605
Website: https://www.tn.gov/thec
Methodist
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.
Statement of Educational Effectiveness
Memphis Theological Seminary is committed to educating and sustaining men and women for ordained and lay Christian ministry in the church and the world through shaping and inspiring lives devoted to scholarship, piety, and justice. To that end, Memphis Theological Seminary regularly evaluates its academic programs in light of these goals. Further, ATS and SACSCOC call for all accredited schools to post public statements of educational effectiveness. To do so, Memphis Theological Seminary has assembled data from faculty demographics, as well as student demographics, graduation and placement rates, default rates from our graduates who participate in the Federal Student Loan Program, and various student surveys regarding satisfaction with Memphis Theological Seminary’s programs and the post-graduation experience.
As a graduate professional school, Memphis Theological Seminary challenges students with a rigorous course of study that is responsive to the expectations of various denominational bodies and non-profit/community organizations for persons in ministry. Memphis Theological Seminary provides support in advising and student formation to support students in their progress toward their degree.
Faculty and Student Demographics and Diversity
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/Retention Rate
The graduation 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.
Graduation rates are reported based on time periods defined by the ATS annual reporting requirements.
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MDiv graduation rates refer to those who graduated within a 6-year period.
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MACM graduation rates refer to those who graduated within a 4-year period.
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DMin graduation rates refer to those who graduated within a 6-year period.
Data is provided for 3 years.
Master of Divinity (MDiv)
- 2022: MTS 84% | ATS 61%
- 2023: MTS 47% | ATS 56%
- 2024: MTS 43% | ATS 57%
Master of Arts in Christian Ministry (MACM)
- 2022: MTS 79% | ATS 53%
- 2023: MTS 40% | ATS 50%
- 2024: MTS 0% | ATS 48%
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
- 2022: MTS 83% | ATS 50%
- 2023: MTS 61% | ATS 53%
- 2024: MTS 86% | ATS 50%
Graduation Rate
Degree | MTS 2022 | ATS 2022 | MTS 2023 | ATS 2023 | MTS 2024 | ATS 2024 |
Master of Divinity | 84% | 61% | 47% | 56% | 43% | 57% |
Master of Arts in Christian Ministry | 79% | 53% | 40% | 50% | 0% | 48% |
Doctor of Ministry | 83% | 50% | 61% | 53% | 86% | 50% |
Placement 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
|
MTS 2022 |
ATS 2022 |
MTS 2023 |
ATS 2023 |
MTS 2024 |
ATS 2024 |
Placement Rate |
79% |
91% |
100% |
90% |
100% |
91% |
Loan Default and Debt Management
Memphis Theological Seminary’s default rate in the Federal Loan program is low. Further, our program of Financial Leadership for Ministry provides financial literacy training and counseling for students and clergy and lay people in the mid-South. The low default rate can be seen as one indicator that Memphis Theological Seminary graduates attain gainful employment post-graduation.
Data is provided for 3 years.
Loan Default & Debt Management
Year Published |
Rate Type |
Rate |
For Year |
2022 |
3-Year Official |
6.0 |
2019 |
2023 |
3-Year Official |
0.0 |
2020 |
2024 |
3-Year Official |
0.0 |
2021 |
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.
Student Satisfaction
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.
Filing Complaints with State Authorization or Accreditation Bodies
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.