Accreditation
San Francisco Theological Seminary is accredited by WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) and the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) to offer the following degree programs:
- Master of Divinity
- Master of Arts in Theological Studies
- Doctor of Ministry
WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
1080 Marina Village Parkway, Suite 500 Alameda, CA 94501
(510) 748-9001 | wscuc.org
2018 WSCUC Commission Action Letter
The Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools
10 Summit Park Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15275
412.788.6505 | 412.788.6510 (Fax) | ats.edu
Statement of Educational Effectiveness
SFTS endeavors to achieve the highest level of academic excellence in all of its programs. Measures of educational effectiveness include graduation, retention, and placement rates, as well as the average time to degree.
Master of Divinity
The Master of Divinity program serves students seeking ordination or pursuing other professional ministries on behalf of the Church. The table below shows the graduation and retention rates for M.Div. student cohorts who entered the program in the years specified.
| Year Entered | Number in Cohort | One-Year Retention Rate | Graduated Within 6 Years |
| 2009-10 | 31 | 97% | 22 (71%) |
| 2010-11 | 18 | 94% | 12 (67%) |
| 2011-12 | 17 | 88% | 14 (82%) |
| 2012-13 | 14 | 79% | 10 (71%) |
| 2013-14 | 8 | 88% | 5 (63%) |
| 2014-15 | 13 | 92% | - |
| 2015-16 | 15 | 80% | - |
| 2016-17 | 18 | 94% |
- |
| 2017-18 | 10 | 80% |
- |
The normative time to degree for this program is four years. The table below shows the average time to degree for M.Div. students who graduated in the four most recent calendar years.
| Graduation Year | Number of Graduates | Average Time to Degree |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 15 | 4.2 years |
| 2015 | 16 | 4.4 years |
| 2016 | 9 | 4.0 years |
| 2017 | 12 |
3.5 years |
| 2018 | 8 |
3.0 years |
| 2019 | 13 |
3.0 years |
Following are first-year placement rates for M.Div. students who graduated in the years specified.
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vocational Placement | 11 (73%) | 13 (81%) | 4 (45%) | 9 (75%) | 7 (88%) |
| Non-Vocational Placement | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Further Study | 2 (13%) | 0 | 3 (33%) | 1 (8%) | 0 |
| Seeking Placement | 0 | 1 (6%) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 2 (13%) | 1 (6%) | 0 | 0 | 1 (12%) |
| Unknown | 0 | 1 (6%) | 2 (22%) | 2 (17%) | 0 |
| Total Graduated | 15 | 16 | 9 | 12 | 8 |
Master of Arts in Theological Studies
The M.A.T.S. program is a two-year general academic degree providing students with a balanced exposure to the theological disciplines while also allowing for focus on an area of interest. The table below shows the graduation and retention rates for M.A.T.S. student cohorts who entered the program in the years specified.
| Year Entered | Number in Cohort | One-Year Retention Rate | Graduated Within 6 Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-12 | 4 | 100% | 4 (100%) |
| 2012-13 | 4 | 75% | 3 (75%) |
| 2013-14 | 2 | 100% | 2 (100%) |
| 2014-15 | 2 | 100% | 2 (100%) |
| 2015-16 | 2 | 100% | 0 (0%) |
| 2016-17 | 4 | 100% | - |
| 2017-18 | 2 | 100% | - |
The normative time to degree for this program is two years. The table below shows the average time to degree for M.A.T.S. students who graduated in the four most recent calendar years.
| Graduation Year | Number of Graduates | Average Time to Degree |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 5 | 2.6 years |
| 2015 | 5 | 2.6 years |
| 2016 | 0 | - |
| 2017 | 1 | 2.0 years |
| 2018 | 2 | 2.5 years |
| 2019 | 3 | 2.0 years |
Following are first-year placement rates for M.A.T.S. students who graduated in the years specified.
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vocational Placement | 1 (20%) | 1 (20%) |
0 |
1 (50%) | 1 (50%) |
| Non-Vocational Placement | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Further Study | 2 (40%) | 3 (60%) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seeking Placement | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 1 (20%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown | 1 (20%) | 1 (20%) | 0 | 1 (50%) | 1 (50%) |
| Total Graduated | 5 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
Doctor of Ministry
The D.Min. degree, usually undertaken after completion of an M.Div. and at least three years in ordained ministry gives religious professionals an opportunity to sharpen their pastoral skills and do specialized work in an area that strengthens their ministry aspirations. The table below shows the graduation and retention rates for D.Min. student cohorts who entered the program in the years specified.
| Year Entered | Number in Cohort | One-Year Retention Rate | In Progress | Graduated Within 6 Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-10 | 37 | 95% | 11 (30%) | 15 (41%) |
| 2010-11 | 32 | 59% | 14 (44%) | 12 (38%) |
| 2011-12 | 28 | 86% | 13 (46%) | 12 (43%) |
| 2012-13 | 13 | 77% | 7 (54%) | 3 (23%) |
| 2013-14 | 19 | 79% | 13 (68%) | 5 (26%) |
| 2014-15 | 14 | 86% | 10 (71%) | - |
| 2015-16 | 22 | 68% | - | - |
| 2016-17 | 16 | 88% | - | - |
| 2017-18 | 16 | 81% | - | - |
The normative time to degree for this program is five years. The table below shows the average time to degree for D.Min. students who graduated in the four most recent calendar years.
| Graduation Year | Number of Graduates | Average Time to Degree |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 17 | 4.8 years |
| 2015 | 13 | 5.3 years |
| 2016 | 5 | 5.4 years |
| 2017 | 8 | 4.6 years |
| 2018 | 8 | 6.7 years |
| 2019 | 6 | 6.0 years |
Following are first-year placement rates for D.Min. students who graduated in the years specified.
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vocational Placement | 13 (76%) | 11 (85%) | 4 (31%) | 8 (100%) | 8 (100%) |
| Non-Vocational Placement | 2 (12%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Further Study | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seeking Placement | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 1 (6%) | 0 | 1 (8%) | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown | 1 (6%) | 2 (15%) | 5 (38%) | 0 | 0 |
| Total Graduated | 17 | 13 | 10 | 8 | 8 |