Educational Effectiveness Statements
We are committed to offering graduate education programs that experience true results. Each year, we evaluate our programs based on completion rates, educational effectiveness, placement rates, and spiritual growth.
Educational Effectiveness
Westminster Theological Seminary, through a world-class faculty with a faithfully Reformed and confessional curriculum, trains students to serve in roles of the global church in the 21st century, including pastors and theologians, to the glory of God. As we strive for excellence, each degree program utilizes learning goals to carry out this mission. (See the degree program section of Westminster's Academic Catalog for our learning goals for each program.)
Westminster's faculty members hold monthly assessment meetings to evaluate the effectiveness of each degree program. Throughout the assessment cycle, the faculty assess the results of direct and indirect measures of student learning. These measures include reviews of student work; field experience evaluations; presbytery surveys; and entering, graduating, and alumni questionnaires, among others. The following assessment results reflect Westminster's educational effectiveness.
Placement Information
Westminster's degree programs are designed to prepare students for ministry and advanced graduate studies. The following placement rates for the Class of 2024 pertain to those alumni seeking professional employment who obtained professional employment one year after graduating. The percentage of graduates who pursued further studies after graduation is also provided. DMin students are not included in the placement statistics because ministry placement is an admissions requirement.
|
Degree |
Percent Employed of Those Seeking a Position | % Pursuing Further Studies |
|---|---|---|
| MDiv | 100% | 0% |
| MAR | 100% | 50% |
| MAC | 100% | 12.5% |
| MATS | 75% | 0% |
| ThM | 66% | 33% |
| PhD | 100% | N/A |
Graduates were placed in the following fields:
| Ministry Vocation | MDiv | MAR | MAC | MATS | ThM | PhD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pastor | 75% |
|
25% | 50% | 33% |
|
| Administration/Education |
|
50% |
|
|
|
|
| Counseling |
|
|
62.5% |
|
|
|
| Missionary | 12.5% |
|
|
|
33% |
|
| Other | 12.5% | 50% | 12.5% | 50% | 33% | 100% |
(Class of 2024 Alumni Survey, 15% response rate)
Completion Rate
Entering Class Summer/Fall 2019 (MDiv) and Summer/Fall 2022 (MAR, MAC, and MATS):
| Degree | Completion Rate |
|---|---|
| MDiv | 73% |
| MAR | 15% |
| MAC | 39% |
| MATS | 58% |
The above completion rates above are based on the timeframe standard given by the Association of Theological Schools: 6 years for MDiv programs and 4 years for MA programs. The cohorts include students who may have transferred from another program.
Educational Effectiveness and Growth
Westminster conducts annual surveys of graduating students to assess their spiritual and personal growth upon completion of their degree.
Students graduating in 2025 reported that Westminster most effectively cultivated the following:
Residential Programs
| Area | Average Rating (out of 5) |
|---|---|
| Ability to think theologically | 4.8 |
| Ability use and interpret Scripture | 4.6 |
| Knowledge of church doctrine and history | 4.5 |
| Ability to teach well | 4.4 |
| Ability to work effectively within my own religious tradition | 4.3 |
Online programs
| Area | Average Rating (out of 5) |
|---|---|
| Ability to use and interpret Scripture | 4.7 |
| Ability to think theologically | 4.7 |
| Knowledge of Christian Ethics | 4.4 |
| Ability to give spiritual direction | 4.4 |
| Ability to work effectively within my own religious tradition | 4.4 |
They also reported that they grew most in the following areas:
Residential Programs
| Area | Average Rating (out of 5) |
|---|---|
| Enthusiasm for learning | 4.5 |
| Trust in God | 4.4 |
| Respect for my own religious tradition | 4.4 |
| Self-discipline and focus | 4.3 |
Online programs
| Area | Average Rating (out of 5) |
|---|---|
| Trust in God | 4.8 |
| Enthusiasm for Learning | 4.6 |
| Respect for my own religious tradition | 4.5 |
| Ability to live my faith in daily life | 4.5 |