Academics: Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada. The following degree programmes are approved:

  • Master of Divinity
  • Master of Theological Studies

The Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools in the US and Canada
10 Summit Park Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15275, USA
Telephone: 412-788-6505 • Fax: 412-788-6510 • Website: www.ats.edu

Statement of Educational Effectiveness

The Association of Theological Schools requires each institution to publish data demonstrating "the extent to which students have achieved the various goals of the degree programs they have completed as well as indicators of program effectiveness, such as the percentage of students who complete the program and the percentage of graduates who find placement appropriate to their vocational intention and theological education" (Educational Standard 6).

Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary is dedicated to providing the highest quality of theological education. The following data demonstrate to some extent the effectiveness of our two accredited degree programmes, and our non-accredited Diploma route.

Graduation Rates

The CLTS Registrar's office tracks the progress of all students from their entry into each programme through to their graduation or departure. Graduation rates are only a partial indicator of educational effectiveness. The seminary not only endeavours to help suitable students complete their degree programme, but also maintains rigorous standards designed to filter those who are not suited for the pastoral office or do not have the ability required to complete a graduate degree.

  • Only students officially accepted into academic programmes are included in these data.
  • Entry dates indicate the year in which students were officially received into the programme and do not include time spent on campus fulfilling prerequisites (e.g., in a pre-seminary year).
  • Excluding pre-seminary work, the M.Div. normally requires four years of full-time study. The M.T.S. normally requires two years of full-time study.
  • Students who transfer their work to a degree in another institution are excluded from graduation rates.
Master of Divinity
Entering Year
 		# Entered
 		# Transferred Out
 		# Graduated
 		Graduation Rate
 		Average Years to Complete
2003
 		4
 		0
 		2
 		50%
 		4.0
2004
 		6
 		0
 		4
 		67%
 		4.5
2005
 		8
 		0
 		7
 		88%
 		4.4
2006
 		10
 		1
 		5
 		56%
 		5.1
2007
 		2
 		1
 		0
 		0%
 		N/A


Master of Theological Studies
Entering Year
 		# Entered
 		# Transferred Out
 		# Graduated
 		Graduation Rate
 		Average Years to Complete
2003
 		2
 		0
 		2
 		100%
 		4
2004
 		2
 		0
 		0
 		0%
 		N/A
2007
 		1
 		0
 		1
 		100%
 		4
2009
 		1
 		1
 		0
 		N/A
 		N/A


Diploma Programme
Entering Year
 		# Entered
 		# Transferred Out
 		# Graduated
 		Graduation Rate
 		Average Years to Complete
2002
 		1
 		0
 		1
 		100%
 		7
2006
 		1
 		0
 		1
 		100%
 		5.5

Vocational Placement Rate

As CLTS is a seminary of Lutheran Church-Canada, the majority of her students enter into the synod's placement process. Students belonging to other church bodies rely on their own church's placement process, and generally are sponsored before entering CLTS. While placement is not guaranteed, the following statistics demonstrate that we have been 100% successful in providing pastoral placements for of our graduates (within 6 months of the date of graduation).

  • As the Master of Theological Studies degree is not vocational, placement statistics are not applicable.
  • Graduates of the synodical colloquy programme are not included in these figures.
  • M.Div. programme graduates who had not completed their treatise at the time of graduation, but were placed anyway, are included in these figures.
Year of Graduation
 		# Graduated
 		# Placed
 		Placement Rate
2003
 		3
 		3
 		100%
2004
 		3
 		3
 		100%
2005
 		3
 		3
 		100%
2006
 		4
 		4
 		100%
2007
 		3
 		3
 		100%
2008
 		3
 		3
 		100%
2009
 		5
 		5
 		100%
2010
 		3
 		3
 		100%
2011
 		2
 		2
 		100%
2012
 		3
 		3
 		100%

Graduating Student Questionnaire

Since 2009 our M.Div., M.T.S., and Diploma programme graduates have assessed their educational progress at CLTS through a standardised questionnaire. The following chart summarises their satisfaction with their growth in the knowledge and skills required for their vocation.

"14. If you were to measure your personal growth, are the following stronger or weaker than when you began your seminary education?
(1) Much weaker (2) Weaker (3) About the same (4) Stronger (5) Much stronger"

GSQ Question 14
 		2009
 		2010
 		2011
 		2012
 		Average
Empathy for the poor and oppressed
 		4.00
 		3.80
 		3.00
 		4.33
 		3.78
Ability to pray
 		4.00
 		3.80
 		4.00
 		4.33
 		4.03
Concern about social justice
 		3.67
 		3.20
 		3.00
 		3.33
 		3.30
Enthusiasm for learning
 		4.00
 		4.00
 		4.50
 		3.33
 		3.96
Insight into troubles of others
 		4.00
 		4.40
 		3.50
 		4.33
 		4.06
Desire to become an authority in my field
 		3.67
 		3.60
 		3.00
 		3.00
 		3.32
Trust in God
 		4.00
 		4.40
 		4.50
 		4.33
 		4.31
Self-discipline and focus
 		3.67
 		4.20
 		4.00
 		4.00
 		3.97
Respect for other religious traditions
 		3.33
 		3.20
 		4.00
 		3.00
 		3.38
Respect for my own religious tradition
 		4.67
 		4.00
 		3.50
 		4.33
 		4.13
Ability to live one's faith in daily life
 		4.33
 		4.20
 		4.50
 		3.33
 		4.09
Clarity of vocation goals
 		4.33
 		4.60
 		4.00
 		3.67
 		4.15
Self-confidence
 		3.67
 		3.80
 		3.50
 		3.33
 		3.58
Self-knowledge
 		4.33
 		4.20
 		4.00
 		3.67
 		4.05
Strength of spiritual life
 		4.33
 		4.40
 		4.00
 		4.00
 		4.18

"15. How satisfied are you with your progress in skills that relate to your future work?
(1) Very dissatisfied (2) Somewhat dissatisfied (3) Neutral (4) Satisfied (5) Very satisfied"

GSQ Question 15
 		2009
 		2010
 		2011
 		2012
 		Average
Ability to preach well
 		4.33
 		4.00
 		4.00
 		3.67
 		4.00
Ability to use and interpret Scripture
 		4.67
 		3.60
 		4.50
 		4.67
 		4.36
Knowledge of church polity
 		3.67
 		3.60
 		4.00
 		4.67
 		3.99
Ability to teach well
 		5.00
 		4.00
 		3.00
 		4.00
 		4.00
Knowledge of church doctrine
 		5.00
 		4.00
 		4.50
 		4.67
 		4.54
Knowledge of church history
 		5.00
 		3.80
 		4.00
 		3.33
 		4.03
Ability to lead others
 		4.00
 		4.40
 		3.50
 		3.67
 		3.89
Ability to conduct worship/liturgy
 		5.00
 		4.80
 		4.50
 		4.33
 		4.66
Knowledge of other religious traditions
 		4.33
 		3.20
 		3.50
 		3.67
 		3.68
Knowledge of my own religious tradition
 		4.67
 		4.20
 		4.00
 		4.33
 		4.30
Ability to relate social issues to faith
 		4.00
 		4.00
 		4.00
 		4.00
 		4.00
Ability in pastoral counselling
 		3.67
 		3.40
 		4.00
 		3.67
 		3.69
Ability to administer a parish
 		4.00
 		3.40
 		3.50
 		3.33
 		3.56
Knowledge of Christian philosophy and ethics
 		4.33
 		3.60
 		3.50
 		4.00
 		3.86
Ability to think theologically
 		4.67
 		4.60
 		4.00
 		4.00
 		4.32

Degree Programme Outcomes

The faculty of CLTS are in the midst of developing a comprehensive assessment plan on the basis of degree programme learning outcomes. When the process has resulted in a meaningful amount of data, it will be published here.

Graduates of the Master of Divinity programme will:

1. Religious Heritage
a. demonstrate Scriptural literacy and awareness of critical issues;
b. know and interpret major milestones in church history and doctrinal development through the ages;
c. be able to articulate clearly the Lutheran specifics from the 16th and subsequent centuries, particularly the doctrine of the Lutheran Confessions;

2. Cultural Context
a. understand and be confident in the ethos and practice of Lutheran Church-Canada (or the student's own church body);
b. be alert to contemporary Canadian secular culture (cf. I Cor. 1:18-25; 9:19-23);
c. be able to articulate the teachings and practices of other religions in the Canadian religious context (cf. Acts 17:22-34);

3. Personal & Spiritual Formation
a. demonstrate and appreciate the need for a deepening faith and devotional life (I Tim. 4:11-16);
b. demonstrate and appreciate the need to live "above reproach" (I Tim. 3:2-5), i.e., in accord with the Law of God;
c. demonstrate a compassionate and kindly approach to other people (I Pet. 5:1-5);

4. Ministry & Public Worship
a. be able to preach, teach, feed, defend, and guide the flock with skill, rightly applying the Word of God (II Tim. 4:1-5);
b. appreciate and demonstrate the need to lead as one who serves (Mt. 20:25-28);
c. have the skills and attitudes to equip members of the congregation to further the church's mission in the local community and the world (I Pet. 4:1-11).