Accreditation and Educational Effectiveness
Accreditation
The Department of Theology is accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada, and the following degree programs are approved:
MDiv, MA, MTS, PhD
The Commission contact information is:
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
The University of Notre Dame is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500, Chicago, IL 60604. Further information on the University’s accreditation and state authorization may be found by following this link.
Statement of Educational Effectiveness
With programming in academic, pastoral, spiritual and professional formation, the Department of Theology prepares students for rewarding careers in a variety of fields. Masters in Theological Studies and PhD students typically go on for further studies or careers in teaching and scholarship. While some MDiv students go on for further graduate studies, the majority graduate to careers in pastoral leadership and pastoral ministry in the Catholic Church. One measure of the effectiveness of the department’s programs is the high graduation rates compared to national averages. Using a five year cohort for the PhD program (from 2006 – 2010), 89% of matriculated students have successfully completed the degree, while only 5.9% of matriculated students withdrew from the program (with the remaining percentage still working toward the degree). Over a five year period, 93.3% of students who entered the MTS program between 2010-2014 successfully completed the degree. 87% of MDiv students who entered the program between 2009-2013 completed the degree.
Another measure of educational effectiveness is the placement of graduates into the careers mentioned above. A ten-year snapshot of PhD graduates (144 between 2007-2016) shows that 81.3%% were placed into academic positions in colleges, universities, and graduate theological education (including 61.8% in tenured, tenure track, or equivalent faculty positions, 9% in term positions, 6.3% in temporary positions, and 4.2% in academic administration) while 6.9% hold positions of public religious leadership, and 11.8% entered other types of employment.
During a similar period (2008-2016), 179 students graduated from the MTS program. Of this number 41.3% were accepted into doctoral programs in theology or related field, 16.2% took positions in high school teaching, 7.3% work for the church, and 10.1% work in academic administration, while 25.1% entered other types of employment. During the same period 114 students graduated from the MDiv program. Of this number, 69.6% gained employment in ministry in the Catholic Church, 5.9% took positions teaching high school, 10.8% took positions in academic administration, 1% went on to doctoral studies, while 12.7% entered other types of employment.