Accreditation

Accreditation means that the Commissions of the accrediting agencies have determined that the Franciscan School of Theology has clearly defined objectives appropriate to post-secondary education and is implementing them in a manner consistent with the Commissions’ standards.   

Agencies

The Franciscan School of Theology is accredited by two agencies: 

• Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS)

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 in Ministry for a Multicultural Church, MA, MTS. The Commission contact information is:

10 Summit Park Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15275
USA
Telephone: (412) 788-6505
Fax: (412) 788-6510
Website: http://www.ats.edu/

• Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)

985 Atlantic Avenue, Suite 100
Alameda, CA 94501
USA
Telephone: (510) 748-9001
Fax: (510) 748-9797
Website: http://www.wascsenior.org/

Program Assessment

FST regularly assesses its academic programs to ensure they continue to provide the desired depth and breadth of theological education as defined in this catalog, and that they conform to the standards of the WASC and ATS accrediting agencies. 

Educational Effectivenesss Statement

The Franciscan School of Theology is committed to providing the highest quality education to candidates for professional ministry in the Roman Catholic Church, for those pursuing careers in theological education, and to those seeking opportunities for enhancing their knowledge of Christian faith and the practice of ministry.

FST measures its effectiveness in a variety of ways: Individual courses are assessed in relation to established learning outcomes, and a consolidated outcomes program measures the effectiveness of degree program learning goals, which reflect our institutional learning goals. FST uses the ATS Entering and Graduating Questionnaires to track student satisfaction with their educational experience, and to collect information about their plans for employment after they graduate.

• Retention and Graduation:  Totals are given for the last five years (2008-2012):

 

Program	Entering	Graduating	In Progress	Withdrawn	Retention Rate
MA	6	5	1	0	100%
MTS	55	21	28	6	89%
MAMC	4	2	2	0	100%
Dual MTS/MAMC	10	7	2	1	89%
MDiv	9	0	8	1	89%

•  Placement:   From 2006 to 2011 FST graduated 118 students.  Of the 51 graduates for whom we have continuing data between 2006 and 2011, the employment situations indicate that the school’s programs achieve their goals in training people for faith-based work in Church and society.

TYPE OF WORK	PERCENTAGE
Parish work	18%
Campus Ministry	16%
Justice and peace work, non-profits	12%
Hospital chaplaincies	12%
Further graduate studies	10%
Youth ministry	10%
Administrative positions	8%
Retreat centers	2%
Entered religious life	2%
Vocational ministry for religious life	4%