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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 learning goals.) Westminster's faculty members hold an annual Assessment Day to evaluate the effectiveness of each degree program. On this day, the faculty assess the results of direct and indirect measures of student learning. These measures include juried reviews of papers; Mentored Ministry 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 2016 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.

Degree % Employed of Those Seeking a Position
 % Pursued Further Studies
 M.Div. 87% 10%
 M.A.R. 90% 20%
 M.A.C. 89% 16%
 Th.M. 80% 40%
 Ph.D. 100% N/A
  • D.Min. students are not included in the placement statistics because ministry placement is an admissions requirement.

Graduates were placed in the following fields:

Ministry Vocation M.Div. M.A.R. M.A.C. Th.M. Ph.D.
 Pastor 37% 11% 6% 50%  

 Christian Education/Youth Work (in congregation)

 15%     25%  
 Administration/Education 7%   18%    
 Counseling     24%    
 Parachurch Ministry 3%   12%    
 Teaching   11%     100%
 Missionary 3%        
 Bi-vocational 29% 44% 23% 25%  
 Other 6% 34% 17%    


(Class of 2016 Alumni Survey, 61% response rate)

Completion Rate

Entering Class Summer/Fall 2011 (MDiv) and Summer/Fall 2013 (MAR & MAC):

 Degree  Completion Rate
 MDiv  62.9%
 MAR  66.7%
 MAC  53.6%


The completion rates above are based on the time frame 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 2017 reported the following:

 Westminster most effectively cultivated: Average (out of 5)
 Enthusiasm for learning 4.4
 Trust in God 4.3
 Self-discipline and focus 4.1
 Respect for my own religious traditions 4.1
 Ability to live my faith in daily life 4.1

 

 Students grew most in these areas: Average
 Ability to use and interpret Scripture 4.6
 Ability to think theologically 4.6
 Knowledge of church doctrine and history 4.4

 

 Students agreed most with these statements about their experience: Average 
 I have been satisfied with my academic experience here 4.4
 If I had to do it over, I would still come here 4.3
 My faith is stronger than when I came 4.2
 I have grown spiritually 4.2
 My personal faith has been respected 4.2