Accreditation is a voluntary, non-governmental process that gives public recognition to institutions that meet published standards of academic and administrative quality. The purpose of accreditation is to assure the public of the quality of an institution and its dedication to high standards, as well as its commitment to continuous improvement.
The U.S. Department of Education formally recognizes accrediting commissions that meet all federal standards. Further, the Council on Higher Education Accreditationextends recognition to accrediting bodies and their institutions that meet established quality standards.
Professional Accreditation:
Wesley Theological Seminary 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: Master of Divinity, Master of Arts, Master of Theological Studies, and Doctor of Ministry.
The Commission's 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 15275-1110.Their phone number is (412) 788-6505 and their faxnumber is (412) 788-6510 and website iswww.ats.edu
Religious accreditation:
Wesley Theological Seminary is accredited by:The University Senate of The United Methodist Church's Board of Higher Education and Ministry,P.O. Box 340007,Nashville, TN 37203,(615) 340-7400.
Regional accreditation:
Wesley Theological Seminary is accredited byThe Middle States Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools,3624 Market Street, 2nd Floor Annex,Philadelphia, PA, 19104,(267) 284-5000.
As an accredited institution, Wesley is eligible to participate in federal educational entitlement programs such as Title IV financial aid including Pell Grants, military tuition assistance, government tuition reimbursem*nt programs, the Department of Veterans Affairs GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon program, and many corporate education assistance programs. Credits and degrees earned through Wesleyare therefore recognized for promotion, assignment, and position qualification standards within the military and federal government.
Reaccreditation Process:
Every ten years Wesley Seminary goes through the reaccreditation process from two major accrediting bodies: the Association of Theological Schools and the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
In the fall of 2020 Wesley will host two accreditation teams to learn about Wesley’s mission and goals, our performance and our resources. We welcome this visit as an opportunity to improve ourselves and better fulfill our mission “to equip persons for Christian ministry and leadership in the church and the world, to advance theological scholarship, and to model a prophetic voice in the public square.”
In preparation for the reaccreditation process, the faculty, staff, administrators, as well as some students and governors have formed five working groups to write a self-study report that we will submit to these two accrediting agencies. On Wednesday, March 11, Wesley welcomed on campus Dr. David Mellott, the chair of the Middle States accreditation team.
Middle States Commission on Higher Education Accreditation Process
“Middle States accreditation is an expression of confidence in an institution’s mission and goals, its performance, and its resources. An institution is accredited when the educational community has verified that its goals are achieved through self-regulation and peer review. The extent to which each educational institution accepts and fulfills the responsibilities inherent in the process of accreditation is a measure of its commitment to striving for and achieving excellence in its endeavors.
The Middle States Commission on Higher Education Accreditation Standards and Requirements of Affiliation are comprised of seven standards and 15 requirements which serve as an ongoing guide for those institutions considering application for membership, those accepted as candidate institutions, and those accredited institutions engaged in self-review and peer evaluation. Accredited institutions are expected to demonstrate compliance with these standards and requirements, to conduct their activities in a manner consistent with the standards and requirements, and to engage in ongoing processes of self-review and improvement. Four principles guided the development of these standards: first, the mission-centric standards acknowledge the diversity of institutions; second, the focus of the standards is on the student learning experience; third, the standards emphasize institutional assessment and assessment of student learning; fourth, the standards support innovation as an essential part of continuous institutional improvement.”
Source: https://www.msche.org/standards/
Licensure:
Wesley Theological Seminary is licensed by:The Government of the District of Columbia Education Licensure Commission,441 - 4th Street, NW, Suite 350 North,Washington, DC 20001,(202) 727-6436.
Independent Quality Reviews:
In order to ensure academic quality, currency and relevance, institutions of higher education frequently request a review of their curriculum by outside agencies or subject matter experts. Wesley's programs are audited or reviewed on a regular basis by subject matter experts as an integral part of the accrediting process. Wesleyhas also sought the expertise of two independent agencies to validate the quality of its institutional administration, financials, and curriculum.
Evaluation Visits Fall 2020
Wesley is hosting two evaluation visits this fall for reaffirmation of accreditation by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) and the Association of Theological Schools (ATS). These visits will be done virtually due to COVID-19. The MSCHE visit will be October 25-28 and the ATS visit will be November 16-19. The purpose of these visits is to verify that the school meets all applicable standards. If you have comments or questions about the process or would like to send comments about Wesley Seminary’s compliance with MSCHE and ATS standards please email the Office of the Dean at deansoffice@wesleyseminary.edu(202) 885-8611. See below a link to the MSCHE and ATS standards.
The MSCHE Standards of Accreditation can be found here: https://www.msche.org/standards/
The ATS Standards of Accreditation can be found here: Standards of Accreditation.
Comments regarding how well Wesley Seminary meets these standards and/or generally demonstrates educational quality may be sent to the ATSDirector of Commission Information Servicesat least two weeks before the visit. All comments will be shared with the onsite evaluation committee.
