Statement of Accreditation Status
Westminster Theological Seminary
- CEO: Dr. Peter Lillback, President
- Accreditation Liaison Officer: Ms. Jaclyn Gober
- Commission Staff Liaison: Ryan Hartnett, Vice President
- Carnegie Classification: Special Focus Four-Year: Faith-Related Institutions » Exclusively graduate/professional
- Control: Private (Non-Profit)
- Phase: Accredited
- Status: Non-Compliance Warning
- Accreditation Granted: 1954
- Last Reaffirmation: 2014
- Next Self-Study Evaluation: 2030-2031
- January 17, 2025
To note that the Commission liaison guidance visit occurred on November 26, 2024. To remind the institution of the Commission request of June 27, 2024, for a monitoring report due March 3, 2025. The date of the next evaluation will be determined upon reaffirmation of accreditation. - June 27, 2024
To acknowledge receipt of the monitoring report. To note the follow-up team visit by the Commission's representatives to the main campus at 2960 W. Church Road, Glenside, PA 19038, on January 30-31, 2024. To continue to warn the institution that its accreditation may be in jeopardy because of insufficient evidence that the institution is currently in compliance with Standard V (Educational Effectiveness Assessment) and former Requirements of Affiliation 8, 9, and 10. To note that the institution remains accredited while on warning. To note further that federal regulations limit the period during which an institution may be in non-compliance, which started on June 22, 2023. To request a monitoring report due March 3, 2025, demonstrating evidence that the institution has achieved and can sustain ongoing compliance with Standard V (Educational Effectiveness Assessment) and former Requirements of Affiliation 8, 9, and 10, including but not limited to documentation that the institution's student learning programs are characterized by coherence and appropriate assessment of student achievement throughout its educational offerings, at both institutional and program levels, with evidence that faculty and appropriate institutional stakeholders have considered and used assessment results to improve teaching and learning (Standard V) (Fourteenth Edition and Evidence Expectations by Standard Guidelines). To request that the monitoring report also include further evidence of institutional and unit goals that are clearly stated, assessed appropriately, linked to mission and goal achievement, reflect conclusions drawn from assessment results, and are used for planning and resource allocation (Standard VI). To direct a follow-up team visit following submission of the monitoring report. To remind the institution of its obligation to make freely available to the Commission accurate, fair, and complete information on all aspects of the institution and its operations, including making institutional representatives and additional information available to the Commission representatives when requested (Accreditation Review Cycle and Monitoring Policy and Procedures and Follow-Up Reports and Visits Procedures). To direct a prompt Commission liaison guidance visit to discuss the Commission's expectations. The date of the next evaluation will be determined upon reaffirmation of accreditation. - November 16, 2023
To note that the Commission liaison guidance visit occurred on October 10, 2023. The next evaluation visit is scheduled for 2030-2031. - June 22, 2023
To acknowledge receipt of the self-study report. To note the on-site evaluation visit by the Commission's representatives to the main campus at 2960 W. Church Road, Glenside, PA 19038 on March 5-8, 2023. To warn the institution that its accreditation may be in jeopardy because of insufficient evidence that the institution is currently in compliance with Standard V (Educational Effectiveness Assessment) and former Requirements of Affiliation 8, 9, and 10. To note that the institution remains accredited while on warning. To note further that federal regulations limit the period during which an institution may be in non-compliance, which starts June 22, 2023. To request a monitoring report due January 16, 2024, demonstrating evidence that the institution has achieved and can sustain ongoing compliance with Standard V (Educational Effectiveness Assessment) and former Requirements of Affiliation 8, 9, and 10, including but not limited to (1) student learning programs that are characterized by appropriate assessment of student achievement throughout its educational offerings, at both institutional and program levels, with evidence that faculty and appropriate institutional stakeholders have considered and used assessment results to improve teaching and learning (Standard V and former Requirements of Affiliation 9 and 10) and (2) assessment of student learning and achievement that demonstrates that students have accomplished educational goals consistent with their programs of study (Standard V and former Requirement of Affiliation 8). To request that the monitoring report also provide further evidence of the development and implementation of organized and systematic assessment of non-academic units (Standard VI). To direct a follow-up team visit following submission of the monitoring report. To direct a prompt Commission liaison guidance visit to discuss the Commission's expectations. Upon reaffirmation of accreditation, the next evaluation visit is scheduled for 2030-2031. - March 5, 2020
To note that the Mid-Point Peer Review has been conducted and no further evidence is required at this time. The next evaluation visit is scheduled for 2022-2023. - August 27, 2018
To acknowledge receipt of the substantive change request. To note the institution's decision to close its additional location at Pastors' Academy at the London Seminary, London, UK and to approve the teach-out plan. The Commission requires notification within thirty days of the closure of this additional location. The next evaluation visit is scheduled for 2022-2023. - May 1, 2017
To acknowledge receipt of the substantive change request. To include the second alternative delivery method program - online Masters of Arts in Counseling (MAC) within the scope of the institution's accreditation. The next evaluation visit is now scheduled for 2022-2023. - June 23, 2016
To accept the progress report. The date for the next accreditation review will be determined by the Commission when it revises the accreditation cycle. - June 26, 2014
To reaffirm accreditation and to commend the institution for the quality of the self-study report. To request a progress report due April 1, 2016 documenting the continued development and implementation of (1) a financial planning and budgeting process aligned with the institution's mission, goals, and plan, that provides for both annual and multi-year budget projections (Standard 3); and (2) a comprehensive enrollment management plan, including steps taken to improve student enrollment (Standard 8). The Periodic Review Report is due June 1, 2019. - January 2, 2013
To acknowledge receipt of the substantive change request and to include the online post-baccalaureate certificate in Christian Studies within the scope of the institution's accreditation. To remind the institution of the request that the self-study in preparation for the 2013-2014 evaluation visit document further development and implementation of a resource allocation and budgeting process that is aligned with the institution's mission, goals, and strategic plan (Standard 3). To further request that the self-study document progress in the implementation of the online post-baccalaureate certificate in Christian Studies, including success in meeting enrollment projections (Standard 13). - November 17, 2011
To accept the progress report. To request that the self-study in preparation for the 2013-2014 evaluation visit document further development and implementation of a resource allocation and budgeting process that is aligned with the institution's mission, goals, and strategic plan (Standard 3). - June 23, 2011
To accept the monitoring report and note the visit by the Commission's representatives. To remove the warning and reaffirm accreditation. To request a progress report due October 1, 2011 documenting the continued development and implementation of a comprehensive institutional strategic plan that links long-range planning to decision-making and budgeting processes (Standard 2). The next evaluation visit is now scheduled for 2013-2014.
- Distance Education
Approved to offer programs by this delivery method - Correspondence Education
Not approved for this delivery method
Approved Credential Levels
The following represents credential levels included in the scope of the institution’s accreditation:
- Post-baccalaureate Certificate Included within the scope
- Master's Degree or Equivalent Included within the scope
- Doctor's Degree - Professional Practice Included within the scope
- Doctor's Degree- Research/Scholarship Included within the scope
- Main Campus
Westminster Theological Seminary
P. O. Box 27009 Church Road Willow Grove Ave
Philadelphia, PA 19118 - Other Instructional Site
Briarwood Presbyterian Church, PCA
2200 Briarwood Way
Birmingham, AL 35243
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