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Scholarship
March 29, 2017
How Are We Doing? The Effectiveness of Theological Schools as Measured by the Vocations and Views of Graduates
- Author
- Wheeler, Barbara G., Sharon L. Miller and Daniel O. Aleshire
- Publisher
- Auburn Studies, No. 13 (Auburn Theological Seminary, New York, NY 2007)
This study reports the results of the first-ever survey of graduates of theological and rabbinical schools in North America. The survey was sent to graduates from Protestant, Catholic and Jewish institutions who earned M.Div., M.A., Rabbinical or comparable degrees in 1995 and 2000. In addition, the Association of Theological Schools, the accrediting body for schools in the U.S. and Canada, provided data from their Entering and Graduating Student Questionnaires (ESQ and GSQ). In combination, these data provide answers to two crucial questions: 1) What do graduates do in the years after they complete their education and 2) How well do they think their theological training prepared them for their work?
Generally, the news from this study is good. Large percentages of graduates assume the primary professional role for which their education prepares: leadership in a congregation or other religious organization. Attrition is fairly low. There are, however, causes for concern. Women graduates do not fare as well as men, and interest in congregational ministry is decreasing among recent graduates, especially among the growing population of younger students. Other positive findings include high ratings by graduates of their theological education, though practical training is not as highly rated as academic preparation. (From the Publisher)
Generally, the news from this study is good. Large percentages of graduates assume the primary professional role for which their education prepares: leadership in a congregation or other religious organization. Attrition is fairly low. There are, however, causes for concern. Women graduates do not fare as well as men, and interest in congregational ministry is decreasing among recent graduates, especially among the growing population of younger students. Other positive findings include high ratings by graduates of their theological education, though practical training is not as highly rated as academic preparation. (From the Publisher)