Briercrest Seminary is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS), the most recognized accreditor of seminaries in North America. Seminaries, graduate schools, and many universities from across the United States, Canada, and around the world recognize degrees and transfer credits from the Seminary. For more information on ATS, see their website www.ats.edu.
Briercrest Seminary is also an associate member of the Canadian Professional Counsellors Association
(CPCA), which enables graduates of the MA Marriage and Family Counselling program to obtain membership with the CPCA.
Degree Program Approval
The Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada has approved the following degree programs:
- MA (Biblical Languages and Exegesis)
- Master of Christian Ministries
- Master of Counselling
- Master of Divinity
- MA in Leadership and Management
- MA in Marriage and Family Therapy
- MA (Theological Studies)
- Master of Youth Ministry
The contact information for the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) is a follows:
The Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada
10 Summit Park Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15275-1110
USA
Telephone: 412-788-6505
Fax: 412-788-6510
Website: www.ats.edu
Statement of Educational Effectiveness
Briercrest Seminary regularly evaluates the satisfaction of its students and the effectiveness of its education. Several important activities are used to receive feedback and to initiate improvement of our programs and processes:
Student Satisfaction Surveys
We regularly ask our students for feedback during their studies with us. One very helpful way we did this recently was through our Alumni Survey in summer 2018, where we asked graduates from the past five years to tell us about their experience at Briercrest Seminary. Here are a few things they told us…
- 100% rated their overall experience as satisfactory, with 90% rating their experience as very or extremely satisfactory.
- 80.5% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the value of their education was appropriate for the cost.
- 95% rated Briercrest Seminary as having similar or better quality of studies compared to other institutions students have attended in the past.
Graduation Rates
Briercrest Seminary’s flexible modular system enables individuals to study while remaining in their various local vocational and ministry settings, or else to come live in Caronport and study full-time. We are excited to welcome students to be equipped through their time with us, whether individuals only complete a few courses or complete an entire degree.
Students accepted to Briercrest Seminary between 2010 and 2016 had the following rates of completing an entire Master’s degree…
| Program | Graduation Rate |
| Master of Divinity | 50% |
| MA (Biblical Languages and Exegesis) | 50% |
| MA Leadership and Management | 78% |
| MA Marriage and Family Therapy | 55% |
| MA (Theological Studies) | 43% |
| Master of Counselling | 83% |
| Master of Christian Ministries | 50% |
Vocational Placement Rates
Before the Commencement each year, we ask those who are about to graduate whether they have found work in their desired field. A high percentage report that they’ve already found employment in jobs directly related to their Seminary education…
| Program | Graduation Rate |
| Master of Divinity | 67% |
| MA (Biblical Languages and Exegesis) | 50% |
| MA Leadership and Management | 88% |
| MA Marriage and Family Therapy | 74% |
| MA (Theological Studies) | 60% |
| Master of Counselling | 67% |
| Master of Christian Ministries | 71% |
| Total Seminary | 75% |
Further, in our 2018 Alumni Survey, graduates from the past five years said that…
- 81% have, since graduation, held a job related to their Briercrest education.
- 89% are currently employed or self-employed.
- 93% of graduated students felt that the education they received while at Briercrest Seminary prepared them adequately, somewhat well, or very well for their current employment.
Student Learning Outcomes
Each of our programs has been designed to accomplish specific learning outcomes within students. In the months leading up to our Commencement ceremony, our graduates sit down for a conversation with Seminary faculty to discuss how their Briercrest Seminary studies have equipped them toward these learning outcomes. (Note: The following data is from 2016 – 2020 graduation portfolio interviews.)
Briercrest Seminary graduates will be able to…
1. Articulate and apply an evangelical theology that demonstrably arises out of Scripture and finds expression in all areas of life and ministry:
| Program | Average Student Rating (out of 10) |
| Master of Divinity | 8.3 |
| MA (Biblical Languages and Exegesis) | 8.1 |
| MA Leadership and Management | 7.9 |
| MA Marriage and Family Therapy | 7.6 |
| MA (Theological Studies) | 8.0 |
| Master of Counselling | 8.1 |
| Master of Christian Ministries | 7.9 |
2. Be equipped for serving the local church and its global mission.
| Program | Average Student Rating (out of 10) |
| Master of Divinity | 8.3 |
| MA (Biblical Languages and Exegesis) | 7.9 |
| MA Leadership and Management | 8.5 |
| MA Marriage and Family Therapy | 8.0 |
| MA (Theological Studies) | 8.1 |
| Master of Counselling | 8.5 |
| Master of Christian Ministries | 8.4 |
3. Demonstrate growth as a disciple of Jesus Christ.
| Program | Average Student Rating (out of 10) |
| Master of Divinity | 8.3 |
| MA (Biblical Languages and Exegesis) | 8.4 |
| MA Leadership and Management | 8.2 |
| MA Marriage and Family Therapy | 7.8 |
| MA (Theological Studies) | 7.9 |
| Master of Counselling | 8.5 |
| Master of Christian Ministries | 7.7 |
Master of Divinity graduates will be able to…
| Program Outcome | Average Student Rating (out of 10) |
| Demonstrate a capacity to guide individuals and congregations in disciple-making. | 7.7 |
| Demonstrate a capacity to preach sermons using a sound homiletical method. | 7.9 |
| Demonstrate a capacity to lead within the local church or ministry organization, in carrying out its mission with both theological sophistication and cultural awareness. | 8.2 |
Master of Arts (Biblical Languages and Exegesis) graduates will be able to…
| Program Outcome | Average Student Rating (out of 10) |
| Demonstrate skill in sight translation of biblical Hebrew and Greek texts. | 7.5 |
| Demonstrate skillful exegesis of both Testaments. | 8.6 |
| Articulate the major themes of both Testaments, and show the literary and theological relationship(s) of smaller passages to the larger whole of Scripture. | 8.3 |
Master of Arts Leadership and Management graduates will be able to…
| Program Outcome | Average Student Rating (out of 10) |
| Carefully integrate and synthesize biblical and theological leadership insight (godly) with the science of leadership (great). | 8.4 |
| Be adept at articulating who they are, what they bring and how they steward their everyday life and bring glory to God, with resilience. | 8.6 |
| Demonstrate the necessary growth in their leadership and knowledge to move to the next appropriate level of leadership. | 8.8 |
Master of Arts Marriage and Family Therapy graduates will be able to…
| Program Outcome | Average Student Rating (out of 10) |
| Demonstrate the necessary skills and personal attributes to enter into a ministry of counselling. | 8.0 |
| Demonstrate that their practice of counselling meets the highest Christian and professional ethical standards. | 8.4 |
| Meet the basic academic qualifications for clinical fellow membership in the Canadian Association for Marriage and Family Therapy and the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. | 9.3 |
Master of Arts (Theological Studies) graduates will be able to…
| Program Outcome | Average Student Rating (out of 10) |
| Demonstrate both depth and breadth of scholarship in the chosen area of concentration. | 7.8 |
| Give evidence of their capacity to implement theological scholarship in a teaching and/or ministry context. | 8.0 |
| Articulate a spirituality of scholarship that describes their approach to integrating academic learning into personal formation. | 8.1 |
Master of Counselling graduates will be able to…
| Program Outcome | Average Student Rating (out of 10) |
| Demonstrate the necessary skills and personal attributes to enter into a ministry of counselling. | 8.2 |
| Demonstrate that their practice of counselling meets the highest Christian and professional ethical standards. | 8.8 |
| Meet the basic academic qualifications for membership in the Professional Association of Christian Counsellors and Psychotherapists (PACCP), the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA) and the Canadian Professional Counsellors Association (CPCA). | 9.3 |
Master of Christian Ministries graduates will be able to…
| Program Outcome | Average Student Rating (out of 10) |
| Advance to the next level of competency in their chosen area of ministry. | 7.9 |
| Demonstrate a capacity to guide individuals and groups in disciple-making and mentoring. | 8.1 |
| Show evidence that they have deepened and broadened their experience in a particular ministry setting. | 8.5 |
