Where's an updated list of accredited (RA, AABC, TRACS, etc.) Bible colleges?

Hello all,

I'm reasonably new to distance-learning--it's the only means of education I can pursue right now, so I'm quickly learning. And this site--ahem--wow! I mean, one does get educated quickly . . . doesn't one! (I'm greatful, that's for sure, for this site.)

Anyway, I need to know where an updated list of accredited Bible colleges (undergrad on up) can be found. I'm starting from scratch, meaning I have no formal education. I've been eyeing Trinity College of the Bible--oh, I've read the threads on that one, I have. On this site, though, I've noted American Christian College and Seminary, and Luther Rice are the in the forefront.

Any others? Or is there a current list? I checked Baker's Guide, but it doesn't list American Christian College and Seminary or Luther Rice. I imagine the site needs to be updated or something.

Well, thanks much, all

 

The Baker site may need to be updated.

But it seems to me that American Christian College and Seminary is only accredited by TRACS.

According to Baker, it is the 'least' recognized and transferable accrediting agency.

American Christian College and Seminary does say they are approved by the CHEA, but they fail to mention which regional agency.
That seems strange to me.

Here are the accrediting groups that Baker considers 'acceptable' and in order of acceptability and transferability..

1: Regional Accreditation (Undergraduate or Graduate)

2: Accrediting Association of Bible Colleges -> AABC (Undergraduate)
or
2: Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada -> ATS (Graduate)

3: DETC (Undergraduate or Graduate)

4:TRACS (Undergraduate or Graduate)

http://www.gospelcom.net/bakersguide/accreditation.php

Those ranked higher may not accept credit from those ranked lower.

Here are the schools accreddited by each agency.

For the regional agencies, the 'best', you'll have to look at Baker's page.

Accrediting Association of Bible Colleges (AABC)
http://www.gospelcom.net/aabc/members.htm

Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS)
http://www.ats.edu/members/membtoc.htm

Distance Education and Training Council (DETC)
http://www.detc.org/content/accred.html

Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS)
http://www.tracs.org/accredited.htm

Here is the web site for American Christian College and Seminary.
About half way down, you can see their accrediting info.

http://www.abcs.edu/

Here is a list of colleges. Some are accredited. Some are not.

http://netministries.org/college.htm

as for Luthore Rice,
http://www.lrs.edu:8080/website/index.jsp
I don't see their accredidation info at all.

 

The only publication I know that lists all the recognized accrediting agencies and the schools they accredit is the Higher Education Directory, published each fall by Higher Education Publications (www.hepinc.com).

The five recognized accreditors are:

Accrediting Association of Bible Colleges (aabc.org)
TRACS (tracs.org)
Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (acpe.edu)
Association of Advanced Rabbinical and Talmudic Schools (no URL given)
Association of Theological schools (ats.edu)

This is from the 2001 edition. I chose not to invest eighty bucks in the 2002, since I'm spending far more time working on cookbooks and computer books at this time.

 

It was mentioned that ACCS says they are accredited by CHEA but do not meniton which regional agency they are accreditated with.
The fact is that ACCS is accredited with TRACS which is recognized by CHEA and Department of Ed. ACCS is not accredited by a regional agency.

Just clearing things up

 

Isn't ATS primarily a professional accreditor? Does ATS accreditation represent the primary institutional accreditation of any colleges or seminaries, or is ATS accreditation always of a paricular theological program/department within an RA (or Canadian) school?

I may be wrong, but I've always thought of ATS as being RA+, not an inferior alternative to RA.

 

from
http://www.ats.edu/odds/about/about.htm
---------------------------------------------
Accreditation

The ATS Commission on Accrediting accredits institutions and approves degree programs offered by accredited schools.

The Association's Commission on Accrediting is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and by the nongovernmental Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) for the accreditation of graduate, professional theological schools in the U.S.

The ATS Commission on Accrediting works cooperatively with regional accrediting associations, other professional associations, state departments of education, and other allied organizations in Canada and the United States.
---------------------------------------------

What does all that mean specifically? Not quite sure.

 

Thanks!

Thanks much for the info!

 

Welcome James!

American Christian College and Seminary is accredited by TRACS which as Robert points out is recognized by both the US Dept of Ed & CHEA. CHEA does not only recognize Regional Accreditors.

Luther Rice Seminary does have a statement about accreditation on their web page. They are accredited by TRACS as well. LRS has some well known graduates which include Dr. Charles Stanley, Dr. John Ankerberg, and a host of Southern Baptist leaders. http://www.lrs.edu

Starkman:

Because you are looking for a bible college I am assuming you are looking for an undergraduate degree in bible (or something similar). So here it goes.

Your more versatile degree especially at the undergraduate level is Regionally Accredited. To that end, Liberty University has an affordable B.A. in several disciplines (including Biblical Studies & Business). Around 130 per credit hour and done by video tape.
http://www.liberty.edu Search under *Distance Learning*.

Southern Christian University has a well developed undergraduate distance learning program but it requires an Associates degree first.

Check out Bakersguide.com as it also has an undergraduate section (I know there are Assemblies of God schools with undergradaute DL and a number of others). http://www.bakersguide.com

As I said, I would go for Regionally Accredited at the B.A. level because of versatility. At the graduate level you may have more options. TRACS is a recognized accreditation agency so their degrees would be accepted for the military chaplaincy for example. At the graduate level Liberty (RA & TRACS) has a DL M.Div. as do a number of TRACS schools including Luther Rice Seminary & Temple Baptist Seminary (well respected conservative seminary).

At the graduate level ATS is the theological gold standard. The problem is that ATS has been very slow to adjust to DL and therefore there are some partial degrees but I believe only one full DL Masters at Reformed Seminary.

As you notice from my sig line I am pursuing an ACCS TRACS accredited doctorate. I want an accredited, affordable doctorate in a field I am interested in and so I chose them (I can use VA Benefits there). Yet, I am well aware of possible limitations because although it is accredited-it is not RA and it is in a Christian field.

TRACS schools are listed at http://www.tracs.org

Good luck!

North