First fully online ATS accredited Masters degree? GGBTS

I noticed this mentioned on another forum ... it's always been my understanding that ATS does not accredit online-only degrees, and that a portion of all ATS accredited degrees must include some on-campus component.

However, Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary's Master of Theological Studies (MTS) degree info page states that it can be completed "completely online through the eCampus":

GGBTS: Master of Theological Studies (MTS)

Elsewhere on the site, it states that the degree "is dually accredited to offer all 49 hours completely via the Internet with no oncampus time required. You may elect to take some courses on one of the five physical campuses of Golden Gate, but are not required to do so." By 'dually accredited' I take it to mean that the degree is both regionally accredited by WASC and nationally by ATS:

GGBTS: Online Degrees

I checked the ATS degree program standards doc on their website and it looks like their policies may have changed last June:

The Association of Theological Schools

I haven't read all of it obviously, but I noticed that the MDiv listing makes it clear that it should include an on-campus element, whereas the MTS listing does not:

http://www.ats.edu/Accrediting/Documents/DegreeProgramStandards.pdf

Am I just late to the party on all of this, or is this something new? This looks like a positive first step for ATS, and an opportunity for more top-tier seminaries to offer online degrees ... and for students to finally be able to earn ATS-accredited degrees online!

 

No one cares about this?

 

Very interesting. I know Midwestern BTS in Kansas City, MO did something similar, but this was before the new ATS regulations were adopted. They had to run the program through their undergraduate college, so the program was RA-only.

I tried to find more information with a brief search, but I came up short.

 

Online ATS Approved Programs

There is currently a surge with theological schools to provide more online learning options. Because of issues of formation development many schools are hesitant to even propose fully online degrees. Jesuit priests spend eight years in formation before they even start an M.Div. degree.

Many schools seem to be comfortable with only requiring a year or two on-campus. I'm not sure this requirement will disappear, at least in my lifetime, especially in situations where the faculty and seminary administration plays a part in whether or not someone is eligible to be ordained.

A good compromise which seems to be embraced more and more is the "blended learning" model where much of the work occurs online and students are only required to be on campus one or two weeks a semester. It is possible to structure these types of courses to be classified as residential.

-lifelonglearner

 

bumpity...