Andy Rowell

Category: Seminaries

  • The rise of the non-M.Div. theological masters degree ATS Enrollment 1999-2012

      TABLE
    2.10 and 2.11 HEAD COUNT and FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT ENROLLMENT BY DEGREE
    CATEGORY AND PROGRAM
      ALL MEMBER SCHOOLS                      
                                 
      1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
    Basic
    Ministerial Leadership MDiv    		                      
    HC 29842 30438 31143 32005 33287 34,234 34,505 34,935 34,120 33,319 32,773 32,850 32,369 32,235
    FTE 22782 23784 24175 24065 25012 26,250 26,595 25,938 25,674 24,231 24,400 24,386 24,411 23,996
                                 
    Basic
    Ministerial Leadership Non-MDiv    		                    
    HC 7632 8443 7882 8690 9338 10,529 11,018 11,030 11,031 11,063 11,104 11,225 10,932 11,438
    FTE 5421 6032 5516 5968 6519 6,575 6,772 6,342 6,407 6,272 6,373 6,364 6,400 6,614
                                 
    General
    Theological Studies    		                        
    HC 7015 7509 7666 7560 7728 9,382 9,831 9,844 9,598 9,226 9,049 9,266 8,843 8,788
    FTE 4685 5099 5045 5138 5229 5,589 5,610 5,649 5,594 5,434 5,383 5,482 5,332 5,265

     

     

    Annual
    Data Tables/FactBooks 
    http://www.ats.edu/resources/pages/annualdatatablesfactbooks.aspx
    The Association of
    Theological Schools in the United States and Canada
    Collated by Andrew D. Rowell,
    March 2013

     

     
    Download Excel document of Rise of the non-MDiv – ATS Enrollment 1999-2012

    Comments: Note that MDiv and General Theological Studies enrollment maxed out in 2005 and 2006, while non-MDiv masters degree Head Count hit an all time high in 2012. I started my blog in January 2006–I think there was indeed less "felt need" for a theological education once the internet boomed with blogs and podcasts from seminary professors and church leaders.

    Note: I did this research for a separate project but thought I would share it here for others' benefit.

    See also my post: 

    D.Min. enrollment hit an all-time high in 2012

     

     

  • D.Min. enrollment hit an all-time high in 2012

     

     

    Year 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997
    ATS 6459 6462 6741 6934 7274 7610 7423 7844 7923 7968
                         
      1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
      8373 8425 8322 8436 8827 8920 9216 9045 9151 9066
                         
      2008 2009 2010 2011 2012          
      9183 9077 9063 9047 9335          
                         
                         
                         
                         
    Annual
    Data Tables/FactBooks     		            
    http://www.ats.edu/resources/pages/annualdatatablesfactbooks.aspx
    The
    Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada
    Collated
    by Andrew D. Rowell, April 2013    		          

     
    Download Excel document of ATS DMin Enrollment 1988-2012

    Comments: Why are there so many people today in Doctor of Ministry programs?

     

    5 reasons why there are so many people doing D.Min. programs
    today

    1. A Ph.D. is too painful and a D.Min. is just right. I think it is
    too expensive, long, and painful to get a Ph.D. for most people. The average
    time for a Duke Ph.D. in Religion is 5.8
    years     and that is one of the very best stipends and student-friendly
    programs anywhere. And, even if you survive for 6 years living on $20,000 a year
    (at best), it is very difficult to get a job. A D.Min. is not a Ph.D. or Th.D.
    but does demonstrate initiative, a zeal to learn, and perseverance. 

    2. A D.Min. is a way of carving out space to learn. Yes, there are
    enormous resources available on the web for pastors and many superb books to
    read but it is of course very difficult to find time to get away from the daily
    hectic routine and learn. Some ministry leaders are capable of getting away
    enough to cultivate vision, assess themselves, even write books, but for many
    ministry leaders, a D.Min. program (with the discipline of coursework and time
    away) is ideal for carving out time to study, learn, and find solace and
    friendship with other pastors.

    3. Sometimes churches help with the cost. Sometimes churches will
    share some of the cost of the D.Min. program knowing that it benefits them to
    have a more balanced, rejuvenated, learning pastor. However, there are some
    churches who have had their clergy leave to a larger church after getting a
    D.Min. so they feel resentful toward what they paid. The church should structure
    their payments knowing that a pastor may leave because of course this can happen
    at any time for any reason; They may for example pay 1/2 of tuition right away
    but gradually pay for the whole thing if the pastor stays for 5 years after
    completing the D.Min.program. (There are a number of costs also for D.Min.
    programs that are away from home such as plane tickets and housing for intense
    courses but these trips are so rich-in-experience that few seem to complain
    about the costs).

    4. D.Min. programs are getting better with the web. Rather than just
    reading at home by yourself before the intensive courses on campus, with online
    course components, ministry leaders can now bond, share, empathize, and learn
    online with other pastors in their class before meeting.

    5. D.Min. programs have tracks for all sorts of specializations. You
    can do a D.Min. in spiritual formation, executive leadership, marriage and
    family counseling, preaching, leading parachurch organizations, etc. 

     

    Two things to ask about prospective D.Min.
    programs 

    1. Ask whether you have the opportunity to study with regular seminary
    faculty or just adjuncts.     What is odd is that some D.Min. programs use
    adjuncts almost exclusively so that a student may have very little interaction
    with the regular faculty from the school. It is cheaper for the seminary that
    way. But you have to wonder as a DMin student if you are getting a first class
    education from that seminary with all adjuncts. Some seminaries justify this as
    "The regular residential seminary faculty don't know anything about ministry so
    it is good they don't teach in the D.Min. program!" But it would be better if
    regular seminary faculty could invest in D.Min. students and learn from
    them. 

    2. Beware of the tendency to get stalled during the dissertation-writing
    phase.     The other thing to note is that many students get stalled after
    coursework writing their "project" or "dissertation" or "thesis." A program
    should have a workable template which makes completing the dissertation fairly
    straightforward but should also allow room for creative, ambitious projects for
    those highly motivated and capable for pulling them off. Ask about how they help
    students finish their projects in a timely way.

     

     

     

    Note: I did this research for a separate project but thought I would share it here for others' benefit.

    See also my posts:

    The rise of the non-M.Div. theological masters degree ATS Enrollment 1999-2012

    and 

    Largest D.Min. Programs 2012, 2011, 1988

     

     


  • Largest D.Min. Programs 2012, 2011, 1988

    Here are the largest D.Min. Programs in the Association for Theological Schools for 2012, then 2011, then 1988. The Excel document is below. 

     

      2012    
    Rank School 2012 HC 2012 FTE
    1 Fuller Theological Seminary 1249 426
    2 Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary 442 147
    3 Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary 347 170
    4 United Theological Seminary 341 114
    5 Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary 293 129
    6 Southern Baptist Theological Seminary 282 131
    7 Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary 267 89
    8 Talbot School of Theology 242 87
    9 Ashland Theological Seminary  237 79
    10 Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary 173 98
    11 Columbia Theological Seminary 172 77
    12 Trinity Evangelical Divinity School 169 56
    13 Wesley Theological Seminary 154 41
    14 Asbury Theological Seminary 151 55
    15 Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary 146 49
    16 San Francisco Theological Seminary 144 48
    17 Denver Seminary 140 47
    18 New York Theological Seminary 140 47
    19 New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary 139 64
    20 George Fox Evangelical Seminary 138 46
    21 Assemblies of God Theological Seminary 137 60
    22 Reformed Theological Seminary 131 44
    23 Dallas Theological Seminary 119 40
    24 Drew University Theological School 106 35
    25 Knox Theological Seminary 104 35
    26 Regent University School of Divinity 104 35
    27 Westminster Theological Seminary 101 34

     

      2011    
    Rank School 2011 HC 2011 FTE
    1 Fuller Theological Seminary 1258 419
    2 Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary 429 143
    3 Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary 321 147
    4 Southern Baptist Theological Seminary 295 126
    5 Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary 254 85
    6 United Theological Seminary 251 84
    7 Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary 227 115
    8 Ashland Theological Seminary  216 72
    9 Talbot School of Theology 215 83
    10 New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary 210 100
    11 Columbia Theological Seminary 191 81
    12 Reformed Theological Seminary 189 63
    13 Wesley Theological Seminary 183 61
    14 Trinity Evangelical Divinity School 173 58
    15 Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary 161 54
    16 San Francisco Theological Seminary 153 51
    17 Denver Seminary 150 50
    18 Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary 148 91
    19 Asbury Theological Seminary 145 53
    20 New York Theological Seminary 138 46
    21 Dallas Theological Seminary 133 44
    22 Assemblies of God Theological Seminary 131 55
    23 Drew University Theological School 129 43
    24 Westminster Theological Seminary 114 38
    25 Pittsburgh Theological Seminary 113 38
    26 George Fox Evangelical Seminary 112 37
    27 Bethel Seminary  105 35

     

      1988  
    Rank School 1988 HC
    1 Fuller Theological Seminary 680
    2 San Francisco Theological Seminary 361
    3 McCormick Theological Seminary 339
    4 Trinity Evangelical Divinity School 251
    5 Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary 250
    6 Columbia Theological Seminary 229
    7 Southern Baptist Theological Seminary 178
    8 Boston University School of Theology 165
    9 Princeton Theological Seminary 127
    10 Pittsburgh Theological Seminary 126
    11 Drew University Theological School 120
    12 United Theological Seminary 117
    13 Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary 114
    14 Talbot School of Theology 113
    15 Andover Newton Theological School 104
    16 Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary 101
    17 Candler School of Theology of Emory University 92
    18 Saint Paul School of Theology 92
    19 Luther Northwestern Theological Seminary 91
    20 Asbury Theological Seminary 87
    21 Reformed Theological Seminary 87
    22 Eden Theological Seminary 86
    23 University of St. Mary of the Lake 86
    24 Oral Roberts University School of Theology 84
    25 Denver Seminary 80

     

    Table 2.15 Head Count and Full-Time
    Equivalent Enrollment by Degree Category, Fall 2011 and Fall 2012
    http://www.ats.edu/Resources/PublicationsPresentations/Documents/AnnualDataTables/2011-12AnnualDataTables.pdf
    http://www.ats.edu/Resources/PublicationsPresentations/Documents/AnnualDataTables/2012-13AnnualDataTables.pdf
                 
                 
    Table
    2.27    		          
    http://www.ats.edu/Resources/PublicationsPresentations/Documents/FactBook/1991-92.pdf
                 
    Advanced
    Ministerial    		          
    Annual
    Data Tables/FactBooks     		          
    The
    Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada    		    
    Collated
    by Andrew D. Rowell, April 2013    		          

     

    Download Excel document of the Advanced Ministerial Training Largest Schools Fall 2012, 2011, 1988

    Note: I did this research for a separate project but thought I would share it here for others' benefit.

    See also my posts: 

    D.Min. enrollment hit an all-time high in 2012

    and

    The largest seminaries: Fall 2012 enrollment data for Association for Theological Schools