Accredited Schools With Distance Learning

Liberty U. sounds like it would be a good fit.

Take your time and look over there programs. Ask lots of questions.

Above all, pray for God's direction w/ this.

 

1) What ATS schools have you asked? The regulations aren't applied in an 100% uniform fashion. Sometimes ATS schools will accept some non-ATS credits, while others might not accept any. It's the same for entrance into doctoral programs. Mid-America Baptist Seminary is not ATS-accredited but is regionally accredited, and it is quite common for their MDiv grads to enter into doctoral programs at the SBC "six."

2) Liberty sounds like it may be a good fit for you, though. They're RA, and they're obviously very distance-learning oriented.

 

==Regardless of the school, you are probably going to have to do a MDiv before you can pursue a DMin. The only other option would be for you to pursue MDiv equivalency. The problem there, however, is that by the time you have achieved equivalency you might as well have earned a MDiv degree. Therefore you are better off earning a MDiv. The good news is that you don't have to "start over" to do that. Many schools will accept transfer credits from your MA/Family Ministry into the MDiv. Whether or not they would fold the entire degree into the MDiv depends upon what MDiv you pursue, what school you pursue it at, and what classes you took to earn the MA. Either way when you start your MDiv you will already be ahead of the game.

My advice to you is that you should talk to Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary and/or Luther Rice University. Both schools will honor credits from a MA earned at a regionally accredited school, both schools allow students to earn a MDiv degree 100% online, and both schools allow students to pick a focus. Liberty Seminary has several concentrations. Luther Rice does not have concentrations but they allow a great deal of electives through which a student can focus on whatever he/she wishes. A major plus to Luther Rice is that you can do language classes online. Sadly, Liberty Seminary does not offer that. As for your DMin, you could earn a DMin right there are Luther Rice or Liberty. You would not even have to change schools.

Btw, both schools are well respected within the church.

Liberty is accredited regionally and nationally. Luther Rice is accredited nationally.

Liberty online programs

Luther Rice MDiv

May the LORD bless you as you seek to follow His will :thumbs:

 

I despise the influence ATS has. I wish that the evangelical seminaries would withdraw from ATS. Why on earth are Southern Baptist seminaries in an religious accreditation agency with the likes of the Starr King School for the Ministry (Unitarian-Universalists) and Harvard Divinity?

It makes no sense to me.

 

==I am a bit confused. I thought you were looking to finish your education (MDiv/DMin) online? If I understood correctly, I don't understand why you are talking to schools that don't offer degrees online. They offer online courses but not degrees, so I am not sure how they can meet your needs. New Orleans and Southwestern are great schools but they require a lot of on campus time to finish a degree. Now, to ATS, I believe Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Raleigh (NC) will accept credits from non-ATS schools. However, again, they offer classes but not degrees online.

 

==I agree, ATS is a joke. The policies of ATS concerning online/distance education is behind the times. The policies of ATS are not only behind the times they are arrogant. There are major state and private Universities offering graduate degrees 100% online. Those schools are regionally accredited and highly respected. Why ATS has a different set of standards than regional accrediting bodies is beyond me. ATS does not count as regional accreditation and therefore jobs/schools that require regional accreditation will not honor degrees/credits from schools that are accredited only by ATS. Regional accreditation is much more valuable than ATS.

 

I agree. Regional accreditation should be the first thing to look for.

American seminaries need to get out of ATS and start offering online degrees including the Ph.D.

I can get a Ph.D. in education from online universities that are regionally accredited.

The same can be done for religious education and the sooner the better.