TRACS Research Results

Excellent work. IMO the disapproval of DL coursework is VERY peculiar since some RA/ATS schools offer DL coursework toward their degrees!

 

Southern Seminary actually accepts students from schools with no accreditation. I know several who have gone there. The Reformed Seminary in Charlotte will as well.

 

Larry,

It seems that I recall that some students whose work shows promise are accepted on probation from unaccredited institutions.

In addition, some students were in the seminary diploma program (or some such name) which have not graduated with a bachelor's degree. Southern used to have, and I don't know if they still do with Boyce College a part of SBTS, a seminary program for students who had not earned an undergrad degree. When students completed the program, they were graduated with a diploma in theology, or something akin to that.

Bill

 

Martin,

Thanks for the time and effort you made in gathering and posting your findings. Great job, helpful information, and wise advice.

Bill

 

Indeed, most of the schools on the list offer DL coursework.

Bill

 

I know a guy that was in the PhD program, one in the DMin, and at least one in MDiv.

 

Larry,

I'm interested in the guy who was in the PhD program. Are you saying that he received his MDiv from an unaccredited seminary? I can see someone from BJU being admitted, but I would wonder about most other places. An unaccredited but proven institution such as BJU would probably be acceptable, but there aren't many such institutions of which I'm aware (and there is much of which I'm unaware!).

Thanks,
Bill

 

Interesting research. Good to see the number that do accept TRACS. There are others both secular and religious (eg someone once posted University of OK or OK State) . Another religious example is ORU. They are a good solid 2nd Tier school.

School recognition is always interesting. Our local regionally accredited state university would not accept credits from our local regionally accredited community college (turf wars that were eventually resolved).

Another interesting case was that of a graduate of a school accredited by the recognized American Association of Bible Colleges (think I got the name right). This incident was about 15 years ago but Kansas State made a chaplain friend of mine take extra classes because they did not recognize his American Association of Bible College accreditor.

So, Martin's advice to check is solid EVEN when dealing with attempting to transfer credits between regionally accredited schools. Assume nothing.

TRACS continues to gain in reputation and acceptance...which in my opinion is great as they are a solid conservative Christian accreditor. Adding a school of the academic caliber of BJU is good news as well. BJU's acadmic reprutation even among secular regionally accredited schools was solid.

As an aside, my large secular employer accepts Nationally Accredited (i.e. by US Dept of Ed/CHEA recognized accreditors) as meeting job requirements. The US military Chaplaincy also accepts TRACS.

Nord

 

Thanks for the research Martin!

According the the Louisville paper, Mohler has BJU grads teaching at SBTS. So, as already discussed, there must be some flexibility on a case by case basis.

 

Some unaccredited schools whose graduates have gotten accepted into high-end PhD/ThD programs include:

Bob Jones University

Central Baptist Theological Seminary (MN)

Central Baptist Theological Seminary (VA)

Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary

Others such as L.A. Baptist Theological Seminary (now Northwest Baptist Seminary) were unaccredited for years, but recently went with TRACS accreditation.

Such quality but unaccredited schools are rare but worth noting.

 

Dave G.: Yes and my Linda Vista Baptist existed from 1946 to the 1990s w-out accreditation then became Southern Calif and got TRACS. But you have left Andersonville and Slidell and Covington off your list I see. Wonder why ? [ ]

ALL: Imagine my surprise when I glanced at Jason Baker's Guide to Christian DE which was published in 2000 and when Jason names accrediting agencies (pages50-51) he mentions DETC and AABC and ATS but says NOT A WORD about TRACS. Wonder why?

 

His bachelor's was from NBBC; his MDiv and ThM were from Detroit. So yes, his entire education was from non-accredited institutions. He was also accepted to TEDS. He did not actually finish his PhD there. After a year, he was very disappoitned in teh classes. He is finishing at BBS in Clark's Summit.

I know another guy with a similar background (BA from BJU; MDiv and ThM from Detroit) that finished his PhD at Southern.

 

Hi Bill,

Those latter three schools had not escaped my attention.

For what it's worth, my list of schools was not exhaustive. Although I am not closely familiar with Linda Vista Baptist, I am sure it is a fine school. I think those I enumerated are equal in quality to regionally accredited schools.

I think there is a second group of schoolss that could not currently attain accreditation for a variety of reasons, but are substantive and an honest effort. I don't identify schools from that second category because I don't want to recommend less than the best, but I recognize that they are out there. Perhaps we can talk more about it on the 20th or 21st.

Interestingly, all those schools I mentioned in the previous post have obtained DoE/CHEA accreditation, are actively pursuing it, or their representatives have indicated to me in private correspondence that such would be a positive thing.

[ February 09, 2005, 12:25 PM: Message edited by: Dave G. ]

 

This is very interesting research, thanks for doing it.

 

His bachelor's was from NBBC; his MDiv and ThM were from Detroit. So yes, his entire education was from non-accredited institutions. He was also accepted to TEDS. He did not actually finish his PhD there. After a year, he was very disappoitned in teh classes. He is finishing at BBS in Clark's Summit.

I know another guy with a similar background (BA from BJU; MDiv and ThM from Detroit) that finished his PhD at Southern. </font>[/QUOTE]Both cases are from on-campus, non-accredited institutions which could be accredited if they chose to be, and I think Southern was taking that into account. All the faculty of DBTS have doctorates from accredited institutions (there may be one from BJU, but I don't remember off-hand). There is still the prejudice against DE institutions, but I suspect that will change in coming years.

Both men,of course, would have done well on their GRE and entrance exams.

I know both men about whom you write. The first left Southern before he had given it a chance--I was with him in colloquium.

The second became a good friend pursuing a PhD in Church History. He is now teaching in Minnesota.

Blessings,
Bill

 

YOu are right on all counts. I know one much better than the other. Are you in the program there now? What are you working on? Pardon if I have asked before and forgotten. You can PM me with the information if you want to so as not to clutter up this discussion.

 

It's nice to be right sometimes! I'll PM the information you asked for.

Blessings,
Bill

 

I'm posting this PM at Rhetorician's request.

Here is the message sent by Rhetorician:

--------------------------------------------------

Broadus,

I have a vested interest in diploma programs.

I have just visited SBTS web page. They do no show a Diploma of Theology any longer from the School of Theology. This would make sense since the Boice School has BA degress now. There would not be the need for the diploma.

The reason I am interested it that I have a Diploma of Theology from Mid America. It was the full 96 hours (similar to the MDiv). In essence when I picked up Biblical languaages later the diploma became and MDiv (sorta). We had MDiv folk taking classes with us but with only a slight work load increase. They would have to do 2000 pages of reading and we would have to do say 1250. They would have to write a 20 page paper ours would have to be 12-15 or some such. So when I went to Southern and did my MDiv, I was in essence doing my 2nd MDiv.

I was sorry when MABTS changed the Dip Theol to 64 hrs to come into line with all the "Big 6" SBC school. When a person came through the Dip of Theol. @ MABTS they were a real world pastor/teacher.

They have since changed the Dip of Theo to an Accociate of Divinity. Some people freak when I tell them I have a 96 hr Associate degree.

Food for thought.

sdg!

rd