Accreditation

Master’s College and Seminary has been accredited by the Association of Biblical Higher Education (ABHE) since 1989. ABHE is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) as an undergraduate accrediting agency (CHEA is a private non-profit national organization that coordinates accreditation activity in the United States. Visit www.chea.org for additional information on CHEA.). Master's College and Seminary is also chartered by the Government of Ontario to offer theological degrees. Many Canadian universities have granted our students transfer of credit to their baccalaureate programs. MCS graduates have also been accepted in a wide number of graduate and seminary programs in Canada and the United States.

Master’s Seminary was launched in 1996 with a partnership agreement with Tyndale Seminary (Toronto). This partnership has allowed us to offer graduate courses that are accredited through Tyndale, which is accredited with the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) (www.ats.edu).

ABHE FAQ's

On what basis does MCS offer degree and diploma programs?

MCS is a well recognized ministry training school with a charter from the Ontario government that allows the school to grant degrees in the areas of theology and Biblical Studies. With such a provincial charter, students qualify for government funding provided through provincial and federal offices.

What accreditation does Master’s College have?

MCS has accreditation for its undergraduate programs from the Association for Biblical Higher Education [ABHE].  The Association of Biblical Higher Education is a network of over 100 Bible Colleges from Canada and the United States who have banded together to support and ensure quality and ongoing improvement in theological education and pastoral training among its members.

What accreditation does Master’s Seminary have?

The courses offered by Master’s Seminary, by virtue of its affiliation with Tyndale University College & Seminary, are accredited through Tyndale by the Association of Theological Schools.  This graduate accreditation is totally separate from the undergraduate situation.  Graduate and undergraduate studies at MCS are accredited independently.

 
What is accreditation all about and how does it work?

Accreditation is founded upon three key principles: voluntary participation, self-study, and peer review. Standards are self-imposed by responsible and seasoned educators among member institutions (increasingly, with strong input from public constituents). Institutions seeking to obtain or renew accreditation are required to conduct a comprehensive, analytical self-study involving input from every key internal and external institutional constituency and resulting in both an assessment of quality in reference to common standards and in recommendations for improvement. An evaluation team composed of professional peer educators from sister institutions typically reviews the institution’s self-study report, verifies the institution’s claims concerning quality and integrity, offers recommendations concerning compliance and/or improvement, and renders a decision concerning whether to recommend accreditation. The findings of an evaluation team (along with an institution’s response and follow up record) are typically reviewed by a commission or panel on accreditation (which includes representatives of the public) empowered to render a decision concerning the institution’s accredited status.

Who is the ABHE?

This association helps ministry training schools achieve high academic standards as they seek to fulfill their mandate to students. The ABHE head office is located in Orlando, Florida and belongs to the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, a federal US organization that regulates education across North America. No such equivalent body exists in Canada and therefore MCS is not required to belong to such an organization. Canadian colleges and universities have no such Canadian standard accrediting body. Yet, the Board of Governors of MCS, in order to insure that the education delivered is of the highest standard, deems it important for the institution to have such an affiliation.

What is the current accreditation status of MCS?

MCS is an accredited college with the Association of Biblical Higher Education.  The school has held accreditation with the ABHE since 1994.  In February 2008, Commission on Accreditation moved to continue the accreditation of the school as it works toward its 10 year reaffirmation of accredited status.

How does accreditation affect student loans?

Student loans are not affected by accreditation. Loans and grants are given by the provincial and federal government agencies to institutions that hold charters for their programs and degrees with their respective provincial governments.