Accreditation

Accreditation information:

SHSST is accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada.

Association of Theological Schools

Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology (SHSST) is accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools. The following degree programs are approved by the Commission on Accrediting: Master of Divinity degree and Master of Arts degree. SHSST has been approved for comprehensive distance education. See the institutional profile on the ATS web page for details here.

10 Summit Park Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15275
Telephone: 412-788-6505
Website: www.ats.edu

National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA)

Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology has been approved to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements. SARA is an agreement among member states, districts and territories that establishes comparable national standards for interstate offering of postsecondary distance education.

Student complaints related to distance education are processed through the Wisconsin Distance Learning Authorization Board. Students may access the student complaint portal by clicking on this link.

Statement of Educational Effectiveness

Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology (SHSST) is a Roman Catholic seminary that offers three masters degrees – a Master of Divinity (MDiv), Master of Arts in theology (MA), and a Master of Arts in Catholic Studies.

The educational effectiveness of these degrees is verified by the data about our graduates:

Master of Divinity (MDiv) Parishioner Surveys

After graduates of the MDiv program have been in a parish for a year, a survey is sent out that is filled out by 10 parishioners who are active in the life of the parish. The survey has 57 questions that cover the four dimensions of priestly formation—human, intellectual, spiritual, and pastoral ranked on a 1 to 5 Likert scale from “Very Weak” to “Very Strong.” This is a direct measure.

As broken down by the four dimensions of formation, the averages for the past three years for 19 students were:

All four dimensions score between “Strong” (4) and “Very strong” (5).

Each question reflects the benchmarks in the United States Conference of Catholic Bishop’s Program for Priestly Formation. For a list of the Desired Outcomes, see the “Priestly Formation Program” in the SHSST School Catalog.

Association of Theological Schools Survey

Each spring the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) surveys graduating students at the member theological schools. The students are asked to rank their ability in 21 areas on a 1 to 5 Likert scale. The following table shows the average results for the past three years compared to 15 other Roman Catholic seminaries. SHSST scored higher than other RC seminaries in 12 of the 21 questions. We scored within a tenth of a point on two others. Our average was:

Master of Arts in Theology (MA)

SHSST offers a Master of Arts in Theology. At the end of a student’s MA program, the student is assessed by faculty members. If they write a thesis, the assessment form is completed by the thesis advisor and second reader. If they take comprehensive examinations, the assessment form is filled out by the three examiners. If the student does a capstone paper and presentation, they are assessed by the three professors who oversee the project. We have developed an instrument, standards, and goals for the assessment of the M.A. program.

The assessors answer ten questions about the student on a 1 to 5 from a Likert scale covering five topics: foundational understanding, skill in analysis, capacity for insightful research, articulateness, and resourceful application of theological knowledge.

For the 2022-23 academic year the average score on all questions for 13 students was 4.07.

Placement:

• 100 percent of MDiv graduates in the two most recent cohorts have been ordained and employed as priests.

• 100 percent of students who graduated with a MA degree in the past two years have been employed in a field related to their degree, use the formation gained in their current line of work,* or entered the next stage of their educational or professional development (e.g., doctoral studies, ministerial formation).

Retention Rate:

Below are the retention rates for SHSST degree programs:
MDiv: 94%
MA: 79%

Graduation Rate:

Below are the graduation rates for students who completed their degree program. The MDiv percentage refers to those MDiv  students who started in theology six years ago. It does not include those who began pre-theology six years ago. The MA percentage refers to those MA students who entered the program four years ago.

MDiv:  66%**

MA: 73%

*The Cor Unum Pathway of the MA Program is oriented towards applying the principles of sound theology to the healing of a fractured world. Graduates do not necessarily seek a paid Church-related or ministerial position.

** This number reflects that fact that sometimes a student will discern out of priestly formation, and thus doesn’t complete the MDiv. Frequently the student will subsequently complete an MA in Theology.

Revised 05/24/2024

Americans with Disabilities Act

Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology makes reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities to the extent required by law. Those requesting accommodations are responsible for providing current documentation from a qualified professional verifying the disability. Services are coordinated to fit the individual needs of the person. Employees who need accommodations start by contacting Human Resources. Students who need accommodations start by contacting the Registrar.