Program Outcomes

Student Learning Outcomes

Assessments

1.    Graduates will have basic knowledge of biblical content.

Students will correctly answer at least 75% of the questions on the English Bible Exam.

The English Bible exam is offered at the beginning of each semester. Students may take the exam more than once. Students must pass the exam in order to graduate.

2.    Graduates will have facility in oral and written communication.

Building upon successfully completing the required courses in the emphasis, all of which, except for language courses, are writing intensive, students will successfully write and defend a research thesis in their area of emphasis.

MA students must engage in original research at the end of their program by writing a thesis judged acceptable by a three-faculty committee and successfully defend it in a two-hour oral defense.

3.    Graduates will acquire focused knowledge in an area of emphasis.

Students will successfully write and defend a research thesis in their area of emphasis.

MA students must demonstrate competence in an area of emphasis by writing a thesis judged acceptable by a three-faculty committee, and they must successfully defend their thesis in a two-hour oral defense.

4.    Graduates will be equipped for advanced academic work, including doctoral studies.

Building upon successful completion of required courses in their emphasis, students will successfully write and defend a research thesis in their area of emphasis.

MA students must engage in original research at the end of their program by writing a thesis judged acceptable by a three-faculty committee and successfully defend it in a two-hour oral defense.

Program Outcomes

Student Learning Outcomes

Assessments

1.    Graduates will have basic knowledge of biblical content.

Students will correctly answer at least 75% of the questions on the English Bible Exam.

The English Bible exam is offered at the beginning of each semester. Students may take the exam more than once. Students who do not pass will not graduate.

Students must demonstrate basic biblical knowledge by passing an oral exit exam.

Students will be interviewed at the end of their program by a panel of three faculty members in a one hour oral exam. Each student must exhibit sufficient biblical knowledge to pass the exam.

2.    Graduates will be able to integrate Scripture, theology, and the history of the tradition.

Building upon successful completion of core courses in the degree, students must successfully engage in supervised ministry in specific contexts.

The director of the Supervised Practice of Ministry must verify, by observation and through evaluations by on-site supervisors, that each student has integrated Scripture, theology, history, and praxis within specific ministry situations.

Students must demonstrate an ability to integrate Scripture, theology, and the history of the tradition in their oral exit exam.

Students will be interviewed at the end of their program by a panel of three faculty members in a one hour oral exam. Each student must exhibit sufficient integrative skills in order to pass the exam.

3.    Graduates will value diverse cultural contexts and gain knowledge in how to minister effectively within particular settings.

Building upon successful completion of core courses in the degree, students must demonstrate they understand and value diversity by effectively engaging in supervised ministry in specific contexts.

The director of the Supervised Practice of Ministry must verify, by observation and through evaluations by on-site supervisors, that each student has learned to value diverse cultural contexts and can minister effectively in particular settings.

4.    The program will provide opportunities for students to grow in their faith and to mature spiritually.

Students must demonstrate growth in the areas measured by the Profiles of Ministry Intentional Growth Plan.

At the beginning and end of the program, the director of the Supervised Practice of Ministry will visit with each student, assess the results of the POM Intentional Growth Plan, and make recommendations for change.

Students must participate in mentoring groups.

Each student must participate in weekly mentoring groups consisting of 5-7 students and a faculty member. The faculty member is required to evaluate each student at the end of each year in 16 areas of personal and spiritual growth and will indicate potential problem areas.

5.    Graduates will gain skills in the practice of congregational ministry.

Students must demonstrate effective ministry skills through participation in supervised ministry in specific contexts.

The director of the Supervised Practice of Ministry must verify, by observation and through evaluations by on-site supervisors, that each student has demonstrated effective skills in the practice of congregational ministry.

Program Outcomes

Student Learning Outcomes

Assessments

1.    Graduates will have basic knowledge of biblical content.

Students will correctly answer at least 75% of the questions on the English Bible Exam.

The English Bible exam is offered at the beginning of each semester. Students may take the exam more than once. Students who do not pass will not graduate.

Students must demonstrate basic biblical knowledge by passing an oral exit exam.

Students will be interviewed at the end of their program by a panel of three faculty members in a one hour oral exam. Each student must exhibit sufficient biblical knowledge to pass the exam.

2.    Graduates will be able to integrate Scripture, theology, anthropology, and the history of the tradition.

Students must successfully engage in supervised ministry in specific cross-cultural contexts.

The director of the Supervised Practice of Ministry and the MA in Missions advisor must verify, by observation and through evaluations by on-site supervisors, that each student has integrated Scripture, theology, anthropology, and history, within specific ministry situations.

Building upon successful completion of core courses in the degree, students must demonstrate an ability to integrate Scripture, theology, and the history of the tradition in their missions exit exam.

Students will be interviewed at the end of their program by a panel of three faculty members in a one hour oral exam. Each student must exhibit sufficient integrative skills within in order to pass the exam.

3.    Graduates will be able to analyze cultural contexts and develop skills in communicating the Gospel in a culturally relevant manner.

Building upon successful completion of core courses in the degree, students must demonstrate they understand, value, and analyze culturally diverse contexts by effectively engaging in supervised ministry in specific contexts.

The director of the Supervised Practice of Ministry and the MAMI advisor must verify, by observation and through evaluations by on-site supervisors, that each student is able to analyze cultural contexts and has demonstrated skills in communicating the Gospel in a culturally relevant manner.

4.    The program will provide opportunities for students to grow in their faith and to mature spiritually.

Students must demonstrate growth in the areas measured by the Profiles of Ministry Intentional Growth Plan.

At the beginning and end of the program, the director of the Supervised Practice of Ministry will visit with each student, assess the results of the POM Intentional Growth Plan, and make recommendations for change.

Students must participate in mentoring groups in which they will be evaluated by faculty.

Each student must participate in weekly mentoring groups consisting of 5-7 students and a faculty member. The faculty member is required to evaluate each student at the end of each year in 16 areas of personal and spiritual growth and will indicate potential problem areas.

Program Outcomes

Student Learning Outcomes

Assessments

1.    Graduates will have basic knowledge of biblical content.

Students will correctly answer at least 75% of the questions on the English Bible Exam.

The English Bible exam is offered at the beginning of each semester. Students may take the exam more than once. Students who do not pass will not graduate.

Students must demonstrate basic biblical knowledge by passing a written and oral exit exam based on case studies.

Students must participate in two two-hour oral exams at the end of their program in which three students and three faculty engage in serious conversation on each of two cases. Students must submit a written brief on each case before the exam. Faculty assess strengths and weaknesses of each student in a variety of areas. Each student must exhibit sufficient biblical knowledge to pass the exam.

2.    Graduates will value diverse cultural contexts and gain knowledge in how to minister effectively within particular settings.

Students must build upon knowledge and values regarding cultural diversity gained in the required courses by effectively engaging in supervised ministry in specific contexts.

The director of the Supervised Practice of Ministry must verify, by observation and through evaluations by on-site supervisors, that each student has learned to value diverse cultural contexts and can minister effectively in particular settings.

3.       Graduates will be able to integrate Scripture, theology, the history of the tradition, and practical skills in ministry comprehensively and with depth.

Building upon successful completion of core courses in the degree, students must demonstrate an ability to integrate Scripture, theology, and the history of the tradition in their oral exit exam.

Students will be interviewed at the end of their program by a panel of three faculty members in two two-hour oral exams. Each student must exhibit sufficient integrative skills in order to pass the exam.

Students must successfully engage in supervised ministry in specific contexts.

The director of the Supervised Practice of Ministry must verify, by observation and through evaluations by on-site supervisors, that each student has integrated Scripture, theology, history, and praxis within specific ministry situations.

Building upon successful completion of core courses in the degree, students must demonstrate a broad understanding of the history and developing theologies of the Christian tradition and those of the Stone-Campbell heritage and be able to see how their own tradition transcends their particular social setting.

Students will be interviewed at the end of their program by a panel of three faculty members in two two-hour oral exams. Each student must exhibit sufficient understanding of the Christian tradition, the Stone-Campbell heritage, and how these traditions impact their particular congregational life and understanding in order to pass the exam.

Students must be able to understand the broad issues in systematic theology and integrate that knowledge with their understanding of Scripture, Christian history, and the practice of ministry.

During their MDiv oral exit exams students must demonstrate in writing and orally their understanding of systematic theology, its relationship to the other theological disciplines and its impact on ministry in specific situations.

4.       Graduates will gain skills in the practice of congregational ministry or missions.

Building upon successful completion of required praxis courses, students must demonstrate skills in congregational ministry in specific contexts.

The SPM director must verify, by observation and through evaluations by on-site supervisors, that each student has demonstrated effective skills in the practice of congregational ministry.

5.       The program will provide substantial opportunities for students to grow in their faith and to mature spiritually.

Students must demonstrate growth in the areas measured by the Profiles of Ministry Intentional Growth Plan.

At the beginning and end of the program, the director of the Supervised Practice of Ministry will visit with each student, assess the results of the POM Intentional Growth Plan, and make recommendations for change.

Students must participate in mentoring groups in which they will be evaluated by faculty.

Each student must participate in weekly mentoring groups consisting of 5-7 students and a faculty member. The faculty member is required to evaluate each student at the end of each year in 16 areas of personal and spiritual growth and will indicate potential problem areas.

Program Outcomes

Student Learning Outcomes

Assessments

1.    DMin graduates will demonstrate an advanced comprehension of the biblical and theological foundations that inform Christian ministry.

Based upon their work in the Theological Foundations course as well as course projects throughout the program, students must demonstrate advanced comprehension of biblical and theological foundations by successfully completing the project/thesis, including the oral defense.

All DMin students at the end of their program must engage in comprehensive intervention in a specific ministry context for their project/thesis. Both in the written text of the thesis, which requires substantial theological articulation, as well as in the oral exams, students must successfully demonstrate to the three-faculty thesis committee their understanding of biblical and theological foundations that inform Christian ministry.

2.    Graduates will demonstrate an enhanced competence (beyond the MDiv level) in analytical thinking about ministry situations.

Based upon their successful completion of the required courses, students must demonstrate competence in analytical thinking about ministry situations by successfully completing the project/thesis, including the oral defense.

In the written thesis and in the oral exams, students must successfully demonstrate to the three-faculty thesis committee their competence in analytical thinking about specific ministry situations.

3.    Graduates will demonstrate an advanced functioning (beyond the MDiv level) as integrative, reflective practitioners of ministry.

Based on their experiences doing ministry intervention in their specific contexts in the required courses, students will demonstrate advanced functioning as integrative, reflective practitioners of ministry by successfully completing the project/thesis, including the oral defense.

In the written thesis and in the oral exams, students must successfully demonstrate to the three-faculty thesis committee their competence as integrative, reflective practitioners of ministry.

4.    Graduates will demonstrate a continued growth in spiritual formation and maturity.

Based on their work in the Spiritual Formation course as well as mentoring, students will demonstrate spiritual growth through their work on the project/thesis.

In the written thesis and in the oral exams, students receive feedback from the three-faculty thesis committee concerning their spiritual growth and maturity.

Students will indicate their spiritual growth and maturity through their completion of the ATS Graduate Student Questionnaire.

The DMin director will analyze the results of each student’s ATS GSQ and will communicate areas of spiritual growth as well as concern.