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Shepherds Theological Seminary | Statement of Educational Effectiveness 2024-2025 Statement of Educational Effectiveness 2024-2025Shepherds Theological Seminary | Statement of Educational Effectiveness 2024-2025 Purpose of this Statement Shepherds Theological Seminary publishes this statement for students, churches, graduates, peer schools, and the ATS Commission on Accrediting. The statement gives public evidence of educational effectiveness and student achievement for Shepherds degree programs using current, aggregate, de-identified data. Board Review and Publication Note This Statement of Educational Effectiveness was presented to the Shepherds Theological Seminary Board on October 12, 2025 as part of the seminary's annual review of educational effectiveness. After final posting, Shepherds will insert the current public URL and use that URL for ATS public-disclosure reporting. The current report should replace prior annual educational- effectiveness links on the public website. The report is organized around ATS Standard 2.8 and Board Procedure VII.B.1, which expect a public statement that is updated regularly and that includes evidence of educational quality for each degree program. Shepherds therefore reports both official ATS category data and institutional degree-program data. The two are related, but they are not identical. For ATS reporting, MDiv is reported in its own category. MACM is reported as MA professional. MTS, MABS, MABLL, and MABA are reported as MA academic. ThM is reported as ThM/STM. DMin is reported as DMin. The MTS regularly has the largest number of MA academic graduates; MABS, MABLL, and MABA are small programs, and MABA is still new enough that 2024-2025 completer data are limited. Where numbers are small, Shepherds reports results carefully and avoids drawing conclusions from a single student or one small cohort. At a Glance: 2024-2025 Findings • Shepherds recorded 56 degree completions in the IPEDS completion export: 33 MTS, 9 MDiv, 8 MACM, 4 DMin, 1 MABS, and 1 MABLL. The one MABS completer completed the Biblical Archaeology concentration. MABA and ThM had no completers in the IPEDS completion file for the year. • For this public statement, Shepherds uses local 2024-2025 degree-name completion records for program-specific reporting. Those records show no ThM graduate and no final ThM thesis evaluation in the 2024-2025 academic year. The ThM remains an approved, active advanced academic program, but current-year educational-effectiveness evidence is reported as enrollment and program-context evidence rather than as completer or final-thesis evidence. • ATS CF-3 placement was strong. 29 graduates were in vocational placement, 12 were in non-vocational placement, 14 pursued further study, and one was seeking placement. Under ATS definitions, 98.2% were in positive placement categories. • Graduating-student survey results show very high satisfaction. Graduates strongly affirmed that seminary was the right decision, that Shepherds was the right institution, and that their academic experience was satisfying. • Bible Entrance and Exit Exam results show substantial growth in biblical knowledge from matriculation to graduation. • Selected culminating assessments and course-embedded assessment-point measures in archaeology, MABS archaeological method and theory, MACM spiritual formation and discipleship philosophy, systematic theology research, Greek exegesis, MABLL thesis research,preaching, practicum/ministry formation, MDiv thesis research, and DMin doctoral project/oral presentation evaluation provide strong direct evidence of student learning. TH601 and PT511 are reported as submitted- artifact results from designated program assessment points, not as graduate-only scores unless otherwise stated. The currently available sample includes 20 numeric rubric-scored artifacts or assignment results with a weighted average of 96.7%, two MABLL theses accepted as completed, one MACM PT511 Philosophy Paper assignment summary, two MTS TH601 section-level research paper summaries, and four DMin doctoral project/oral presentation evaluations. • The main improvement theme is not student dissatisfaction or weak learning. It is the need to keep strengthening program- level reporting, advising, part-time degree planning, re-entry support after breaks, and annual aggregation of rubric results.Shepherds Theological Seminary | Statement of Educational Effectiveness 2024-2025 Degree Program Crosswalk and Completion Summary The table below connects Shepherds degree names with the ATS categories used in the Annual Report Forms. It also shows 2024-2025 exact degree completions from the IPEDS completion export. DegreeProgramATS categoryCreditsCompletersReporting note MDivMaster of DivinityMDiv929Ministerial/professional preparation; includes Advanced Placement pathway. MACMMaster of Arts in Christian Ministry MA professional488Ministerial/professional preparation. MTSMaster of Theological StudiesMA academic41-4233Largest MA academic completer group. MABSMaster of Arts in Biblical StudiesMA academic621Small program; 2024-2025 completer completed the Biblical Archaeology concentration; AR505 direct evidence is reported. MABLLMaster of Arts in Biblical Literature and Languages MA academic681Small program with thesis and language- centered direct assessment; 1 IPEDS/local completion; 2 thesis artifacts accepted as complete in the assessment cycle. MABAMaster of Arts in Biblical Archaeology MA academic420New/small program; no 2024-2025 completers, but direct course evidence is reported. ThMMaster of TheologyThM/STM30-380Small advanced academic program with thesis requirement; no 2024-2025 graduate or final thesis evaluation. DMinDoctor of MinistryDMin324Advanced professional doctorate with dissertation/ministry project. Figure 1. Degree completions from the 2024-2025 IPEDS completion export. MDiv includes the Advanced Placement pathway. Student Body and Enrollment Context Completion data at Shepherds should be read in light of the students Shepherds serves. Many students are adult learners who work, serve in churches, support families, or study from a distance. The fall 2024 ATS Annual Report shows substantial enrollment inonline and distributed formats: 111 students were enrolled only online, 33 were enrolled partly online, and 80 were enrolled with no online courses. Shepherds also reported 14 students at the Laramie Teaching Site and 8 students at STS Texas. Fall credit loads also show that many students are not following a traditional full-time residential pattern. Average fall credit load was below nine credits in each major category. This pattern matters because fixed completion windows can understate educational progress among students who deliberately take fewer credits or pause for family, ministry, financial, or employment reasons.Shepherds Theological Seminary | Statement of Educational Effectiveness 2024-2025 ATS categoryFall headcountFall creditsATS FTEAvg. credits/student MDiv7246839.06.5 MA (prof)19988.25.2 MA (acad)9472360.37.7 MA (both)5272.35.4 ThM/STM6211.83.5 DMin2411719.54.9 Non-degree4121.23.0 Figure 2. Average fall 2024 credit load by ATS category. Credit-load data help explain time-to-completion for adult, part-time, online, and ministry- engaged students. Completion, Persistence, and Time to Completion ATS CF-4 reports fixed entry cohorts: six years for MDiv, four years for MA categories, two years for ThM/STM, and six years for DMin. ATS describes these windows as roughly twice the usual full-time length of the degree. At Shepherds, this is useful information, but it is not the whole story. Some students in longer programs intentionally enroll below full-time, and some pause for family, ministry, employment, or financial reasons. CategoryEnteredGraduatedStill enrolledGraduation ratePersistence rate MDiv94144.4%55.6% MA professional5040.0%80.0% MA academic2520180.0%84.0% All degree programs3924661.5%76.9%Shepherds Theological Seminary | Statement of Educational Effectiveness 2024-2025 Figure 3. ATS CF-4 graduation and persistence. Persistence includes students who graduated and students still enrolled. The MA academic cohort shows strong completion and persistence: 20 of 25 students graduated within the ATS reporting window, and one additional student remained enrolled. The MDiv and MA professional rows call for continued monitoring and support. The MDivcohort had four graduates and one still-enrolled student out of nine entrants. The MA professional cohort had four of five students still enrolled, but none completed within the fixed four-year CF-4 window. Shepherds interprets these results as a time-to-completion and advising matter, not as evidence of poor instruction or student dissatisfaction. Shepherds will continue improving part-time degree planning, degree audits, course sequencing, and re-entry support for students who take temporary breaks. These steps are intended to help students continue toward completion without reducing the flexibility that makes graduate theological education possible for students with ministry, work, and family responsibilities. Placement and Post-Graduation Pathways Placement is a strength in the 2024-2025 data. ATS CF-3 reports 56 total completers. ATS defines vocational placement, non- vocational placement, and further study as positive placement categories. Shepherds reported 55 of 56 completers in one of these positive categories, or 98.2%. One graduate was seeking placement, and none were reported as unknown. Placement categoryCompletersPercent of total Vocational placement2951.8% Non-vocational placement1221.4% Further study1425.0% Seeking placement11.8% Other00.0% Unknown00.0%Shepherds Theological Seminary | Statement of Educational Effectiveness 2024-2025 Figure 4. Official ATS CF-3 placement categories for 2024-2025 completers. The public statement uses ATS placement language. Non-vocational placement is reported as ATS defines it: graduates who sought the degree for non-vocational reasons, such as personal enrichment, regardless of whether they were vocationally placed. Further study is also a positive outcome when it is the graduate’s post-degree pathway. Direct Evidence of Student Learning Shepherds uses several direct measures of student learning. The Bible Entrance and Exit Exams provide broad evidence of biblical knowledge development. Course-embedded major assignments and culminating program requirements provide more specific evidence ofprogram-level achievement. Each course includes a major assignment evaluated with a rubric tied to course and program learning outcomes. The thesis, dissertation, practicum, sermon, Greek project, archaeology site report, and archaeological method/theory analysis requirements supply additional direct evidence of student achievement in the distinct areas of each degree program. Bible Entrance and Exit Exams New students complete Bible Entrance Exams through RS550 New Student Orientation, and graduating students complete Bible Exit Exams through RS795 Graduation Application. The 2024-2025 results show substantial growth from entrance to graduation. Exam measureAverage score Entrance OT55.7% Entrance NT74.3% Exit OT85.8% Exit NT95.1%Shepherds Theological Seminary | Statement of Educational Effectiveness 2024-2025 Figure 5. Bible Entrance and Exit Exam averages reported for the 2024-2025 cycle. Course-Embedded and Culminating Rubric Evidence The 2024-2025 direct-assessment evidence reviewed for this report includes two kinds of evidence: culminating assessments tied to completing students where available, and course-embedded assessments collected at designated program assessment points. The sample includes 20 numeric rubric-scored artifacts or assignment results, two MABLL thesis-completion approvals, one MACM PT511 Philosophy Paper assignment summary, two MTS TH601 section-level research paper summaries, and four DMin doctoral project/oral presentation evaluations. The numeric rubrics and scored artifacts cover MABS archaeological method and theory, MABA site reporting, Greek exegesis, preaching, practicum/ministry formation, and MDiv thesis research. The two MABLL theses did not have separate evaluation sheets retained, so they are reported as accepted/completed culminating thesis evidence rather than as numeric rubric scores. The AR505 Analysis & Critique Essay provides MABS-specific evidence for the 2024-2025 MABS graduate in the Biblical Archaeology concentration. The PT511 Philosophy Paper and TH601 Research Paper summaries are reported as course-embedded direct assessment at designated program checkpoints; they reflect submitted work from students enrolled in those 2024-2025 course sectionsand should not be read as graduate-only results unless the roster is later filtered to the graduating cohort. The DMin evaluations document final doctoral project/oral presentation outcomes. The numeric rubrics and scored artifacts produced a weighted average of 96.7%; both MABLL theses were accepted as completed; the PT511 submitted-score average was 98.5%; TH601 section submitted- score averages were 92.0% and 93.2%; and all four DMin candidates in the supplied evaluation packet passed their oral presentation. This direct-assessment sample is not presented as a complete census of every major assignment in every course. It demonstrates the kind of evidence Shepherds is already collecting through Canvas, faculty rubrics, thesis evaluation, thesis completion review, practicum assessment, MABS archaeological method and theory assessment, MACM philosophy-of- ministry assessment, MTS research-paper assessment, and doctoral project/oral-presentation evaluation. Note on Course-Embedded Assignment Statistics The TH601, PT511, and AR505 Canvas summaries are legitimate course-embedded direct assessment evidence because they are tied to designated assessment points in the relevant programs. They are not described as graduate-only results unless a roster has been filtered to the graduating cohort. The provided Canvas graphics show average, low, high, Missing, and Late categories, but they do not show Nsubmitted or criterion-level rubric results. Missing and Late categories are administrative progress indicators and are excluded from learning-outcome score interpretation; they may be monitored separately for advising and course-progress support.Shepherds Theological Seminary | Statement of Educational Effectiveness 2024-2025 MeasureUse in this reportAvailable score statisticsBenchmark notationData to add when full export is available AR505 Archaeological Method & Theory -Analysis & Critique Essay MABS/Biblical Archaeology concentration assessment point; includes the 2024-2025 MABS completer. Individual completer: 295/300 (98.3%). Course summary: average 98.1%; submitted range 93.3%- 100.0%; Missing 1; Late 0. The score-reported submitted range is above the 80% benchmark; therefore 100% of score-reported submitted artifacts met benchmark. Missing/Late are not learning- outcome scores. N submitted, roster filter by degree and graduate status, criterion-level rubric scores, PLO mapping, and faculty action note. PT511 Spiritual Formation & Discipleship -Philosophy Paper MACM designated course- embedded assessment point. Course summary: average 98.5%; submitted range 93.3%-100.0%; Missing 1; Late 14. The score-reported submitted range is above the 80% benchmark; therefore 100% of score-reported submitted artifacts met benchmark. Not reported as graduate-only unless the roster is filtered. N submitted, student degree, graduate status, criterion-level rubric scores, PLO mapping, and faculty action note. TH601 Systematic Theology IV - Research Paper, one-year MTS section MTS designated assessment point; final course for the intensive one- year MTS program. Course summary: average 92.0%; submitted range 85.0%-99.0%; Missing 3; Late 4. The score-reported submitted range is above the 80% benchmark; therefore 100% of score-reported submitted artifacts met benchmark. Missing/Late are progress/advising indicators. N submitted, student degree, graduate status, criterion-level rubric scores, PLO mapping, and faculty action note. TH601 Systematic Theology IV - Research Paper, remaining section MTS designated assessment point; generally scheduled near the end of the MTS sequence. Course summary: average 93.2%; submitted range 84.0%-98.0%; Missing 19; Late 2. The score-reported submitted range is above the 80% benchmark; therefore 100% of score-reported submitted artifacts met benchmark. Not reported as graduate-only unless the roster is filtered. N submitted, student degree, graduate status, criterion-level rubric scores, PLO mapping, and faculty action note. Program areaDirect measurenScore / outcomeRange / detailBenchmark result MABA / MA academicAR615 Site Report395.0%95.0-95.0%100% met/exceeded MABS / Biblical Archaeology concentration AR505 Archaeological Method & Theory Analysis & Critique Essay 1 MABS completer score reported; course- section N submitted not shown in provided Canvas graphic 98.3% for MABS completer; 98.1% class average MABS completer: 295/300; submitted class range: 93.3- 100.0%; Missing/Late categories excluded Met. Completer score 98.3%; submitted class range 93.3%-100.0%, so 100% of score-reported submissions exceeded the 80% benchmark. N submitted to be added when full export is available. MACM / MA professional PT511 Spiritual Formation & Discipleship Philosophy Paper Course-section N submitted not shown in provided Canvas graphic; assessment- point results are not graduate-only unless roster is filtered 98.5%Submitted range: 93.3- 100.0%; Missing/Late categories excluded Met. Submitted range 93.3%-100.0%, so 100% of score-reported submissions exceeded the 80% benchmark. N submitted to be added when full export is available. MTS / MA academicTH601 Systematic Theology IV Research Paper Two course-section summaries; N submitted not shown in provided Canvas graphics; assessment- point results are not graduate-only unless roster is filtered 92.0%; 93.2%One-year MTS: 85.0- 99.0%; remaining MTS: 84.0-98.0%; Missing/Late categories excluded Met. Submitted ranges 85.0%-99.0% and 84.0%-98.0%, so 100% of score-reported submissions exceeded the 80% benchmark. N submitted to be added when full export is available. MABLL / Greek exegesis NT651 Final Project795.6%89.0-98.7%100% met/exceeded MABLL / thesis research MABLL Thesis Completion/Approval 2 thesis artifacts accepted/completed; no separate rubric sheets retained 2/2 accepted as completed Reported as approval/completion evidence, not numeric scores 100% accepted/completed; benchmark met MDiv / preachingPT701 Expository Sermon596.6%96.0-97.0%100% met/exceeded MDiv / practicumPT782 Practicum/Ministry Rubric 3100.0%100.0-100.0%100% met/exceeded MDiv / thesis researchMDiv Thesis Rubric198.0%98.0-98.0%100% met/exceeded DMin / doctoral projectDMin Dissertation/Oral Presentation Evaluation 44/4 passed3 commendation; 1 high commendation 100% passed; benchmark metShepherds Theological Seminary | Statement of Educational Effectiveness 2024-2025 Figure 6. Selected direct-assessment results from the 2024-2025 evidence sample. DMin is shown as pass rate on final project/oral presentation evaluations, and MABLL thesis is shown as accepted/completed rate because no separate thesis rubric sheets were retained. The other measures are average rubric scores or Canvas assignment/section averages. AR505, PT511, and TH601 Missing/Late categories are administrative and are not used as scored learning-outcome artifacts. TH601 and PT511 section results representcourse-embedded assessment-point data, not graduate-only data unless rosters are filtered. Faculty Interpretation of Selected Direct Measures Program areaMeasureCompetency assessedFaculty interpretation MABA / MA academicAR615 Site ReportArchaeological site analysis and reporting All three assessed students earned 95%; course evidence helps document the new MABA before completer data are available. MABS / Biblical Archaeology concentration AR505 Analysis & Critique Essay Archaeological method and theory, critical analysis, research judgment, biblical-historical interpretation, and graduate-level writing The 2024-2025 MABS completer in the Biblical Archaeology concentration earned 295/300 (98.3%). The class average was 98.1%, with submitted scores ranging from 93.3% to 100.0%. This provides MABS- specific direct evidence; add full rubric criteria, N submitted, PLO mapping, and faculty action in the next export. MACM / MA professionalPT511 Philosophy PaperSpiritual formation, discipleship philosophy, theological reflection, ministry application, and graduate- level written communication Submitted work averaged 98.5%, with submitted scores ranging from 93.3% to 100.0%. This provides MACM-related assessment-point evidence from enrolled PT511 students; it is not presented as graduate-only evidence. The next export should add N submitted, student degree, graduate status, rubric criteria, PLO mapping, and faculty action. MTS / MA academicTH601 Systematic Theology IV Research Paper Systematic theology research, biblical/theological synthesis, written argumentation, and graduate-level research communication Two TH601 sections were reviewed through Canvas assignment statistics. Section submitted-score averages were 92.0% and 93.2%, and the lowest submitted score was 84.0%. This provides MTS-related assessment-point evidence from enrolled TH601 students; it is not presented as graduate-only evidence. Continue using TH601 as the MTS direct measure and add N submitted, degree, graduate status, and criterion-level rubric data in the next export.Next >