Accreditation


Accreditation & Authorization

Founded in 1944, Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary is an official Cooperative Program Ministry of the Southern Baptist Convention and is supported through tithes, offerings, and other gifts. Instruction occurs in accordance with the confessional statement adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention in 2000. Golden Gate is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS), and the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

WASC may be contacted at:
Western Association of Schools & Colleges
985 Atlantic Avenue, Suite 100
Alameda CA 94501
510-748-9001

ATS may be contacted at:
The Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada
10 Summit Park Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15275
USA
Telephone: 412788-6505
Fax: 412-788-6510
Website: www.ats.edu

The Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada accredits individual campuses and degree programs and the following GGBTS degree programs are ATS approved at the designated campus:

Mill Valley, CA - MDiv, MTS, MA in Educational Leadership, MA in Intercultural Studies, Master of Missiology, MA in Christian Counseling, DMin, ThM, PhD (Theology), PhD (Biblical Studies)

The following extension sites and degrees are approved as specified:
Brea, CA - Approved Degrees: MDiv, MA in Educational Leadership, MA in Intercultural Studies, MTS, DMin

Denver, CO - Approved Degrees: MDiv, MTS, DMin

Phoenix, AZ - Approved Degrees: MDiv, MTS, DMin

Vancouver, WA - Approved Degrees: MDiv, MTS, DMin

GGBTS is also approved by WASC and ATS to offer the Master of Divinity, the Master of Theological Studies, and the Master of Arts in Educational Leadership fully online.

Educational Effectiveness

In accord with WASC and ATS standards GGBTS track a variety of data related to the effectiveness of its educational programs. The data includes full and part-time students who entered either as degree-seeking or special students at any of Golden Gate's five campuses. This data reveals:

  • A retention rate of at least 90% for each of the master's degree programs offered at GGBTS (MDIV, MAEL, MTS, MMiss, and MAIS).
  • A cumulative graduation/retention rate of approximately 65% in master's programs (MDIV, MTS, MAEL) operating since 2005-06 (the year data collection began).
  • An average score of 4.24 from students graduating in 2011-12 rating their overall Seminary experience on a scale of 1-5 with 4 and 5 indicating "satisfied" and "very satisfied" respectively.
  • An average annually of over 90 % of MDIV and Professional MA students graduating indicated that they incurred no educational debt while studying at GGBTS.

Operating within the Southern Baptist tradition, GGBTS does not ordain students nor "place" students in ministry positions upon graduation. However, the Seminary does maintain a ministry job board available to students, refers graduates for employment when requested, and regularly assists students seeking missions, church planting or other denominational service positions to connect with the International Mission Board and the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Retention and graduation reports for all accredited degree programs are here.

Persons seeking additional information about the academic programs of GGBTS may contact the Registrar or the Office of the Vice President of Academic Services.

Washington Student Achievement Council

Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary is authorized by the Washington Student Achievement Council and meets the requirements and minimum educational standards established for degree-granting institutions under the Degree-Granting Institutions Act. This authorization is subject to periodic review and authorizes Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary to offer specific degree programs. The Council may be contacted for a list of currently authorized programs. Authorization by the Council does not carry with it an endorsement by the Council of the institution or its programs. Any person desiring information about the requirements of the act or the applicability of those requirements to the institution may contact the Council office at: PO Box 43430, Olympia WA 98504-3430.

Veterans' Educational Benefits 

Selected academic programs of study at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary are approved by the Washington Student Achievement Council’s State Approving Agency (WSAC/SAA) for enrollment of those eligible to receive benefits under Title 38 and Title 10, U.S. Code. 

Statement of IRS Compliance 

The following statement is made in compliance with regulations published by the Internal Revenue Service and does not represent a change in our established method of relating to students: Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary admits students of any race, color, gender, national, and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and other school-administered programs.