Western Theological Seminary
Location and Contact Information
101 E 13th StHolland, MI 49423-3622
USA
Main Tel: (616) 392-8555
Web Site
The campus is in a small city.
Overview
Western Theological Seminary, popularly referred to as WTS, is a professional and graduate school. Situated in Holland, Michigan, WTS was founded in 1866 as the Western Theological Seminary of the Reformed Church in America. As Christian education and theology are the background of study at WTS, a number of programs and courses are offered to students in these areas. Certificate programs, master’s, and doctorate degrees are available at WTS, which also has a distance learning facility. Some of the areas of study include theology, ministry, urban pastoral ministry, and social work.
WTS has a Student Council that is a representative body for the students that carries out social and athletic activities. The Student Council also addresses academic concerns of the students and is responsible for social action, common worship and student involvement in missions. Financial aid is available for deserving students at WTS. Tuition reductions, loans, grants, work study programs and awards are some of the financial aid opportunities available at the seminary.
Highlights (vs. Other Schools)
- Reformed Church in America religious affiliation.
- Many students concentrating in religion and philosophy.
- Good faculty-to-student ratio.
- High male/female ratio.
- High faculty salary.
School characteristics:
- The school is private, not-for-profit.
- Academic calender: Semester.
- Carnegie classification: Theological and faith-related.
Features of note:
- The school offers a faculty tenure system.
- There are one or more libraries on-campus.
- Distance learning is available.
Tuition and Financial Aid (2009-2010)
Financial Aid
Western Theological Seminary participates in US Title IV financial assistance programs.
(Please refer to BrainTrack's financial aid articles section for background information.)
Similar Schools
Based on proprietary BrainTrack computer comparisons against all other US colleges, these schools appear to be most similar to Western Theological Seminary:
Click a column header to sort.
| School | Location | Enrollment | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington Theological Union | Washington, DC | 252 |
| 2 | Yeshiva Derech Chaim | Brooklyn, NY | 159 |
| 3 | Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg | Gettysburg, PA | 176 |
| 4 | Iliff School of Theology | Denver, CO | 194 |
| 5 | San Francisco Theological Seminary | San Anselmo, CA | 428 |
| 6 | United Theological Seminary | Dayton, OH | 228 |
| 7 | Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary | Austin, TX | 168 |
| 8 | Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University | Berkeley, CA | 148 |
| 9 | Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary | Elkhart, IN | 146 |
| 10 | Concordia Seminary | Saint Louis, MO | 522 |
Degrees Awarded (in 2009-2010)
| Degree | Total Earned | Different Programs |
|---|---|---|
| Post-master's certificate | 36 | 1 |
| Master | 6 | 1 |
Faculty
Tenure (2009-2010):
| Full-Time Faculty | Total | |
|---|---|---|
| With tenure | 10 | |
| Without tenure; working toward tenure | 1 | |
| Without tenure; tenure not available | 3 |
Students
Student enrollment was 230 in 2009-2010 (172 full-time equivalent).
graduate students are 100%.
Students under 25 years old represent 16% of the student body. About 42% of the school is at least 40 years of age.
Room and Board
On-campus housing is not available.
Graduate School Focus
Western Theological Seminary offers graduate (post-Bachelor) studies. The highest degree offered is the Doctorate (Professional Practice).
Graduate offerings include continuing professional education.
Programs of Study
(Number of degrees in 2009-2010 in parentheses)
RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY
- Divinity/Ministry (BD, MDiv)
- Theology and Religious Vocations