Accreditation

The Graduate Theological Foundation is an ecumenical and interreligious non-profit educational foundation chartered by the State of Indiana. This charter provides that the Foundation may offer programs and grant degrees in areas of ministry.  The Foundation also engages in the sponsorship of research, publishing of monographs and awarding of grants and fellowships. 

Accrediting agencies such as the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCACS) do not have a mechanism in place for the evaluation of the educational model of the Foundation.  The Foundation is exempt from the jurisdiction of NCACS and ATS based on the following unique and innovative characteristics of this institution:
 
  1. The Foundation is ecumenical and interreligious in program offerings, student body and institutional philosophy and mission.  The Foundation does not embrace a doctrinal faith statement that would require exclusion of certain faith communities.
  2. The Foundation utilizes an online library rather than a physical library. 
  3. The Foundation retains U.S.-based and international contract faculty rather than employing residential faculty.  
The Graduate Theological Foundation asserts that the academic integrity of an institution can be measured by the credentials of its faculty, the affiliations it holds, and the academic and professional accomplishments of its students and alumni.  Information on each of these areas may be found by visiting the following pages: 
For additional information on accreditation, you can click on the following link which will take you to the U.S. Department of Education’s accreditation statement.   A quote from this page regarding the Database of Accredited Programs and Institutions is as follows, “The database does not include a number of postsecondary educational institutions and programs that elect not to seek accreditation but nevertheless may provide a quality postsecondary education. The U.S. Department of Education recommends that the database be used as one source of qualitative information and that additional sources of qualitative information be consulted.” 
http://www2.ed.gov/print/admins/finaid/accred/accreditation.html