MASTER'S International School of Divinity...Anyone?

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BrianOrr

Puritan Board Freshman
I just came upon this school. The accreditation seems pretty solid. Any one familiar with this school?

Thanks

Brian
 
My gut reaction is that it is unaccredited. The reason is because they allow you to transfer up to 25% of your degree in life credits.
 
ATS accreditation is the only one that matters for a seminary, and they don't have it. Their education might be good, but don't expect people to take your degree seriously.
 
yeah, all that "accreditation" on their page may seem impressive, but I've never even heard of most of those associations. Of course, this doesn't neccessarily mean it's a bad school, it just means you probably aren't going to get your credits accepted elsewhere should you want to transfer and you probably won't get a degree earned there honored for further studies either.
 
Andres said:
yeah, all that "accreditation" on their page may seem impressive, but I've never even heard of most of those associations. Of course, this doesn't neccessarily mean it's a bad school, it just means you probably aren't going to get your credits accepted elsewhere should you want to transfer and you probably won't get a degree earned there honored for further studies either.
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Beware of schools that pretend to be accredited when they know very well that ATS is the only one that matters. It is disingenuous. Also, beware of schools who bury their lack of accreditation in the fine print. I can't think of any reason a school would want to hide the fact that they do not have ATS accreditation other than to sucker people.
 
I am pretty sure that I will be going to Mid West Baptist Theological Seminary for the MATS degree. I am just always on the look out for other options. I think I need to pray more about it.
 
BrianOrr said:
I am pretty sure that I will be going to Mid West Baptist Theological Seminary for the MATS degree. I am just always on the look out for other options. I think I need to pray more about it.
Click to expand...

May I suggest, in this situation, that the answer is not (only) to
pray more about it
Click to expand...
.

God calls us to exercise wisdom (so we have have Proverbs and the injunction of James to pray for wisdom). By posting on this site you have exercised wisdom in seeking the advice of those with more experience.

You should analyse your situation with the wisdom God has given you, seek the advice of those with more wisdom and pray for God-given wisdom.

Eg ask yourself what are the advantages of Mid West? Why am I still on the look out for other options? Why did I consider a seminary that I hadn't heard of / had recommended? What can I learn from my movement from
The accreditation seems pretty solid
Click to expand...
to
The site is a bit odd
Click to expand...
?

Keep thinking, asking, praying so that you may walk in the path of wisdom.
 
BrianOrr said:
I am pretty sure that I will be going to Mid West Baptist Theological Seminary for the MATS degree. I am just always on the look out for other options. I think I need to pray more about it.
Click to expand...

Brian, I think Midwestern could be a good choice for an accredited degree. If you are interested in a Southern Baptist seminary, I think New Orleans might have an online degree as well. In the future we will be seeing more and more of them from accredited seminaries (and colleges and universities as well).

As to Master's International School of Divinity, yes, the website is odd, I've always thought that too. It took me a while to get use to it. I guess you get what you pay for!

I can tell you first hand that they do not try to portray themselves as an accredited seminary like Southern or Westminster. They are very clear about that. I can tell you that they are not Reformed, although they are not hostile to Reformed theology. They are very conservative, that is for sure!

However, I would get a Masters degree from an accredited institution first. Master's International School of Theology is a good place for continuing education. I sure know, I have my doctorate from there. I enjoyed my time there very much.

Again, my very humble opinion.
 
Originally Posted by BrianOrr
I am pretty sure that I will be going to Mid West Baptist Theological Seminary for the MATS degree. I am just always on the look out for other options. I think I need to pray more about it.
May I suggest, in this situation, that the answer is not (only) to
pray more about it
.

God calls us to exercise wisdom (so we have have Proverbs and the injunction of James to pray for wisdom). By posting on this site you have exercised wisdom in seeking the advice of those with more experience.

You should analyse your situation with the wisdom God has given you, seek the advice of those with more wisdom and pray for God-given wisdom.

Eg ask yourself what are the advantages of Mid West? Why am I still on the look out for other options? Why did I consider a seminary that I hadn't heard of / had recommended? What can I learn from my movement from
The accreditation seems pretty solid
to
The site is a bit odd
?

Keep thinking, asking, praying so that you may walk in the path of wisdom.
Click to expand...


Wow great counsel.


Brian, I think Midwestern could be a good choice for an accredited degree. If you are interested in a Southern Baptist seminary, I think New Orleans might have an online degree as well. In the future we will be seeing more and more of them from accredited seminaries (and colleges and universities as well).
Click to expand...

Southern and NoBTS are about $1,000 for an online course. They charge extra for online.
 
BrianOrr said:
Thank you all for your thoughts and words of wisdom.

Brian
Click to expand...

I had a fairly long post last night that was lost. Suffice it to say that if you want to go to a Southern Baptist seminary and want to do it online I would choose Midwestern. It's accredited, it's 100% online, less expensive than Southern or New Orleans, and you can use these credits toward a M.Div. in the future.

There! Done in only two sentences!
 
When evaluating schools like this (which I used to do as academic dean to decide whether to accept transfer credits) one aspect I evaluate is the faculty. From where did they get their degrees? Looking at the faculty page it appears that many of the faculty earned their degrees from Trinity Newburgh IN or from MISD itself. One needs now to look at TrinNewburgh to see if it is a quality school. I have my opinions. A few of the faculty seem to have terminal degrees but very few from recognized, accredited outside institutions. One fellow lists his degree as PhD from Oxford. Their nomenclature is DPhil so I don't know what that's about.

There are a number of posts here that deal with the question of distance ed and picking a seminary.

If you want to study with an excellent Baptist scholar (Jim Renihan) in a recognized, accredited school, with high standards, good resources and a strong, local faculty check out the IRBS hosted by Westminster Seminary California.

Call Mark MacVey at WSC at 888-480-8474
 
R. Scott Clark said:
One fellow lists his degree as PhD from Oxford. Their nomenclature is DPhil so I don't know what that's about.
Click to expand...

I have found at numerous times some glarring errors on the MISD's website. Skip Moen indeed has a D.Phil from Oxford. He is first-rate.

Also, MISD is a certified training center for National Association of Nouthetic Counselors. I think that speaks well for them.
 
R. Scott Clark said:
When evaluating schools like this (which I used to do as academic dean to decide whether to accept transfer credits) one aspect I evaluate is the faculty. From where did they get their degrees? Looking at the faculty page it appears that many of the faculty earned their degrees from Trinity Newburgh IN or from MISD itself. One needs now to look at TrinNewburgh to see if it is a quality school. I have my opinions. A few of the faculty seem to have terminal degrees but very few from recognized, accredited outside institutions. One fellow lists his degree as PhD from Oxford. Their nomenclature is DPhil so I don't know what that's about.

There are a number of posts here that deal with the question of distance ed and picking a seminary.

If you want to study with an excellent Baptist scholar (Jim Renihan) in a recognized, accredited school, with high standards, good resources and a strong, local faculty check out the IRBS hosted by Westminster Seminary California.

Call Mark MacVey at WSC at 888-480-8474
Click to expand...

I would give WSCal my endorsement as well. I have several of Renihan's books, I have heard him and the rest of the faculty speak on numerous occasions, I have visited the campus, and I regularly have IRBS students preach at my church. It is a top notch institution that produces very well-prepared ministers.
 
IRBS at WSC is not a distance education program, is it? I believe that is what Brian is looking for.
 
KMK said:
Andres said:
yeah, all that "accreditation" on their page may seem impressive, but I've never even heard of most of those associations. Of course, this doesn't neccessarily mean it's a bad school, it just means you probably aren't going to get your credits accepted elsewhere should you want to transfer and you probably won't get a degree earned there honored for further studies either.
Click to expand...

Beware of schools that pretend to be accredited when they know very well that ATS is the only one that matters. It is disingenuous. Also, beware of schools who bury their lack of accreditation in the fine print. I can't think of any reason a school would want to hide the fact that they do not have ATS accreditation other than to sucker people.
Click to expand...

Just to clarify, my comment was not directed against any school in particular.
 
Ivan said:
IRBS at WSC is not a distance education program, is it? I believe that is what Brian is looking for.
Click to expand...

Yes, but Escondido is a commutable distance once or twice a week from the High Desert where Brian lives.
 
KMK said:
Ivan said:
IRBS at WSC is not a distance education program, is it? I believe that is what Brian is looking for.
Click to expand...

Yes, but Escondido is a commutable distance once or twice a week from the High Desert where Brian lives.
Click to expand...

That crossed my mind after I posted. Sounds good.

Brian, I'd encourage you to look into this and talk to someone at the school about financial assistance as well.
 
Thanks for all the input guys. I am blessed to hear all the opinions and wise council. Thank you all. I will check out IRBS.

God Bless
 
I noticed how many of their faculty have degrees from Master's International. And nouthetic is spelled wrong on their accreditation page!
 
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