FORM - Association of Theological Schools / Commission on Accrediting

Petition for Educational Experiment

for consideration by the ATS/COA Board of Commissioners
Commission-accredited schools must petition for approval prior to implementing an innovative educational program or approach that is not addressed or not allowed in the Standards. Such changes, if approved, will be treated as experiments that must be evaluated over several years to determine their effectiveness and ongoing status (with periodic reports required). In its petition, the school must demonstrate that the experiment ensures educational quality, congruence with the school's educational mission, and coherence with the values of theological education (per Policies and Procedures, IV.G).

Examples of experiments include offering any educational program not based on courses or credits (see Standard 3.10 and Board's Guidelines for Competency-Based Theological Education [PDF]) or offering a PhD degree where half or more of the coursework is not completed on the school's main campus (see Standard 5.15). Per Policies and Procedures, IV.G.1, the Board requires schools petitioning for an experiment to specify the length of the experiment (typically three to five years), during which time the school will evaluate the results and periodically report those results as directed by the Board when it approved the experiment. In its final report, the school must either notify the Board that it is terminating the experiment (if the results are negative) or request that the experiment be changed to an ongoing exception (if the results are positive). If the latter, the Board will review the results of the experiment to determine whether to terminate it or continue it as an ongoing exception.

Given the potential complexity of this type of change, schools are encouraged to consult with their Commission staff liaison before submitting a petition for this type of substantive change. In completing this petition form, please include links to additional documentation as requested or as deemed helpful. Your Commission staff liaison will contact you if there are any questions regarding this petition.

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Please note: you are able to save and return to this form as needed. Click "Save" at the bottom of any page and enter your email address. An email will be sent to you from Jotform (via noreply@jotform.com) which contains a link to your form in progress.
i. Name of school:*
ii. Contact information for person submitting this form:*

First Name (MI)Last Name
iii. Title:*
Position title of person submitting this form
iv. Email:*
A copy of your form will be sent to this address
v. Indicate the nature of this experiment:*
Once selected, complete the items on the following pages to describe this experiment

Implementing a PhD program where at least half of the coursework is not delivered on campus

(cf. Standard 5.15)
1. What is the name of the PhD program?*
(e.g., "Doctor of Theology in Social Ethics," "Doctor of Philosophy (Practical Theology)," etc.)
2. Is this PhD program a new degree?*
3. If approved, when would this experiment begin and for how many years is the school requesting this experiment be conducted before a final decision on its ongoing status is made by the Board?
3a. Start date for this to begin:*
Indicate both year and term
3b. Number of years for the experiment:*
(NB: typically three to five years)
4. How will this program be delivered (check all that apply)?*

a. Half or more of the coursework will be delivered synchronously onlineb. Half or more of the coursework will be delivered at an approved additional location*c. Half or more of the coursework will be delivered through independent studiesOther
*If indicating 4b. (above), provide the complete address for that location:

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip CodeCountry
5. Describe the rationale for this experiment:*
6. Describe the resources and support the school has, in order for it to implement this experiment:
6a. If online, describe the school's technological resources and support:*
Include name of online products and training provided (cf. Prompt 4a, above)
6b. If at additional location, describe the adequacy of that facility for a PhD:*
(Cf. Prompt 4b, above)
6c. If through independent studies, describe the nature and extent of those studies:*
(Cf. Prompt 4c, above)
6d. If any additional costs are involved (e.g., for faculty, technology, library, etc.), please describe those costs here:*
7. How will this experiment be evaluated, especially in terms of documenting that students have achieved the student learning outcomes for this degree?*
Include link(s) to appropriate document(s) (e.g., educational evaluation plan)

Implementing one or more competency-based theological education (CBTE) programs

(per the Board-approved "Guidelines for Competency-Based Theological Education" mentioned above, from which the first ten questions below are taken)
1. Describe the rationale for the CBTE program, including what needs it will meet, how it aligns with the school's mission, and a succinct description of the program:*
Consider providing link(s) to any helpful documentation
2. Describe the program's clearly articulated competencies and how those align with the expectations of the applicable degree program standards (discuss what learning activities will be associated with each competency, such as seminars, synchronous or asynchronous online sessions, reading and writing assignments, exams, ministry activities, study groups, mentoring sessions, etc.):*
If needed, provide link(s) to where these issues are addressed more fully
3. Summarize how the competencies listed above were developed, including the involvement of faculty and other professionals (e.g., church leaders), with some indication that graduates of the program will find appropriate placements:*
4. Summarize here and provide link to a coherent plan for evaluating the program's competencies, including direct and indirect measures, as well as clear rubrics and benchmarks, with an expectation that students will demonstrate a high level of achievement (mastery) of all competencies before any degree is awarded: *
Include link(s) to appropriate document(s)
5. Describe the involvement of qualified faculty who will be engaged in delivering program content and in evaluating how and how well the competencies are achieved, as well as other persons or agencies involved in evaluating students:*
Provide link to all faculty in the program, their roles, and qualifications
6. Describe how the program will require regular and substantive interaction between qualified faculty and students, as well as among students:*
(per Standard 3.9; NB: CBTE cannot be a form of correspondence education, which is prohibited under Policies and Procedures IV.F)
7. Summarize how, where, and when the program will be delivered, with attention to issues of location (e.g., onsite, offsite, online), of building a community of learning, and of degree length (how long it will typically take to complete):*
NOTE: if the program is to be offered in other countries and/or other languages, describe also the school's resources and capacities to support students in those other countries and/or other languages
8. Describe how the program gives due attention to formation, including—as appropriate to the degree—intellectual, personal, spiritual, and ministerial formation, as well as how any required supervised ministry experiences will be provided and evaluated:*
9. Describe the support services and resources that will be available to students, including library services and resources, technology services and resources, and student services and resources, and how those will be delivered, as well as the qualifications of those delivering those resources and services: *
10. Describe how the CBTE program meets graduate-level workload expectations, i.e., that the work required and the outcomes achieved are comparable to traditional forms of graduate education:*
11. If approved, when would this experiment begin and for how many years is the school requesting this experiment be conducted before a final decision on its ongoing status is made by the Board?
11a. Start date for this to begin:*
Indicate both year and term
11b. Number of years for the experiment:*
(NB: typically three to five years)

Implementing some other kind of experiment

(cf. Policies and Procedures, IV.G)
1. What is the nature of the experiment?*
2. What Commission Standards are affected by this experiment?*
3. What is the rationale and planning process for this experiment?*
4. What resources does the school have (or need) to implement this experiment?*
5. How will this experiment be evaluated?*
6. If approved, when would this experiment begin and for how many years is the school requesting this experiment be conducted before a final decision on its ongoing status is made by the Board?
6a. Start date for this to begin:*
Indicate both year and term
6b. Number of years for the experiment:*
(NB: typically three to five years)

When finished, please submit this petition to the ATS Accrediting Records Coordinator by hitting the "submit" button below. You can expect an automated confirmation email within a few minutes. There is no fee for this (or any) Commission petition. Please do not send any paper copies or any emailed attachments; submit only this completed, online form (including any links to additional information requested).

NOTE: Petitions for experiment are decided by the Board of Commissioners only at their semi-annual meetings usually in February and June (see submission deadlines on ATS petitions and notifications webpage).
ATS Commission Staff Liaison Email*
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CEO Email
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CAO Email
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ALO Email
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Petition for Educational Experiment

Implementing a PhD program where at least half of the coursework is not delivered on campus

Implementing one or more competency-based theological education (CBTE) programs

Implementing some other kind of experiment