JST-SCU Statement on Accreditation & Educational Effectiveness

Accreditation Information

The Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University (JST-SCU) is accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) in the United States and Canada. JST-SCU is the only school west of Chicago with an ecclesiastical faculty approved by the Congregation for Catholic Education to grant degrees in the name of the Pope. JST-SCU is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, the American Association of Theological Schools, and by the Vatican Congregation of Catholic Education as an Ecclesiastical Faculty of Theology.

https://www.scu.edu/jst/about/mission-and-vision/

In 1971, the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley (JSTB) was accredited by both the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS). It maintained its accreditation by the Vatican’s Congregation for Catholic Education, which had established it in 1945 as an institution that confers ecclesiastical degrees.

JST-SCU is one of three theological centers sponsored by the Jesuits of Canada and the United States where Jesuits prepare for the priesthood and where other programs are offered in service of the church both in North America and worldwide. 

JST-SCU offers the following ATS and WASC accredited degree programs: Master of Theological Studies (MTS), Master of Divinity (M.Div.), and Theology Masters (ThM). Additionally, JST-SCU offers the Baccalaureate of Sacred Theology (S.T.B.), Licentiate in Sacred Theology (S.T.L.), and the Doctorate in Sacred Theology (S.T.D.), which are ecclesiastical degrees granted in the name of the Holy See through the Ecclesiastical Faculty of JST-SCU, by virtue of its status as an ecclesiastical faculty accredited by the Vatican Congregation of Catholic Education.

Inquiries regarding JST-SCU’s accreditation status should be directed to:

Office of the Provost and EVP, Santa Clara University, 500 El Camino Real
Walsh Administration Building
Santa Clara, California 95053-0460
Office: 408 554 4533
Fax: 408 551 6074

Email: provost@scu.edu

Commission contact information

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: 412-788-6505
Fax: 412-788-6510
www.ats.edu

Educational Effectiveness

Statement of Educational Effectiveness for ATS-approved Degrees

In 2026, the student population of 118 students consists of 87 men (74 percent) and 31 women (26 percent), including 48 Jesuits (41 percent), 45 lay students (38 percent), and 25 members of other religious orders and diocesan priests (21 percent). The student body is comprised of 52 percent international students.

The graduation rate for JST-SCU students as of May 2026 is 86.7 percent. Of the 42 students who graduated in the 2025-2026 academic year, 81 percent secured vocational placements and 12 percent are pursuing further studies.

According to the May 2026 graduating student survey, students report the highest educational effectiveness in preaching, interpreting scripture, working effectively within one’s religious tradition, interacting effectively with a diversity of people from a variety of contexts, relating social issues to faith, and thinking theologically. In exit interviews conducted by Dean Orobator, graduates expressed overall feelings of satisfaction and gratitude, specifically recognizing the community, internationality, and interculturality of JST-SCU. Graduates also expressed satisfaction with the curriculum and pedagogy at JST-SCU. Those completing the Licentiate in Sacred Theology Program shared their appreciation for JST-SCU’s emphasis on culturally contextualized theology that allows them to pursue their research interests tailored to their work and the needs of their communities. Accessible faculty, small class sizes, and the writing program were highlighted as strengths and essential to student success.

The following statistics provide information regarding our students' time to completion during the 2025-2026 academic year:

Master of Divinity
Of the 8 M.Div. graduates in 2025-2026:
8 finished the degree in 3 years

Master of Theological Studies
Of the 9 M.T.S. graduates in 2025-2026:
1 finished the degree in <2 years
5 finished the degree in 2 years
3 finished the degree in 3 years

Master of Theology
Of the 25 Th.M. graduates in 2025-2026:
8 finished the degree in <2 years
16 finished the degree in 2 years
1 finished the degree in 3 years

Master of Arts
For information on the common M.A., please visit the GTU’s site on accreditation and educational effectiveness.