Accreditation
We are a nationally accredited seminary
Birmingham Theological Seminary (BTS) is a charter member of the Association of Reformed Theological Seminaries (ARTS), which has accredited BTS for over 20 years.
ARTS is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), affirming that its standards meet CHEA's rigorous expectations for academic quality, improvement, and accountability. ARTS accredits institutions that grant degrees in Reformed Theology, preparing students for Christian service and ministry.
What is accreditation? Why is it so important?
In this episode of BTS Bits, Dave Latham (Chief Admissions and Communications Officer) and Ike Reeder (President) talk about the importance of accreditation and how BTS is accredited.
Learn About Our National Accreditation
BTS is a charter member of the Association of Reformed Theological Seminaries (ARTS) and has been accredited by ARTS for over 20 years.
The mission of the Association of Reformed Theological Seminaries (ARTS) is to preserve and advance the academic quality, accountability, and improvement of institutions committed to educating students in the tenets of Reformed Theology.
As an accrediting agency, ARTS is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) for the following scope of accreditation:
ARTS Commission on Accreditation accredits United States-based institutions and other locations as determined by the Commission on Accreditation, which offer baccalaureate and/or graduate degrees in fields aimed at preparing students for Christian service and ministry through biblical and theological studies of Reformed traditions. (2024)
As a religious institution offering graduate degrees under the supervision of a local church, BTS has been approved as exempt from Alabama education licensure laws.
BTS also holds special agreements and/or articulation agreements with a number of other seminaries (Reformed Theological Seminary, Covenant Theological Seminary, Southern Seminary, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary, etc.) that recognize BTS classes and degree programs.
Statement on Diploma and Accreditation Mills
Birmingham Theological Seminary is committed to genuine, accredited theological education, and to protecting our students, alumni, and the churches they serve from institutions that trade in the appearance of legitimacy rather than the substance of it.
Diploma mills and accreditation mills undermine trust in higher education by offering degrees or accrediting status with little or no legitimate academic rigor, faculty oversight, or peer review. In theological education this risk is especially serious: a credential from such an entity can place an unqualified individual in pastoral leadership, biblical counseling, or teaching roles, with real consequences for the health of a local church.
BTS is accredited by the Association of Reformed Theological Seminaries (ARTS), which is itself recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), the national body that verifies legitimate accrediting agencies. That accreditation is earned, not purchased: it requires a rigorous self-study, an on-site peer review, formal action by the ARTS Commission on Accreditation, and periodic reaccreditation across every area of institutional life, from mission and governance to academics, faculty, student services, and financial integrity. Every degree BTS awards reflects substantive coursework, qualified faculty, and a genuine assessment of student learning — not a transaction.
Diploma mills and accreditation mills can usually be recognized by a consistent set of warning signs. A diploma mill typically awards degrees based on payment rather than academic achievement, offers little or no coursework or unusually short completion timelines, employs
faculty without verifiable credentials, claims accreditation from a body not recognized by CHEA or the U.S. Department of Education, or uses a name deliberately designed to be confused with a well-known institution. An accreditation mill follows a parallel pattern: it accredits any institution willing to pay a fee, is not itself recognized by CHEA or the U.S. Department of Education, publishes no standards and conducts no site visits or peer review, and often accredits institutions that are themselves diploma mills.
We encourage every prospective student, alumnus, and church to verify an institution's legitimacy before enrolling or accepting a credential. CHEA's directory of recognized accrediting organizations is the most direct way to confirm that an accreditor is legitimate, and CHEA's Important Questions About Degree Mills explains these warning signs in greater depth. BTS's own accreditation status can be verified directly on the ARTS website.
If you have a concern about a specific institution or credential, CHEA, your state attorney general's office, or the BTS Chief Academic Officer can help.
