*One-year retention rates reflect first-time, full-time, degree-seeking freshmen who returned their second year. Six-year graduation rates reflect full-time, degree-seeking students who graduated within six years.

**These rates are based on the total number of individuals who returned the following semester divided by the total number of possible returning students (i.e., excludes those who graduated).

***This number reflects the percentage of traditional undergraduate graduates who were employed or enrolled in graduate school within six months of graduation.

****The knowledge rate reflects the percentage of graduates for which Cornerstone was able to gather employment or graduate school information.

Cornerstone University equips students to excel as flourishing influencers in the world for Christ and His kingdom. Here, we define vocational preparation as the faithful stewardship of one’s God-given talents and opportunities throughout his or her professional, personal and civic life. As a result, our Christ-centered, student-focused learning community supports the development of intellectual curiosity, character-based virtues and creative habits.

Comprised of multiple principal academic units, Cornerstone awards associate (A.A., A.S.); bachelor’s (B.A., B.Mus., B.S., B.S.W.); master’s (M.A., M.B.A., M.Div., M.S.); and doctoral (Ed.D.) degrees.

Educational Outcomes

Our graduates enter career fields, ministry roles and graduate programs with essential knowledge and skills in five distinct areas or learning domains, all of which help produce well-rounded individuals who are prepared to influence the world for Christ. Our five university-wide learning outcomes include specialized knowledge; applied knowledge and collaborative learning; intellectual skills; civic and global learning and biblical worldview integration.

1. Specialized Knowledge: Cornerstone students will demonstrate knowledge of and proficiency in the terminology, theories, concepts, practices and skills specific to their field of study.
2. Applied Knowledge and Collaborative Learning: Cornerstone students will exhibit competency in applying their knowledge to address real-life problems through both individual and group effort.
3. Intellectual Skills: Cornerstone students will demonstrate their ability to integrate both traditional and non-traditional cognitive skills, including analytical inquiry, information literacy, quantitative fluency and communicative fluency.
4. Civic and Global Engagement: Cornerstone students will demonstrate intercultural competence in addressing civic, social, environmental and economic issues.
5. Biblical Worldview Integration: Cornerstone students will be able to articulate a Christ-centered worldview and its personal, professional and communal embodiment through Christian virtues.

Program-Specific Learning Outcomes

Undergraduate Program Learning Outcomes

Cornerstone University’s Professional & Graduate Studies division tracks attendance and students’ successful completion of the first and second classes in each cohort. To calculate data, the Professional & Graduate Studies division looks at whether or not students have persisted in a given cohort. A student is considered retained when they receive a grade for a course or take a leave of absence.

Cornerstone University’s Professional & Graduate Studies division calculates four-year and six-year graduation rates at end of each academic year for bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees and the six-year graduation rate for associate degrees.

To calculate graduation rates, the Professional & Graduate Studies division looks at all students whose initial start date at a given degree level (i.e., associate, bachelor’s, master’s, doctorate) falls within the date parameters in question. The university then looks at students’ current academic status (i.e., active, withdrawn, graduate). The ratio of graduates to the total number of students gives Cornerstone its graduation rate for the academic year in question.

Professional & Graduates Studies (PGS) works with Cornerstone University’s Alumni Office to survey all students who graduated during a given academic year (i.e., December, May and August grads). The following rates demonstrate the percentage of students who were employed or in grad school within six months of completing their degree programs.

PGS Graduate Survey Employment Rates

Cornerstone University equips students to excel as flourishing influencers in the world for Christ and His kingdom. Here, we define vocational preparation as the faithful stewardship of one’s God-given talents and opportunities throughout his or her professional, personal and civic life. As a result, our Christ-centered, student-focused learning community supports the development of intellectual curiosity, character-based virtues and creative habits.

Comprised of multiple principal academic units, Cornerstone awards associate (A.A., A.S.); bachelor’s (B.A., B.Mus., B.S., B.S.W.); master’s (M.A., M.B.A., M.Div., M.S.); and doctoral (Ed.D.) degrees.

Educational Outcomes

Our graduates enter career fields, ministry roles and graduate programs with essential knowledge and skills in five distinct areas or learning domains, all of which help produce well-rounded individuals who are prepared to influence the world for Christ. Our five university-wide learning outcomes include specialized knowledge; applied knowledge and collaborative learning; intellectual skills; civic and global learning and biblical worldview integration.

1. Specialized Knowledge: Cornerstone students will demonstrate knowledge of and proficiency in the terminology, theories, concepts, practices and skills specific to their field of study.
2. Applied Knowledge and Collaborative Learning: Cornerstone students will exhibit competency in applying their knowledge to address real-life problems through both individual and group effort.
3. Intellectual Skills: Cornerstone students will demonstrate their ability to integrate both traditional and non-traditional cognitive skills, including analytical inquiry, information literacy, quantitative fluency and communicative fluency.
4. Civic and Global Engagement: Cornerstone students will demonstrate intercultural competence in addressing civic, social, environmental and economic issues.
5. Biblical Worldview Integration: Cornerstone students will be able to articulate a Christ-centered worldview and its personal, professional and communal embodiment through Christian virtues.

Program-Specific Learning Outcomes

Adult Program Learning Outcomes

Graduate Program Learning Outcomes

Assessment of student learning is highly valued at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary. It is our responsibility to deliver on the promise to provide excellence in graduate theological education. At GRTS, assessment of student outcomes is not an externally imposed burden. Rather, assessment of student learning and the disclosure of educational effectiveness is a task of stewardship, a process for organizational learning, and a matter of accountability.

The effectiveness of our educational programs is assessed in a disciplined and routine manner. Through a variety of instruments and processes, we assess the achievement of the intended student learning outcomes of our curriculum, student and alumni satisfaction, readiness for ministry of our students, and vocational achievement of our graduates.

The following provides a few highlights and demonstrates how GRTS is delivering on its promise to provide excellence in graduate theological education.

Vocational Readiness for Ministry

Percentage of students completing the assessment process that received an outcome of fully affirm in vocational readiness

Vocational Outcomes

Percentage of students reporting vocational placement 6-12 months post-graduation

Six-year graduation rates represent all degree-seeking students who began in the degree program and finished in the same degree program.

Cornerstone University equips students to excel as flourishing influencers in the world for Christ and His kingdom. Here, we define vocational preparation as the faithful stewardship of one’s God-given talents and opportunities throughout his or her professional, personal and civic life. As a result, our Christ-centered, student-focused learning community supports the development of intellectual curiosity, character-based virtues and creative habits.

Comprised of multiple principal academic units, Cornerstone awards associate (A.A., A.S.); bachelor’s (B.A., B.Mus., B.S., B.S.W.); master’s (M.A., M.B.A., M.Div., M.S.); and doctoral (Ed.D.) degrees.

Educational Outcomes

Our graduates enter career fields, ministry roles and graduate programs with essential knowledge and skills in five distinct areas or learning domains, all of which help produce well-rounded individuals who are prepared to influence the world for Christ. Our five university-wide learning outcomes include specialized knowledge; applied knowledge and collaborative learning; intellectual skills; civic and global learning and biblical worldview integration.

1. Specialized Knowledge: Cornerstone students will demonstrate knowledge of and proficiency in the terminology, theories, concepts, practices and skills specific to their field of study.
2. Applied Knowledge and Collaborative Learning: Cornerstone students will exhibit competency in applying their knowledge to address real-life problems through both individual and group effort.
3. Intellectual Skills: Cornerstone students will demonstrate their ability to integrate both traditional and non-traditional cognitive skills, including analytical inquiry, information literacy, quantitative fluency and communicative fluency.
4. Civic and Global Engagement: Cornerstone students will demonstrate intercultural competence in addressing civic, social, environmental and economic issues.
5. Biblical Worldview Integration: Cornerstone students will be able to articulate a Christ-centered worldview and its personal, professional and communal embodiment through Christian virtues.

Program-Specific Learning Outcomes

Seminary Program Learning Outcomes

*Percentage of students who enrolled in a course during the year following their year of acceptance into a degree program.
**Percentage of students who graduated within five years of acceptance into a degree program.
***Percentage of students who graduated from a degree program regardless of timeframe.
****An additional 10% are still active students.
*****An additional 8% are still active students.
******An additional 8% are still active students.
*******An additional 32% are still active students.

For Cornerstone, assessment is a matter of institutional integrity. In addition to providing an opportunity for organizational learning and a credible foundation for data-based decision making, we view assessment as an ongoing and cyclical process.

Purpose of Assessment

Because we understand assessment as having internal value and theological connections, Cornerstone engages in the work of assessment to achieve the following objectives:

• To document an explicit plan and process for assessing student learning.
• To clearly articulate a set of student learning outcomes for degree programs and individual courses.
• To map intended student learning outcomes (SLOs) across the curriculum (e.g., mapping SLOs to select courses and student learning artifacts).
• To enact assessment projects on a scheduled and routine basis which seek to measure the level of achievement of the intended student learning outcomes at the course and program level.
• To identify needed changes to the curriculum (programs and courses) through the work of assessment.
• To demonstrate the administrative will to enact the needed changes identified in the work of assessment.
• To document the changes to curriculum resulting from the administration of the assessment plan and process.
• To develop as educational professionals in the art and science of assessment of student learning.
• To facilitate a culture of assessment that leads to continuous improvement of curriculum, personnel, programs and overall educational quality.

Assessment Reports

Our annual assessment reports reflect the work of the university in the area of assessment. The reports highlight some of the best practices observed in specific divisions or courses. In addition, the reports outline next steps we are taking to invest in the advancement of assessment at Cornerstone.

Annual Assessment Report for 2019-20

Annual Assessment Report for 2018-19

Annual Assessment Report for 2017-18

Annual Assessment Report for 2016-17

Annual Assessment Report for 2015-16

Annual Assessment Report for 2012-13

Annual Assessment Report for 2010-11

Annual Assessment Report for 2009-10

Annual Assessment Report for 2008-09

Annual Assessment Report for 2007-08

Annual Assessment Report for 2006-07

Annual Assessment Report for 2005-06

In conducting an evaluation of the university, the following items constituted the formal charge which guided the self-study process. The Cornerstone University community worked for two years in the evaluation of its practices and processes and moved forward following the contours of the “Accreditation Plan” submitted to the HLC for early review.

Specifically, the following goals guided this organizational evaluation:

• To render a just and accurate evaluation of the condition of the university to the Higher Learning Commission in light of the five accreditation Criteria and four Themes of high-functioning organizations of higher education.
• To invite the professionals employed by the university to appraise the organization, to reach conclusions about its strengths and weaknesses, and to show the institutional will and resolve to know what to do in order to improve the organization’s processes and behaviors as it meets the needs of its stakeholders.
• To provide the university community with an evaluation of itself with the aspiration of internal ownership of the findings.
• To allow the reaccreditation process to guide organizational development and provide a scheme for overall maturation as well as a set of specific “next steps” for the university.
• To assist in the transition of the university to the Pathways accreditation system.

The campus-wide introspection fostered by this reaccreditation self-study is becoming a part of the campus ethos and organizational expectations. With the advent of the new accrediting process, this review will serve the university well as it moves into the future.

Self-Study Report | November 2011

Cornerstone University Self Study (234-page report)

Cornerstone University Self Study Executive Summary (20-page summary report)

• The organization operates with integrity to ensure the fulfillment of its mission through structures and processes that involve the board, administration, faculty, staff and students.
• The organization’s allocation of resources and its processes for evaluation and planning demonstrate its capacity to fulfill its mission, improve the quality of its education, and respond to future challenges and opportunities.
• The organization provides evidence of student learning and teaching effectiveness that demonstrates it is fulfilling its educational mission.
• The organization promotes a life of learning for its faculty, administration, staff and students by fostering and supporting inquiry, creativity, practice and social responsibility in ways consistent with its mission.
• As called for by its mission, the organization identifies its constituencies and serves them in ways both value.

Criteria are listed in the: Handbook of Accreditation, Third Edition.