About SJV’s Assessment and Educational Effectiveness

Saint John Vianney Theological Seminary is committed to the ongoing assessment of its educational and priestly formation programs to ensure that graduates are well prepared for ministry in service to the Church. Educational effectiveness is evaluated through placement outcomes, graduation and persistence rates, degree completions, direct assessment of student learning, and feedback from supervising pastors following ordination. Together, these measures provide meaningful evidence of the Seminary’s effectiveness and support its commitment to continuous improvement in accordance with the Standards of Accreditation established by The Association of Theological Schools (ATS).

Placement Rate

Between June 2003 and May 2026, St. John Vianney Theological Seminary awarded the Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree to 230 seminarians. During this timeframe, the Seminary admitted only seminarians sponsored for priestly formation by a diocese or religious institute. M.Div. graduates have demonstrated a consistently high rate of vocational placement following graduation and ordination, with recent placement rates at or near 100%, as reflected in the table below. In rare cases, the timing of graduation and diaconal or priestly ordination may not coincide, resulting in slight variations in the annual vocational placement rate.

In Fall 2026, the Seminary began offering M.Div. Degree Program admission to full- and part-time lay students. While these students will not seek ordination, many have indicated a desire to seek or continue their employment within diocesan organizations, including Catholic schools, parishes, or diocesan offices. As such, we anticipate vocational placement will remain strong.

Graduation Rate

At St. John Vianney Theological Seminary, seminarians study full-time and most complete the M.Div. over a 4-year period. The graduation rates in the table below are based upon students who entered the M.Div. program six years prior to the listed survey year.

Student learning and program effectiveness are evaluated using multiple measures. ATS Annual Report data provides information on M.Div. degree completion, graduation, and vocational placement. Direct assessment of student learning is aligned with the Master of Divinity Program Goals and Student Learning Objectives. In the 2022–2024 M.Div. Degree Assessment, selected Written Comprehensive Examination responses were evaluated under Degree Program Goal IV – Pastoral Formation, with an average rating of 4 out of 5. In addition, First Pastor Evaluations provide feedback on how effectively SJV has prepared newly ordained priests for ministry in the areas of Human, Spiritual, Intellectual, and Pastoral formation. Together, these results provide evidence of M.Div. program effectiveness and support continued improvement.

Assessment Through First Pastor Evaluations

Approximately one year after ordination, supervising pastors complete a First Pastor Evaluation to assess how effectively SJV has prepared newly ordained priests for ministry. Results highlight strengths and areas for continued growth in Human, Spiritual, Intellectual, and Pastoral formation and, together with direct student-learning measures, support ongoing improvement of the M. Div. Program.