Student Achievement and Institutional Effectiveness [October 2021]

The Institute for Worship Studies recognizes the importance of assessing how well students are doing in their degree programs, and how effective the Institute for Worship Studies is in the pursuit of its institutional goals. Here is the latest summary of our findings as of Summer 2021:

The Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies has identified and evaluated various measurements of student achievement. Within the doctoral program, 69% of students have graduated with the degree (DWS) and 77% of students have graduated with the degree or certificate (AGCWS). Within the Masters program, 85% of students have graduated with the degree (MWS) and 85% of students have graduated with the degree or certificate (GCWS).

Over the past 3 years, the student retention rate has been 76% of a total of 160 students who started their programs during that time. Also, based on the completion of the June 2020 term (i.e., by May 1, 2021) the student grade point average was 3.49/4.0.

Over the past 3 years, on average, 54 new students have enrolled each year. During that same time period, on average, 37 students have graduated each year.

The purpose of the programs offered through The Institute for Worship Studies is to further equip worship leaders, instructors, and others interested in the theory and practice of Christian worship, for their responsibilities in the local church and other settings. Given this purpose, fourteen learning outcomes have been identified (seven for DWS and seven for MWS) and academic assessments completed. Following the completion of the June 2020 term (i.e., by May 1, 2021), IWS students indicated that their courses had a positive impact on developing their understanding and abilities in these seven outcomes. Based on assessment instruments utilizing a 1 to 5 rating scale, from strongly disagree to strongly agree, the following indicators and the averaged responses regarding the extent to which the courses helped fulfill them were as follows:

Program Outcomes for the Doctor of Worship Studies

49 respondents of 81 students, June 2020 term

  1. Biblical foundation of Christian worship
    The student will understand, as well as demonstrate the ability to articulate and evaluate, worship rooted in and declaring the story of the Triune God as expressed in the Scriptures. (4.8/5.0)
  2. Historical development of Christian worship
    The student will understand, as well as demonstrate the ability to articulate and evaluate, major trajectories in the practice of Christian worship through culture and time for use in assessing current expressions of Christian worship. (4.4/5.0)
  3. Theological reflection on Christian worship
    The student will understand, as well as demonstrate the ability to articulate, a scripturally rooted, historically informed Christian theology of worship to guide the planning and evaluation of Christian worship. (4.8/5.0)
  4. Cultural reflection on Christian worship
    The student will understand, as well as demonstrate the ability to articulate and evaluate, ways in which culture informs and shapes expressions of Christian worship, past and present. (4.1/5.0)
  5. Missiological reflection on Christian worship
    The student will understand, as well as demonstrate the ability to articulate and evaluate, the centrality of God’s mission, with respect to the Church’s worship, founded on the scriptural revelation of the Triune God. (4.6/5.0)
  6. Methodological skills for studies in Christian worship
    The student will demonstrate the ability to research, evaluate and articulate concepts related to Christian worship, using scholarly materials (primary and secondary) and the theological action-research methodology. (4.4/5.0)
  7. Ministerial skills in Christian worship
    The student will understand, as well as demonstrate the ability to articulate, implement and evaluate, key concepts related to Christian worship in a particular setting. (4.5/5.0)

Program Outcomes for the Master of Worship Studies

22 respondents of 29 students, June 2020 term

  1. Biblical foundation of Christian worship
    The student will understand, as well as demonstrate the ability to articulate and evaluate, Biblical evidence for worship as participation in the story of the Triune God. (4.8/5.0)
  2. Historical development of Christian worship
    The student will understand, as well as demonstrate the ability to articulate and evaluate, the historical development of Christian worship practices and theology. (4.6/5.0)
  3. Theological reflection on Christian worship
    The student will understand, as well as demonstrate the ability to articulate and evaluate, the role of theology, philosophy and epistemology in Christian formation. (4.3/5.0)
  4. Cultural reflection on Christian worship
    The student will understand, as well as demonstrate the ability to articulate and evaluate, the role of contextualization in engaging God’s people in the dialogue of worship. (4.9/5.0)
  5. Missiological reflection on Christian worship
    The student will understand, as well as demonstrate the ability to articulate and evaluate, the centrality of God’s mission with respect to the Church’s worship, including its global dimensions. (4.5/5.0)
  6. Methodological skills for studies in Christian worship
    The student will demonstrate the ability to research, evaluate and articulate concepts related to Christian worship, using scholarly materials, as well as apply them to the spiritual life of the believer, with an emphasis upon the planning of corporate worship. (4.5/5.0)
  7. Ministerial skills in Christian worship
    The student will demonstrate the ability to integrate and evaluate MWS course objectives within a local ministry context through specific, intentional and strategically supervised efforts. (4.5/5.0)

Student Achievement and Institutional Effectiveness Reports

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Director of Enrollment Management.

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