Accreditation and Validation

In higher education, the measure of the quality of an academic institution is the credentials of its faculty, the integrity of its courses and programs, and ultimately the professional accomplishments of its students and graduates. Trinity has provided access to Christian higher education for nearly 40 years and currently has approximately 5000 students enrolled in its distance learning programs.

Trinity has pursued two forms of official recognition for its academic programming. The first form is United States (USA) based accreditation for the institution as a whole, and the second is United Kingdom (UK) based validation for specific programmes only.

Accreditation and Trinity USA Programs                                            

The majority of the Trinity faculty are credentialed with doctorate degrees from accredited institutions. Trinity’s faculty includes professors trained in or teaching at institutions such as:

• Columbia University Teachers College
• Dallas Theological Seminary
• Indiana State University
• Michigan State University
• Purdue University
• Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
• Syracuse University
• Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (Chicago)
• Vanderbilt University Divinity School
• Westminster Theological Seminary

Each year, Trinity pursues comprehensive academic evaluations made by faculty from other accredited institutions. These external examiners who do not teach for Trinity assess student learning outcomes in light of the:

• mission and objectives of the institution
• academic rigor of course requirements by degree level
• integrity of student work
• institutional services
• faculty development

This external assessment guides Trinity in its internal processes of curriculum development, and also determines the targeted quality for its courses and programs.

Trinity is actively working towards an application for accreditation with a U.S. Department of Education (USDE) recognized agency for all of its programs not already validated by the University of Wales. For more information on accreditation, please visit the USDE website at http://www.ed.gov/print/admins/finaid/accred/accreditation.html.

Validation and Wales Programmes                                                     
Select programmes of study at Trinity are validated by the University of Wales. Please see the Course Document and Catalog 2007–2008 for a listing of those specific programmes.

Validation is the highest form of accreditation in the United Kingdom. The following statement is quoted verbatim as required by the University of Wales for institutions offering validated programme schemes through the University:

“Validation is the process by which an awarding institution judges that a programme developed and delivered by another institution is of an appropriate quality and standard to lead to its award.” (The Quality Assurance Agency.)

While the majority of the University’s students study in Wales, the University’s very successful and highly regarded international validation operation is also an important dimension of its work. This enables overseas institutions to offer the University of Wales degree at an equivalent standard to the degree offered in Wales itself. Validation is important in fostering links between Wales and other countries and many of the University’s graduates are now in positions of influence overseas. Last year, more than 15,000 students were registered on validated courses of the University of Wales and nearly 3,000 graduated with the University’s degree. Altogether, more than 35,000 students have been awarded degrees since the validation operation began in 1975.

The maintenance of academic standards is of paramount importance for validated courses, as it is for courses offered within Wales. The University is rightly regarded as a role model in this respect. Its processes compare very favourably with those of other institutions in the UK and the positive report received following a recent independent review, favourable audit reports from the Quality Assurance Agency and the University’s reputation overseas attest clearly to the high esteem in which its validation work is held.

The recent review of the University’s Validation and Franchising was commissioned in 2004 by the University of Wales Council, in response to a recommendation in the Williams Report on the University’s membership, structures and modus operandi. The three independent panel members, who were drawn from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, the University of Birmingham and St Martin’s College of Higher Education, were asked to examine the benefits and risks of validation and franchising to the University and its accredited institutions, To undertake the review they consulted widely, both within the University of Wales and further afield, as well as taking into consideration the available written evidence, such as Quality Assurance agency reports on audits of validated and franchised provision. In its favourable report on the provision, the panel highlighted the extensive, long-term experience of validation which had been built up by the University over a long period, together with the impressive quality and dedication of the staff of the Validation Unit, and expressed the belief that, with greater collaboration from within the accredited institutions, even more could be achieved of mutual benefit.

Trinity College of the Bible and Theological Seminary Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Counseling; Biblical Leadership and Ministry; Biblical Studies Master of Arts in Biblical Counseling; Biblical Leadership and Ministry; Biblical Studies; Theology These degrees are validated and awarded by the University of Wales, UK. For further details regarding the University and its validation services, please log on to www.wales.ac.uk/validation or email validation@wales.ac.uk

Validation Unit
University of Wales
King Edward VII Avenue
Cathays Park
Cardiff
South Wales CF10 3NS
+44 (0) 2920 376999 • Fax +44 (0) 2020 376984
www.wales.ac.uk • validation@wales.ac.uk