Accreditation
Meadville Lombard Theological School is accredited and widely recognized as a leader among theological schools nationwide.
Meadville Lombard is accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) in the United States and Canada. The following Meadville Lombard degree programs are approved:
- Master of Divinity
- Master of Arts (Religion)
- Doctor of Ministry
Meadville Lombard is approved to offer comprehensive distance education, effective June 2021.
In 2023, ATS reaffirmed accreditation of Meadville Lombard for a period of 7 years.
National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA)
Meadville Lombard Theological School has been approved to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements. For more information, visit https://nc-sara.org/.
Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE)
Meadville Lombard is authorized to operate in Illinois by the Illinois Board of Higher Education. Any complaints can be registered with IBHE at their complaint link below.
Register Complaints
Student Complaints
Meadville Lombard Theological School takes student complaints seriously. Policies related to specific kinds of complaints can be found in the Student Handbook sections relating to Harassment, Student Records and FERPA, Non-Academic Student Discipline, Grievance against Faculty or Staff, and the Whistleblower Policy. Types of complaints not addressed in the Student Handbook may be made by contacting the President of the School, the Vice President of Finance and Administration, or the Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs, or via the Complaint Form on Populi. Students should bring complaints to Meadville Lombard Theological School directly and only address concerns via a formal complaint to IBHE after following the MLTS procedure.
Affiliations
Meadville Lombard is one of two Unitarian Universalist theological schools in North America with strong affiliations with the Unitarian Universalist Association, its Department of Ministry, and the UUA’s Ministerial Fellowship Committee, which meets annually with students at the school.
Meadville Lombard, along with 11 other theological schools in Chicago, is a member of the Association of Chicago Theological Schools. ACTS membership allows Meadville Lombard students access to more than 300 faculty members, 1,000 courses, and excellent libraries in the Chicago area and suburbs.
Current Meadville Lombard students who are interested in registering for an ACTS course, please refer to our registration guide. https://library.meadville.edu/financial_aid/ACTS
Meadville Lombard is an institutional member of the International Association for Religious Freedom. Historically, many students, alumni/ae, and faculty have served on the IARF/U.S. chapter board.
Meadville Lombard is a member of the Council of Religious Leaders of Metropolitan Chicago, an inter-religious community of leaders from diverse faith traditions. Its members build bridges across their many faiths; engage in discussions about intra- and inter-religious civic issues; support one another and their religious communities in the face of religious prejudice, discrimination, and persecution; and take action on public issues that advance the common good.
