In addition, DTS now has more than 1000 women enrolled in our degree programs.

Dallas Theological Seminary announced today its sixth consecutive academic year of record enrollment, with an all-time high of 2551 students preparing for ministry. This is the first time in the institution’s 96-year history that student enrollment has surpassed 2500. Not only does the record enrollment come during a pandemic, it also bucks the decade-long trend of flat or declining enrollment in evangelical seminaries.

According to DTS President Mark Yarbrough, “Exceeding enrollment goals is ultimately about fulfilling the seminary’s mission to prepare men and women for a lifetime of ministry. Each student represents one more person deeply trained in the Bible and equipped to strengthen the Body of Christ. We thank God that He has enabled us to do that for another semester. He is faithful.”

The record enrollment recorded for the Spring 2021 semester also comes with some other notable achievements. It is the largest spring semester admissions ever, with 279 new students starting classes. This spring enrollment also marks an important milestone in both gender and ethnic diversity at DTS. With 1017 women taking courses this spring, this is the first time DTS has over 1000 female students studying in a given semester. Additionally, our Spanish and Chinese language programs now make up more than 10% of our headcount, with a record high of 279 students enrolled in those programs.

In the summer of 2020, DTS launched two new MA degrees, the Master of Arts in Apologetics and Evangelism (MAAE) and the Master of Arts in Chaplaincy and Ministry Care (MACP). Both of those programs have shown tremendous initial interest and growth, with the MAAE at 44 students and the MACP at 39 students. The doctoral programs also continued to grow, with over 200 students enrolled in the DMin and DEdMin programs and 43 students in the PhD program.

John Dyer, Dean of Enrollment Services and Distance Education, had this to say about the record growth in so many areas.  “I am continually amazed by the resiliency of our students and their dependence on God in the midst of all that's happening around them. That so many men and women from so many different places with so many different ministry goals would continue to pursue theological education is both exciting and encouraging."

Developing accessible and flexible pathways to earning a seminary degree has been paramount to DTS’s continued success in attracting students. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the seminary is able to continue to offer in-person instruction at all four campus locations and our 10+ regional locations (under strict health and safety guidelines) while simultaneously increasing the amount of online and remote courses available to students. The commitment to both the health and safety of students, as well as to their educational training, reflects DTS’s credo to “Teach Truth. Love Well.”

About DTS: Dallas Theological Seminary is a non-denominational evangelical seminary founded in 1924. Located just outside of downtown Dallas, DTS is home to more than 2500 graduate students from 60+ denominations and offers over 17 different graduate degrees and programs. DTS is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges and the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools.

About the Contributors

Ed Herrelko

Ed Herrelko is the former executive director of Marketing and Communications at Dallas Theological Seminary. With over seventeen years of experience working in higher education, Ed has served as a CAO, VP of Academics, and VP of Enrollment/Admissions at numerous private institutions. Additionally, he has worked in the marketing agency world, as well as in corporate America, and runs a consulting firm that works with higher education and EdTech clients. He holds a PhD in Biblical Theology from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, a MDIV and MA from Southern California Seminary and has a BA in Anthropology and Political Science from the University of Michigan. He, his wife Amy, and daughter Alexandria live in Dallas. Ed is a die-hard University of Michigan fan who loves strong coffee and gluten-free donuts.