Accreditation and Affiliations

Accreditation

Programs at Martin Luther University College (formerly Waterloo Lutheran Seminary) are reviewed and accredited by various bodies:

• The Ontario Universities Council on Quality Assurance (through Laurier).
• The Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS) is an organization of more than 270 graduate schools that deliver professional and academic degree programs to educate persons for the practice of ministry, and for teaching and research in the theological disciplines. Two of Luther's programs — Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in Theology — are approved by ATS's Commission on Accrediting.

Educational effectiveness is also measured by a variety of quality care standards through Laurier's Centre for Teaching Innovation and Excellence (CTIE). Recent reviews of our programs are available on Laurier's Cyclical Program Review page. For more information, view our Statement of Educational Effectiveness web page.

Federated with Laurier

From time to time you will hear or read that Martin Luther University College is federated with Wilfrid Laurier University. That means each school governs its own business and budget, but in a close relationship with each other.

• Luther students take courses at Laurier and vice versa.
• Luther students, faculty and staff have access to Laurier's online registration system and, in most cases, adhere to Laurier policies.
• Laurier administers the parking lots on the Luther campus (adjacent to the Luther building) and collects revenue from parking fees.
• Although Luther has the legal right from the Province of Ontario to award theology degrees, we have suspended that practice while we're federated with Laurier. In short, our graduates receive degrees from Wilfrid Laurier University.

MA-SC&P recognized by CRPO

Our Master of Arts in Theology program in the field of Spiritual Care and Psychotherapy is recognized by the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario. The College is the regulatory body for registered psychotherapists in Ontario.

Earth Charter: Vision of hope, call to action

Luther signed a memorandum of understanding with Earth Charter International (ECI), in June 2019, as a way of strengthening our commitment to care for the Earth and its inhabitants.

According to the Earth Charter Initiative website, the document is “an ethical framework for building a just, sustainable, and peaceful global society in the 21st century. It seeks to inspire in all people a new sense of global interdependence and shared responsibility for the well-being of the whole human family, the greater community of life, and future generations. It is a vision of hope and a call to action.”

Under our renewable three-year agreement, ECI will provide scholarships for our members taking ECI courses or programs. We agree to incorporate the Earth Charter principles into our training, and to promote Earth Charter Initiative activities.

Both institutions agree to explore opportunities to co-operate on enhancing curriculum and developing a variety of courses including, but not limited to, a student abroad program.

Even before entering into a formal relationship with ECI, our faculty and staff, board members and administrators operated the school in ways sympathetic to the Earth Charter. For example:

• Academic programs and activities by our centres promote spiritual and emotional well-being; interfaith dialogue and reconciliation; and public ethics.
• During a recent extensive renovation of our school building, the renewal committee paid particular attention to incorporating energy efficient widows and building systems.
• We are participating in a Green Office Program pilot headed by Laurier’s Sustainability Office.
• Our community pastor runs a service that lends household items to international students, and is partnerring with Laurier staff to create a campus FreeStore.
• Whenever possible, we source our swag (branded merchandise) in Canada where labour and environmental protection laws are in place, and the distances to transport items are shorter.

During Luther’s Board of Governors meeting in October 2018, members unanimously passed a motion to make the Earth Charter a core part of our activities. Although the Charter is not legally binding, it is consistent with Luther’s mission. It is also in keeping with the corporate social responsibility policy of the Evangelical Lutheran Foundation of Eastern Canada (ELFEC), which manages our school’s investments.