As president of the John Leland Center for Theological Studies for nearly a decade, Dr. Mark Olson has brought a sense of purpose to a seminary that was newly accredited when he took the position. One issue that Dr. Mark Olson tackled from the outset was a situation of high drop-out levels among the part-time students who made up the vast majority of the student body.
This high attrition rate had to do with the fact that achieving a 90-credit hour master’s in divinity at Leland could take as long as a decade to accomplish. A number of students participated in the teacher education-focused Master of Theological Studies course--not because they planned on academic careers, but because it took less time to complete.
President Olson took the initiative in engaging with the Association of Theological Schools, teachers, and faculty in setting up a new Master of Christian Leadership (MCL) degree. Requiring only 52 credit hours, the degree was launched in 2012 and serves the needs of those with plans to serve in ministry. Core courses spanning history, theology, and the Bible remain in place, while upper-level coursework has been largely replaced by a leadership curriculum. In consequent years, the program has graduated a number of students who are already engaged in local church leadership activities.
This high attrition rate had to do with the fact that achieving a 90-credit hour master’s in divinity at Leland could take as long as a decade to accomplish. A number of students participated in the teacher education-focused Master of Theological Studies course--not because they planned on academic careers, but because it took less time to complete.
President Olson took the initiative in engaging with the Association of Theological Schools, teachers, and faculty in setting up a new Master of Christian Leadership (MCL) degree. Requiring only 52 credit hours, the degree was launched in 2012 and serves the needs of those with plans to serve in ministry. Core courses spanning history, theology, and the Bible remain in place, while upper-level coursework has been largely replaced by a leadership curriculum. In consequent years, the program has graduated a number of students who are already engaged in local church leadership activities.