The emergence of marketing in theological seminaries.

Abstract

Enrollments in graduate theological schools declined during the decade of the 1980s, leading many seminary administrators to consider the application of marketing concepts to their institutions. This study surveyed the chief academic officers of the two hundred members, candidates, and associate members of the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS) in order to discover the practice of marketing in these schools as well as the processes which led to these practices. The survey also sought to reveal the relationship of marketing to the traditional mores and methods of religious higher education. The study concluded that seminaries as a group are more passive than active in their recruitment activities. Compared with the general trends among higher education institutions, seminaries primarily are using traditional and modest marketing efforts. Nonetheless, the seminary administrators interpret their actions as innovative and significant. The study placed each seminary in one of four classifications regarding its understanding of marketing: sellers, promoters, marketers, and those who see a conflict between marketing and "the call" to ministry. Excluding the fourth catagory ("the call"), it was found that there is a positive correlation between a dean's definition of marketing and (1) admissions planning and assessment factors, (2) recruitment and marketing practices, and (3) market-related curriculum changes. A significant correlation was found between the administration's level of involvement in admissions and the number of years of enrollment growth between 1980-1989. The inverse correlation revealed that as enrollments declined, top administrators' interest in admissions and admissions planning increased. A comparison of Catholic institutions to other seminaries revealed that Catholic seminaries tend to be less marketing oriented than others. Catholic seminaries do report making more curriculum changes related to new opportunities for women in ministry. A review of student recruitment literature used by theological schools discovered wide diversity in quality and approach. Most literature was found to be "institution-oriented" rather than "consumer-oriented." The persuasive appeals ranged from challenging students to work "toward the transformation of the world" to offering students affordable education with flexible scheduling.