Pacific School of Religion

What Pacific School of Religion does

Pacific School of Religion (PSR) is a private nonprofit progressive Christian seminary and graduate school founded in 1866 and headquartered in Berkeley, California, within the Graduate Theological Union (GTU) consortium. The institution delivers graduate theological education through four degree programs (Doctor of Ministry, Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Social Transformation, and Master of Theological Studies) and three graduate certificates (Spirituality and Social Change, Sexuality and Religion, and Theological Studies), supported by an innovative stackable curriculum that allows students to earn two degrees and a certificate in three years. PSR operates four specialized centers: the Badè Museum of Biblical Archaeology (founded 1923), the Center for LGBTQ and Gender Studies in Religion (CLGS, founded 2000 as the first such center at any Christian seminary), the Ignite Institute, and Theological Education for Leadership (TEL).

The core technology stack consists of a Moodle learning management system, Zoom video conferencing, and The Ignite Collective, a proprietary online educational platform developed with a $5 million Lilly Endowment grant to connect emerging faith leaders with resources and community. PSR distributes through two channels: traditional on-campus residential education at its Berkeley campus leveraging GTU shared library and academic resources, and distance education authorized across 27+ U.S. states. Recent product expansion includes the Congregational Renewal Cohort program (supporting up to 50 congregations) and the Kwaray initiative launched in 2024.

The business model combines three revenue streams: tuition and fees from graduate degree and certificate programs (subscription-style recurring revenue per enrolled student), grants and philanthropy (notably two Lilly Endowment grants totaling $6.25M in 2022-2023), and donations and endowments from alumnx and supporters. Customer segments include graduate seminary students seeking ministry and chaplaincy careers, emerging faith leaders, LGBTQ+ individuals and communities, and congregations. GTM is sales-led through personalized admissions counseling, faith-based denominational partnerships (notably UCC), community referrals, and a multi-channel digital presence spanning the website, social media, podcast, newsletter, and the 125-year-running Earl Lectures public lecture series.

Name

Pacific School of Religion

Legal name

Pacific School of Religion

Website

https://psr.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1866

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Pacific School of Religion is a 158-year-old progressive Christian seminary in Berkeley, California offering graduate theological degrees, certificates, and online programs through four specialized centers, serving ministry students, emerging faith leaders, and congregations across 27+ U.S. states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Graduate Theological Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Christian Colleges with Theological Programs (EDAHAKAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Campus Spiritual & Religious Life (EDALAHAI), Denominational Theological Colleges (e.g., Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Evangelical) (EDAHAKAM)

Keywords

• Graduate theological education
• Seminary degree programs
• Distance theological learning
• Religious leadership formation
• Ministerial training

Headquarters

HQ city

Berkeley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from graduate degree programs (Master of Divinity, Master of Theological Studies, Master of Arts in Social Transformation, Doctor of Ministry) and graduate certificate programs charged to students.
2. Grants and Philanthropy: Major grants from Lilly Endowment Inc. ($5 million in 2022 for Ignite Collective, $1.25 million in 2023 for congregational leadership program) and other foundation support for educational initiatives.
3. Donations and Endowments: Annual giving, endowment gifts, and planned giving from alumnx, supporters, and community members to support institutional mission and scholarships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Pacific School of Religion is a progressive Christian seminary offering graduate theological degrees (Doctor of Ministry, Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Social Transformation, Master of Theological Studies) and three graduate certificates (Spirituality and Social Change, Sexuality and Religion, Theological Studies). The school serves students through on-campus residential education in Berkeley and authorized distance education across 27+ U.S. states, supported by an innovative stackable curriculum that enables two degrees and a certificate in three years.

Product overview

Pacific School of Religion is a progressive Christian seminary and graduate school offering a unified portfolio of degree programs and specialized centers. The core academic offerings include the Doctor of Ministry (DMin), Master of Divinity (MDiv), Master of Arts in Social Transformation (MAST), and Master of Theological Studies (MTS), alongside three graduate certificates (Spirituality and Social Change, Sexuality and Religion, Theological Studies). PSR also operates four specialized centers: the Badè Museum of Biblical Archaeology, Center for LGBTQ and Gender Studies in Religion (CLGS), Ignite Institute, and Theological Education for Leadership (TEL). The institution developed The Ignite Collective online educational platform and runs the PSR Collective and Kwaray initiatives. An innovative stackable curriculum allows students to earn two graduate degrees and a graduate certificate in three years, with flexible distance learning options.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Doctor of Ministry (DMin) An advanced professional graduate degree designed for experienced leaders interested in evolving their practice in progressive social change, LGBTQ+ issues, performative practice, congregational leadership, and chaplaincy. Aimed at experienced clergy and faith leaders.
• Master of Divinity (MDiv) A graduate degree focusing on leadership formation, hands-on work experience, and theological study aligned with PSR's radically inclusive Christian values. Concentrations available in Congregational Ministry and Chaplaincy. Aimed at prospective students preparing for ordained ministry or chaplaincy roles.
• Master of Arts in Social Transformation (MAST) An innovative professional graduate program that fuses leading-edge practices in organizational leadership and design thinking with spiritual formation that PSR has offered for over 150 years. Aimed at emerging leaders seeking social impact careers.
• Master of Theological Studies (MTS) A rigorous survey of theological studies culminating in a project focused on a student's primary area of passion, such as environmental theology, feminist theology, or liberation theology. Aimed at students seeking academic theological preparation.
• Certificate of Spirituality and Social Change A graduate certificate program focusing on leadership skills for ethical decision-making, design thinking or social change, spiritual formation and theological reflection, and community organizing and activism. Aimed at emerging leaders and working professionals.
• Certificate of Sexuality and Religion A graduate certificate program focusing on knowledge and skills needed to apply theological, historical, ethical, pastoral, and practical dimensions of sexuality, sexual orientation, and gender identity to religious vocations. Aimed at clergy, chaplains, and faith leaders.
• Certificate of Theological Studies A graduate certificate program offering students an opportunity to explore theological studies and vocational goals. Aimed at prospective students exploring theological education before committing to a full degree.

Quantifiable outcome

• Stackable curriculum allows students to earn two graduate degrees and a graduate certificate in just three years
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• American Schools of Oriental Research (ASOR)minorOthers · 30 November 2022Awarded ASOR's inaugural Community Engagement and Public Outreach Award to Badè Museum curators for the 'Unsilencing the Archives' web exhibition project.
• Graduate Theological Union (GTU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPSR is a member of GTU, a consortium of seminaries and institutes in the San Francisco Bay Area. GTU provides shared library resources, collaborative academic programs, and cross-institutional dialogue across faith traditions. Joint MDiv/MA degree program offered.
• United Church of Christ (UCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDenominational partnership including student recruitment, ordination support, and collaborative events. PSR President preached at UCC Hawai'i Conference. Multiple UCC students and alumnx serve in leadership roles.
• Church World Service Inc.minorOthersPSR President David Vásquez-Levy serves as Vice-Chair on the board of Church World Service Inc., a global humanitarian organization.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Graduate Theological Union (GTU) consortium: Consortium of nine Bay Area seminaries in which PSR is a member institution, sharing library and academic resources. Directly comparable because it operates in the same progressive theological education space, serves overlapping student populations, and offers joint degree pathways with PSR.
• Church Divinity School of the Pacific (CDSP): Episcopal/Anglican seminary and GTU consortium peer located in Berkeley adjacent to PSR. Comparable because it offers MDiv and DMin degrees in a progressive mainline tradition and competes for similar students seeking ordination-track theological education in the Bay Area.
• Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary (PLTS): ELCA Lutheran seminary and GTU consortium member in Berkeley. Directly comparable because it offers graduate theological degrees in a progressive Christian context, shares GTU library/academic infrastructure with PSR, and recruits a similar mainline student demographic.
• Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology: Catholic seminary and GTU consortium member in Berkeley. Comparable because it offers graduate philosophy and theology degrees at the same physical Berkeley campus cluster as PSR and shares cross-registration through the GTU consortium.
• Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University: Catholic Jesuit seminary and GTU consortium member in Berkeley. Relevant peer because it delivers graduate theological degrees (MDiv, MTS, STL) in a progressive Catholic context and competes with PSR for graduate theological students in the Bay Area.
• Starr King School for the Ministry: Unitarian Universalist seminary and GTU consortium member in Berkeley. Directly comparable because it is a small progressive seminary in the same GTU consortium, focused on ministerial formation for a progressive/liberal religious tradition paralleling PSR's progressive Christian mission.
• San Francisco Theological Seminary (SFTS): Presbyterian Church (USA) seminary historically in the Bay Area and GTU affiliate. Comparable because it delivers graduate theological degrees in a progressive mainline Christian tradition and competes for similar students to PSR, especially in ordination-track programs.
• Iliff School of Theology: United Methodist seminary in Denver offering MDiv, MTS, and DMin programs with a strong social-justice orientation and distance-learning options. Comparable because it targets a progressive Christian student demographic similar to PSR and competes for online graduate theological students.

Broad incumbents

• Fuller Theological Seminary: One of the largest U.S. theological seminaries offering MDiv, DMin, and doctoral programs with extensive online enrollment. Comparable because it competes with PSR for distance-learning graduate theology students across a much wider geographic footprint and program portfolio.
• Yale Divinity School: Elite mainline divinity school offering MDiv and MAR degrees with progressive theological faculty. Comparable because it serves the same progressive mainline ordination-track student demographic as PSR and competes for top graduate theological students nationally.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/psrberkeley
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC2Iuo6mvduxtutsiaD_6_rw
• Facebookfacebook.com/29693679970
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pacific-school-of-religion
• Instagraminstagram.com/pacificschoolofreligion

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pacific School of Religion