What Union Theological Seminary & Presbyterian School of Christian Education does

Union Presbyterian Seminary (UPSem) is a private theological seminary founded in 1812, headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, with a second campus in Charlotte, North Carolina established in 2002. The institution delivers graduate theological education through multiple degree programs — Master of Divinity (M.Div.), Master of Arts in Christian Education (M.A.C.E.), Master of Arts in Public Theology (M.A.P.T.), Master of Theology (Th.M.), and Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) — plus dual-degree and certificate pathways. The seminary's core technology is a hybrid learning model combining asynchronous online coursework with periodic in-person residencies: four-day on-campus intensives at Richmond and twelve monthly Saturday intensives at Charlotte, supported by Canvas LMS for course delivery and Jenzabar SONIS for student information management.

UPSem serves approximately 180-200 students annually with 21 full-time faculty across both campuses, maintaining an 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio. The student body draws from 17 Protestant denominations, with Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) members comprising 48% and other major representation from Baptist, United Methodist, Episcopal, and United Church of Christ traditions. Outcomes include a 91% ordination exam pass rate versus a 79% national average.

The seminary's business model is anchored in tuition (priced at $500 per semester hour for M.Div. and dual degrees, with annual tuition ranging from $9,000 to $15,000 by program), heavily subsidized by institutional aid covering up to 100% of tuition for eligible students. Additional revenue comes from a $10 million Lilly Endowment grant (2025) funding the Seminary Extended initiative, residential housing (Community Scholars Program at $490-850/month), continuing education through the Leadership Institute serving 1,000+ learners annually, and donor/advancement flows. The seminary operates four mission centers (Social Justice and Reconciliation, Womanist Leadership, Global Mission, Excellence in Christian Education), holds dual ATS and SACSCOC accreditation, and maintains a 5,000+ global alumni network. Distribution occurs via the two physical campuses, denominational partnerships for credentialing and recruitment, and digital channels including a virtual open house cadence and an annual Sprunt Lectures signature event.

Name

Union Theological Seminary & Presbyterian School of Christian Education

Legal name

Union Presbyterian Seminary

Website

https://upsem.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1812

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Union Presbyterian Seminary is a private 1812-founded theological seminary operating Richmond, VA and Charlotte, NC campuses, serving approximately 200 graduate students across 17 Protestant denominations through hybrid degree and certificate programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Theological Education / Religious Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Seminaries (Graduate Theology & Ministry) (EDAHAKAA)

Keywords

• Theological education
• Seminary degree programs
• Ordained ministry training
• Hybrid graduate education
• Christian leadership formation

Headquarters

HQ city

Richmond

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition - Graduate Degree Programs: Per-credit-hour tuition for degree programs including M.Div., M.A.C.E., M.A.P.T., and dual degrees. M.Div. and dual degrees: $500 per semester hour. M.A.P.T. and M.A.C.E.: $9,000 typical annual tuition. Financial aid covers up to 100% of tuition for eligible students.
2. Tuition - Th.M. Program: Annual tuition of $15,000 per year for Master of Theology program, with scholarships up to 80% of tuition available.
3. Tuition - D.Min. Program: Total tuition of $10,000 for Doctor of Ministry program, with need-based aid covering up to 1/3 of tuition costs.
4. Certificate Programs: $500 per course for Certificate in Christian Education and Certificate in Public Theology programs. Financial aid available.
5. Grant Funding - Lilly Endowment: $10 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. for Seminary Extended collaborative initiative with Eastern Mennonite Seminary and Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, part of Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative.
6. Federal Student Loans: Participation in Federal Loan Program with less than 10% of students borrowing. Maximum unsubsidized loan of $20,500 per year for graduate students.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Union Presbyterian Seminary delivers hybrid theological education through graduate degree programs (M.Div., M.A.C.E., M.A.P.T., Th.M., D.Min.), dual-degree combinations, and certificate programs (C.C.E., C.P.T.), preparing students for ordained ministry, chaplaincy, Christian education leadership, and public theology practice. Programs combine online coursework with periodic in-person residencies at its Richmond, Virginia and Charlotte, North Carolina campuses, serving approximately 200 students annually from 17 denominations.

Product overview

Union Presbyterian Seminary is a theological education institution offering rigorous, accessible hybrid theological education through multiple delivery formats. The institution operates as one seminary with two campuses (Richmond, Virginia and Charlotte, North Carolina), providing degree programs (Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Christian Education, Master of Arts in Public Theology, Doctor of Ministry, Master of Theology, and dual degree combinations), certificate programs (Certificate in Christian Education, Certificate in Public Theology), and continuing education through its Leadership Institute. Educational delivery combines hybrid learning models (online coursework with in-person residencies), fully online options, and residential experiences. The seminary also operates specialized centers including the Center for Social Justice and Reconciliation, Katie Geneva Cannon Center for Womanist Leadership, Syngman Rhee Global Mission Center, and Center for Excellence in Christian Education. A significant collaborative initiative, Seminary Extended (funded by a $10 million Lilly Endowment grant), delivers congregation-embedded leadership development in partnership with Eastern Mennonite Seminary and Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Master of Divinity (M.Div.)

Quantifiable outcome

• 91% ordination exam pass rate vs 79% national average
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Eastern Mennonite SeminarycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 December 2025Collaborative partner in Seminary Extended initiative funded by $10M Lilly Endowment grant. Delivers congregation-embedded leadership development, shared faculty, and joint Doctor of Ministry in Adaptive Leadership.
• Louisville Presbyterian Theological SeminarycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 December 2025Collaborative partner in Seminary Extended initiative funded by $10M Lilly Endowment grant. Joint Doctor of Ministry in Adaptive Leadership with shared faculty and coursework.
• Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Virginia (CBFVA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBaptist House of Studies created in collaboration with CBFVA and CBF Global to offer theological education to Baptist students on UPSem's Richmond campus.
• Cooperative Baptist Fellowship GlobalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Baptist House of Studies initiative providing theological education to Baptist students through collaborative programming.
• Queens University (Historical)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharlotte campus originally housed on Queens University campus until 2012 when it moved to Sharon Hills area of Charlotte.
• Shalom FarmsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEcological partner for Yaupon Place eco-park, working together on environmental restoration and food justice initiatives.
• PC(USA) Office of Financial Aid for StudiesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDenominational partner providing Study Grants for PC(USA) members in M.Div. and other degree programs.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Duke Divinity School: A premier research-oriented divinity school at Duke University offering M.Div., M.A., Th.M., and Ph.D. programs. Comparable as a graduate theological education provider, particularly in the southeastern U.S., but at materially larger scale and with a stronger university-affiliated research orientation.
• Candler School of Theology (Emory University): A United Methodist-affiliated seminary at Emory University offering M.Div., M.A., Th.M., and D.Min. programs. Comparable as a graduate theological institution in the southeastern U.S., but with a broader university research orientation and Methodist (rather than Presbyterian) denominational anchor.
• Fuller Theological Seminary: A large multi-denominational evangelical seminary in Pasadena, CA offering M.Div., M.A., Th.M., and D.Min. programs with significant online/hybrid delivery. Comparable as a broader graduate theological education provider, though not denominationally Presbyterian, and at materially larger scale.

Direct peers

• Columbia Theological Seminary: A PC(USA)-affiliated seminary in Decatur, Georgia offering M.Div., M.A., Th.M., and D.Min. programs. Directly comparable as a fellow Presbyterian graduate theological institution with overlapping denominations, similar hybrid program offerings, and a comparable regional southeastern footprint.
• Princeton Theological Seminary: One of the largest and most prominent Presbyterian seminaries in the U.S., offering M.Div., Th.M., and Ph.D. programs. Directly comparable as a graduate theology and ministry institution serving PC(USA) candidates alongside other denominations, with similar ATS-accredited curriculum and degree pathways.
• Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary: A smaller PC(USA) seminary in Austin, Texas offering M.Div., M.A. in Theology, and D.Min. programs. Comparable in size, denominational focus, and ATS-accredited graduate theological curriculum, particularly for Presbyterian students across the southern U.S.
• Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary: A fellow PC(USA) seminary and current collaborative partner in the Seminary Extended initiative. Directly comparable in denominational focus (Presbyterian), program mix (M.Div., D.Min.), and hybrid/online delivery model; arguably the closest single peer given the active grant-funded partnership.
• McCormick Theological Seminary: A PC(USA)-affiliated seminary in Chicago offering M.Div., M.A., and D.Min. programs with significant hybrid/online delivery. Comparable as a Presbyterian graduate theological institution serving similar denominational candidates with a similar hybrid format.
• Eastern Mennonite Seminary: An Anabaptist/Mennonite seminary in Harrisonburg, VA offering M.Div., M.A., and D.Min. programs. Directly comparable as a fellow small graduate theological institution and current collaborative partner in the Seminary Extended initiative funded by the Lilly Endowment.

Emerging players

• Wake Forest University School of Divinity: A relatively new divinity school at Wake Forest University (founded 1999) offering M.Div. and M.A. programs with a focus on ministry and social justice. Comparable as a graduate theological education institution in the Carolinas/Virginia region with overlapping social-justice programmatic emphases.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@UPSem
• Facebookfacebook.com/101239591547
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1178312
• Instagraminstagram.com/upseminary
• Xx.com/UPSeminary

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles22 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Union Theological Seminary & Presbyterian School of Christian Education