United Lutheran Seminary
United Lutheran Seminary is a private, non-profit ELCA-affiliated theological institution offering graduate theological degrees (MDiv, MA, STM, DMin, PhD) and continuing education across two Pennsylvania campuses and a distributed learning network, serving residential students, practicing clergy, and lay leaders through five specialized institutes.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersGettysburg, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What United Lutheran Seminary does
United Lutheran Seminary (ULS) is a private, non-profit ELCA-affiliated theological seminary formed in 2017 from the merger of Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg (founded 1826) and Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (founded 1864). The institution operates two physical campuses in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania (61 Seminary Ridge) and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (7301 Germantown Avenue), supported by a Distributed Learning Community that extends its reach nationwide. ULS delivers graduate-level theological education through degree programs including Master of Divinity, Master of Arts, Master of Sacred Theology, Doctor of Ministry, and a Ph.D. in Public Theology and Witness, with nearly all degree-seeking students qualifying for full-tuition scholarships. The seminary is structurally organized around five specialized institutes: Kindling Faith (continuing education for practicing clergy and lay leaders), the Urban Theological Institute (45 years of African American theological education), the Asian Theological Institute (the only mentoring program for doctoral students of Asian heritage in North American theological education), the Town & Country Church Institute (rural and small-town ministry), and the Anglican Studies Program for Episcopal seminarians.
The seminary's business model is a hybrid combining tuition and fees, donor fundraising and alumni giving, continuing education program fees, and grants. Tuition revenue is structurally limited by the full-tuition scholarship policy that ensures near-universal financial accessibility, making fundraising, grants, and continuing education revenue disproportionately important. In January 2024, ULS received over $3 million in grants supporting African American congregations, Asian theological education, and aging adult communities. The technology stack supporting the operation is modest: Canvas LMS for distributed learning, Zoom for online continuing education, and standard web/social media properties for marketing. GTM motion is sales-led within the ELCA denominational ecosystem, leveraging denominational channels, church partnerships, and an admissions staff to recruit through campus visits, informational events, and financial aid positioning. The seminary reaches a diversified customer base spanning residential students, distributed learners, Episcopal/Anglican seminarians, doctoral students from across North America and Asia, practicing clergy seeking continuing education, and African American and rural ministry leaders served through dedicated institutes.
United Lutheran Seminary firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- United Lutheran Seminary
- Legal name
- United Lutheran Seminary
- Website
- https://unitedlutheranseminary.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- United Lutheran Seminary is a private, non-profit ELCA-affiliated theological institution offering graduate theological degrees (MDiv, MA, STM, DMin, PhD) and continuing education across two Pennsylvania campuses and a distributed learning network, serving residential students, practicing clergy, and lay leaders through five specialized institutes.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
United Lutheran Seminary industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Theological Education
- NAICS
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Seminaries (Graduate Theology & Ministry) (EDAHAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Ministerial Training Institutes (Clergy Formation) (EDAHAKAE)
Keywords
Where United Lutheran Seminary is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Gettysburg
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
United Lutheran Seminary business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Tuition and fees: Graduate theological education programs including Master of Divinity, Master of Arts, Master of Sacred Theology, Doctor of Ministry, and Ph.D. in Public Theology and Witness generate tuition revenue from enrolled students.
- Donations and fundraising: The seminary relies on donor support and alumni giving through its advancement office. Bicentennial fundraising campaigns and general donations support scholarships and institutional operations.
- Continuing education programs: Kindling Faith offers numerous in-person and online learning opportunities for pastors, deacons, and lay leaders, generating revenue through course fees and event registrations.
- Grants: ULS Receives Over $3 million in grants that will impact African American congregations, Asian theological education and aging adult communities (January 2024).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Graduate degree programs with full-tuition scholarship eligibility |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
United Lutheran Seminary product offering
Product offeringCore offering
United Lutheran Seminary is a graduate theological seminary that awards the Master of Divinity, Master of Arts, Master of Sacred Theology, Doctor of Ministry, and PhD degrees to individuals pursuing ordination and theological scholarship. Instruction is delivered on two residential campuses (Gettysburg and Philadelphia) and via a distributed learning format. Specialized institutes and continuing-education programs extend the core curriculum to contextual ministry, Asian theology, urban ministry, town and country church, and Anglican studies.
Product overview
United Lutheran Seminary offers a unified theological education platform centered on graduate degree programs (MDiv, MA, STM, DMin, PhD) supplemented by specialized institutes and continuing education. The core academic offerings are complemented by branded programs: Kindling Faith (continuing education), Urban Theological Institute (African American theological education), Town & Country Church Institute (rural ministry), Asian Theological Institute (doctoral mentoring for Asian scholars), and Anglican Studies Program. The seminary also publishes UNITED Magazine for alumni. All programs serve students across Gettysburg and Philadelphia campuses plus distributed learning.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Kindling Faith: Continuing education initiative offering in-person and online learning opportunities for pastors, deacons, and lay leaders
- Urban Theological Institute
- Asian Theological Institute
- Town & Country Church Institute
- Anglican Studies Program
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 350 doctoral students mentored since 2007 through Asian Theological Institute
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use United Lutheran Seminary
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
United Lutheran Seminary technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
United Lutheran Seminary partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Candler Foundry of Emory UniversityminorCollaboration in 2024 to offer online courses on Asian and Asian American Study of Christianity.
- Seminary Ridge Museum and Education CentercorePartnership for historical walking tours of Gettysburg campus and museum access. The museum provides educational programming including cupola open houses and historical interpretation of the Seminary Ridge site.
- Music, Gettysburg!minorCommunity music organization that partners with ULS for concerts and events, including bicentennial music programming at the Gettysburg chapel.
- Cross Roads Camp and Retreat CenterminorEcumenical ministry of the New Jersey Synod and the Episcopal Diocese of Newark, New Jersey. Kindling Faith retreat leader Pastor Dale Selover serves as retreat leader for this center.
- Wabash Center for Teaching and LearningcoreCollaboration with Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning to organize workshops on pedagogy for ATI alumni. Wabash Center sponsors annual ATI Breakfast at AAR/SBL Meetings.
- AANATE (Association of Asian and Asian North American Theological Educators)coreATI was instrumental in forming AANATE, a professional association for Asian theological educators in the United States.
- PANAAWTAM (Pacific Asian North American Asian Women in Theology and Ministry)minorCollaborative relationship with this organization supporting Asian American women in theology and ministry.
- Aatfweb.org (Asian American Theological Forum)minorOnline journal developed by ATI alumni. ATI maintains collaborative relationship with this resource.
- Washington Theological ConsortiumminorAnglican/Episcopal students at ULS can access cross-registration course options available through the Washington Theological Consortium.
- ELCA Synods and JudicatoriescoreUrban Theological Institute works with ELCA synods including Lower Susquehanna and Delaware-Maryland synods for justice ministries training and recruitment.
- Philadelphia Baptist AssociationminorDr. Quintin Robertson serves as Executive Minister of the Philadelphia Baptist Association, creating pathways for theological education and community engagement.
- Appalachian Ministries Educational Resource CenterminorTown & Country Church Institute partners with AMERC to offer the Environment and Religion in Northern Appalachia course, an intensive exploring ecological spirituality and grassroots ministry.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
United Lutheran Seminary competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Fuller Theological Seminary: Large nondenominational evangelical seminary offering fully online and residential graduate theological degrees. Comparable to ULS in continuing education and distributed learning offerings, but much larger and broader in market reach.
- Yale Divinity School: Larger, more research-oriented nondenominational divinity school within Yale University offering MDiv and MA programs. Comparable to ULS in graduate theological education but with significantly greater resources and broader appeal.
Direct peers
- Princeton Theological Seminary: Mainline Protestant (PCUSA) graduate theological seminary offering MDiv, MA, and PhD programs with a similar graduate theological curriculum focus. Comparable in mission and degree offerings, though denominationally different from ULS.
- Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago: One of the other ELCA seminaries in North America, offering MDiv and other graduate theological degrees with a Lutheran confessional focus. Directly comparable to ULS as a peer ELCA institution serving the same denominational pipeline.
- McCormick Theological Seminary: PCUSA mainline Protestant seminary in Chicago offering MDiv and DMin programs. Comparable to ULS in scale, mainline Protestant identity, and focus on urban ministry formation.
- Trinity Lutheran Seminary: ELCA seminary in Columbus, Ohio offering MDiv, MA, and DMin programs. Direct peer competing for Lutheran students in the Midwest and sharing the same denominational accreditation context.
- Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary: ELCA seminary based in Berkeley, California (now affiliated with California Lutheran University) offering MDiv and MA degrees. Direct ELCA peer to ULS, competing for similar Lutheran students on the West Coast.
- Eden Theological Seminary: United Church of Christ seminary in St. Louis offering MDiv and MA programs with a justice-oriented focus. Comparable to ULS as a small mainline Protestant seminary serving a progressive denominational tradition.
- Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary: United Methodist seminary on the campus of Northwestern University offering MDiv, MA, and PhD programs. Comparable to ULS as a mainline Protestant graduate theological seminary with similar institutional scale.
- Wartburg Theological Seminary: ELCA seminary in Dubuque, Iowa offering MDiv, MA, and DMin degrees with a focus on rural and small-town ministry. Directly comparable to ULS as one of the remaining ELCA graduate theological institutions.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
United Lutheran Seminary social profiles
Digital presenceUnited Lutheran Seminary financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
United Lutheran Seminary leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
United Lutheran Seminary funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
United Lutheran Seminary M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about United Lutheran Seminary
What does United Lutheran Seminary do?
United Lutheran Seminary is a graduate theological seminary that awards the Master of Divinity, Master of Arts, Master of Sacred Theology, Doctor of Ministry, and PhD degrees to individuals pursuing ordination and theological scholarship. Instruction is delivered on two residential campuses (Gettysburg and Philadelphia) and via a distributed learning format. Specialized institutes and continuing-education programs extend the core curriculum to contextual ministry, Asian theology, urban ministry, town and country church, and Anglican studies.
Is United Lutheran Seminary a public or private company?
United Lutheran Seminary is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was United Lutheran Seminary founded?
United Lutheran Seminary was founded in 2017.
Where is United Lutheran Seminary based?
United Lutheran Seminary is headquartered in Gettysburg, United States, in the North America region.
How does United Lutheran Seminary make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Tuition and fees are the primary driver. The others are donations and fundraising, continuing education programs and grants.
Who are United Lutheran Seminary's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Fuller Theological Seminary and Yale Divinity School. Direct peers are Princeton Theological Seminary, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, McCormick Theological Seminary, Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, Eden Theological Seminary, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary and Wartburg Theological Seminary.
Does United Lutheran Seminary have an API?
No public API is recorded for United Lutheran Seminary.
What industry is United Lutheran Seminary in?
United Lutheran Seminary's product category is Theological Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHAKAA, Seminaries (Graduate Theology & Ministry), with a secondary code of EDAHAKAE, Ministerial Training Institutes (Clergy Formation). Its NAICS code is 6113 and its SIC code is 8200.