requirement or standard.) Welch College is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the Association for Biblical Higher Education to grant degrees at the associate, bachelor, and master levels. Contact the Commission on Accreditation of the Association for Biblical Higher Education at 5850 T.G. Lee Blvd., Suite 130, Orlando, Florida 37822 or call 407-207-0808 for questions about the accreditation of Welch College. The College is also approved by the: • State of Tennessee, which provides for its students to participate in grants and loans provided by Tennessee; • Tennessee State Approving Agency for the training of veterans and their eligible dependents; and • Tennessee State Department of Education for teacher education (graduates of the teacher education programs and with approved majors and degrees may be recommended for professional license to teach in the public schools of Tennessee). Welch College also maintains membership in a number of organizations, including the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association, Tennessee College Association, Association of Christian Schools International, Council for Independent Colleges, and Evangelical Training Association.
Denominational Affiliation
As implied in the statement of Institutional Purpose above, Welch College is owned and operated by the National Association of Free Will Baptists and is governed by a board of trustees elected by that association. Doctrinally, Welch College subscribes to the beliefs and practices set forth in the Free Will Baptist Treatise.
History
The National Association of Free Will Baptists founded Welch College in 1942 as a two-year institution. Eight students comprised the original student body. The College added a third year of study in 1949 and a fourth year in 1950, and awarded its first bachelor’s degrees to five seniors in 1951. In 2016, it began offering a Master of Arts in Theology and Ministry, in 2018 it began offering a Master of Arts in Teaching, and in 2021 it began offering a Master of Divinity. Today the College enrolls nearly 450 students annually from approximately 25 states and several countries. In addition to the required Theological Studies Major, various majors and minors are available in Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Music Education, as well as a Master of Arts in Theology and Ministry, Master of Arts in Teaching, and Master of Divinity degree programs. Two-year associate degree programs are also offered.
Location
Welch College is located about twenty miles northeast of Nashville in Gallatin, Tennessee. Gallatin is a beautiful town with abundant trees, rolling hills, and sweeping green pastures. At the same time, it boasts local businesses, retail, restaurants, and Old Hickory Lake for students to work, to shop, and to play. General Information—11
