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Church professions is a new program at Concordia College combining
entry-level, lay preparation in religion and a professional
area. The program is designed to meet the critical need for
trained lay leadership in congregations and church-related
social ministry organizations. Courses in the curriculum are
deliberately broad, and interdepartmental and ecumenical in
scope.
The program fulfills two basic needs. One is to provide for
the educational needs of students who seek appropriate preparation
for church service. The second is to serve churches and church
organizations that need professionals aspiring to be involved
in continuing education.
Career opportunities in church professions are excellent and
are expected to increase in the immediate years ahead. Churches
nationwide report a critical need in congregations for lay
leaders who are well-prepared educationally.
Concordia Benefits
• Our nationally recognized liberal arts curriculum
endows students with the ability to think analytically, be
adaptive and become effective communicators.
• Concordia’s emphasis on interdisciplinary approaches
to the curriculum brings students into contact with a rich
array of ideas and theories.
• Small classes and close student-faculty interaction
mean many students enter into meaningful, mentoring relationships
with faculty.
• Faculty and students often work together on co-inquiry projects, where they work as a team
to research and make campus presentations on issues of local,
national or global interest.
The Program
• The program is interdepartmental with seven areas
of concentration: Youth Ministry, Christian Education-Family
Ministry, Social Ministry-Social Work, Church School Teaching,
Long-term Care, Church Music and Parish Nursing.
• All students will participate in a supervised internship
or clinical practicum experience in a church-related setting.
• Students will benefit from training and guidance tailored
to church-related vocations and responsibilities, including
introductory and capstone courses. The introductory course
will survey career possibilities and provide students with
an opportunity to explore a profession. The capstone course
provides reflection on the internship experience and integrates
the various areas of learning.
• For participants who already hold a bachelor’s
degree, the parish nurse program prepares registered nurses
to work in a congregational setting, taking the whole-person
approach to healing of mind, body and spirit.
• Individuals already serving in church-related social
ministry organizations or preparing to make a career change
to work in one will benefit from the professional development
track. Individuals will take the introductory and capstone
courses, then take specific courses in their intended areas
of specialization.
Concordia Distinctions
• A solid liberal arts education is a helpful pathway
for developing the many skills needed to succeed today in
church professions.
• By taking courses from many academic areas in addition
to a major concentration, students receive a broad knowledge
base, enabling them to adapt to many situations.
• In addition to religion courses, academic disciplines
that are particularly helpful to church professionals are
psychology, business and management, languages, science, art,
music, history, philosophy and classical studies.
• The church professions program is ecumenical in nature.
With this program, Concordia aims to be a creative gathering
place for excellence in lay professional formation, lifelong
learning and reflective inquiry.
• In addition to baccalaureate-level preparation, the
programs exist to serve continuing-education needs of church
professionals and to address the growing need for quality
lay professional ministry in churches.
• Church professions provides students with entry-level
skills as well as theological knowledge, familiarity with
various denominational policies and structures, and practical
experience.
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