Bachelor of Arts in Director of Church Ministries

at Concordia University Wisconsin USA

Our Mass Communication major will ground you in writing, speaking and interpersonal communication skills. You’ll learn the basics of reporting, writing and editing in a journalistic style as well as studying the history of animation from silent film to digital media. During your time in the program, you’ll have the opportunity to learn effective broadcast news writing techniques, produce programming for our radio station, and complete your own film or video project. Plus, you’ll write articles for CUW’s school newspaper, The Beacon. This practical training, combined with a strong liberal arts education that is founded in our Christian mission, will prepare you to tell your organization’s story in a meaningful way. Whatever organization you end up in, you’ll be ready to make an impact while doing what you love.  This program also available as a minor.

As a graduate in the Mass Communication program, you’ll leave with all the skills you need to communicate effectively through a variety of channels. Not only will you be a stronger communicator,  you’ll be a better leader. Having studied topics like interpersonal communication and cross-cultural communication, you’ll be ready to work with diverse groups of people. You’ll also be able to evaluate broadcast news writing and radio dialogue to critically think about the best way to convey your message. What’s more, you’ll examine issues within the field like building or breaking trust with an audience and analyzing why certain messages are effective.  You’ll be ready to handle challenges in the field, stand out in the workforce and lead a life full of Christian service.

Study how to create complex hardware and software systems, manage complex computer information systems (IT), and lead a technical team. Now offering two new tracks in Software Engineering and Computer Information Systems. Both of these tracks will build on your existing experience by deepening your skills and knowledge in the main areas of computer science. A bachelor's degree in a related field is recommended, but not required. Optional catch-up modules are available for each course to help bring you up to speed.

Upon completion of the MSCS program, you’ll be trained in problem solving, collaboration, creative design processes, professional literature, writing, presentation, and ethical practices. You’ll be prepared for advanced professional positions in software development and other technical/design-oriented roles in computing.

Program Highlights

• STEM certified
• Ethics & vocation are central themes in our program showing how professionals respond to the needs of clients, users, and society
• Program can be completed in 18 months
• Start dates available every six to eight weeks throughout the year
• Available online and in person

Graduates from the MSCS program pursue a variety of careers such as system/database administrators/architects, business intelligence analysts, software engineers, application developers, and many others. Our recent grads have gone on to work at:

• Experius
• EP Soft Technologies
• Charter Communications
• iDigital
• QA Labs
• Integra Tech
• Concurrency
• And many more

Our computer science master's program was designed with working professionals in mind. You’ll get a rigorous, quality education that fits within your busy schedule. All courses will be available online in an accelerated eight week format, but three courses per semester will be offered face-to-face on campus.

Software Engineering

The software engineering track builds or sharpens your skills in creating problem-solving tools using computers. The specialization courses dive into traditional concepts and current trends in the theory, design, and implementation of programming languages, compilers, and advanced algorithms. A MSCS degree with this concentration opens the door for advancement in a career in software development, data or business analysis, and more. People in this field with a master's degree typically perform roles such as team lead or senior developer.

Our goal in the Master of Occupational Therapy program is to prepare you as an outstanding occupational therapist, who will positively impact communities by empowering others to reach their highest potential through leadership, best practice, advocacy, and innovation. We emphasize the importance of serving all clients with the best care possible.

You’ll develop the skills necessary to enable people (persons, groups, or populations) to do their day-to-day occupations for the purpose of improving or enabling participation. (OTPF-4, 2020) By combining classroom, laboratory, and supervised clinic-based instruction, our courses train you for a wide range of occupational therapy settings.

Through our program you’ll be able to:

• Demonstrate advocacy skills to be an effective change-maker in surrounding communities
• Use best practice for the evaluation, intervention, and measurement of outcomes for individuals or communities
• Effectively and efficiently solve occupation-based problems
• Develop leadership skills
• Effectively communicate and collaborate in a variety of communities

Students in the MOT program will have the opportunity to explore the entry-level Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTDe) degree. At the conclusion of the second semester, students will be given the choice to continue in the MOT program or declare interest in the OTDe program. Students who declare interest in the OTDe will be evaluated by OT faculty to determine eligibility to enroll in OTDe coursework.

This is a full time graduate professional program taught in a blended format. Students interact with their classmates and professors online before and after in person classes, which focus on active learning and/or lab activities. Students apply to and enroll in one of three tracks, as determined by their educational background:

• Accelerated
  • Students starting as a freshman at CUW looking to earn a bachelor's and master's degree in 4.5 years
• Bridge
  • COTAs looking to further their education and opportunities as an OTR
• Post-baccalaureate
  • Applicants holding a bachelor's degree

In the psychology program, you’ll study the biological and psychological influences on the human mind. What makes our program unique? At CUW, our courses are grounded in science, ethical research, and Christian service. This translates to a holistic approach toward learning in which you first build up your knowledge in the classroom and then apply it in supervised, practical experience at local agencies and institutions. Toward the end of your studies (typically during your junior year), you’ll apply for senior status. Once approved, you can then enroll in Practicum, Research Proposal, and Senior Seminar. By the time you graduate, you’ll possess the skills and knowledge needed for graduate studies or to pursue a helping profession.  This program is also available as a minor.

During your time here, you’ll be introduced to topics like theories of personality, abnormal psychology, psychotherapy, and human behavior. Through it all, we’ll help you become familiar with the procedures, principles, theories, and vocabulary of psychology. This gives you the tools necessary for success. Each psychology class builds on and enhances the others. For example, learning about the developmental stages from conception to death is relevant when studying how individual preferences and worldviews are shaped. Similarly, properly interpreting research is key to using current therapy approaches in treating behavioral disorders. Outside of the classroom, you’ll have the opportunity to participate in numerous service endeavors in the community - so you can start making a positive impact before you frame that diploma.

By the end of the program, you’ll not only have a deep understanding of theories in psychology, you’ll have hands-on experience from your practicum and service learning efforts. You’ll be a stronger leader, a better writer and communicator, and a strategic problem solver. Whether you decide to go into counseling, clinical psychology, research, academia or another exciting profession, you’ll be prepared to change other’s lives for the better.

Through a blend of the social sciences, history, and humanities, you’ll learn to guide your students through a myriad of thinking types and social structures, and be able to adapt such lessons to grade levels ranging from grade 4 to grade 12. You’ll gain a stronger sense of contemporary and past viewpoints and be able to share insights with your class that reveal how people relate to the world around them. You’ll participate in and learn how to lead discussions on civic issues and organize around solutions. Perhaps most importantly, you’ll understand how to help your students discover how people relate to each other, how we interact as groups, and how we organize our thoughts, religions, and governments. With a foundation in social studies, you’ll be able to help your students better understand their place in the world.

A good manager can adapt to almost any business structure in any industry. Because managerial skills are, for the most part, universal. This program will allow you to explore how businesses are structured and provide you with the skills you’ll need to succeed in almost any environment. You’ll gain mastery of current software for designing and managing business projects, while adopting proven project management tools and techniques at each stage in a project’s lifecycle. You’ll gain an understanding of how to integrate organizational strategies that involve the parent, supplier, and sub-supplier organizations working together in domestic and global environments.

You’ll also gain practical knowledge of marketing tools, market segmentation, research analysis in decision-making, media and promotion, budgeting, and evaluation. From developing a comprehensive and viable business plan to setting and obtaining investment objectives – such as capital, debt, securitization, and government subsidized options – this program will arm you with a variety of applicable skills. And you’ll learn about small businesses too, the way management is applied. Most importantly, you’ll acquire skills and experience that’ll help you become the well-rounded and insightful leader your organization deserves, whether you’re in small business, investments, or real estate.

Whether you’re studying non-living systems in physical science, examining the natural processes of our planet in environmental science, or dive into learning more about life and living organisms in biology, a broadfield science education degree will prepare you to teach any science class. In addition to this degree, you can select to do a physical science or biology/environmental science emphasis. physical science allows you to teach upper level courses in chemistry while the biology emphasis allows you to teach upper level biology.

Students who desire licensure in another state must contact their state department of education for details about whether or not this coursework will meet state requirements. 

This program is designed specifically for students who want to engage in serious theological discussion, and who are not also pursuing an Education or Director of Church Ministries degree.

In this program, you’ll have the opportunity to study the structure of Christian belief and practice. You’ll dive into God’s Word as well as respected Lutheran doctrinal texts to properly frame your thoughts and perspectives before exploring the cultural, political, and theological implications of God’s Word on your daily life. In short, this program is for anyone with an earnest desire to better understand and grapple with God’s message of salvation so that you can communicate it with confidence and zeal for the benefit of the Kingdom.

Think you have what it takes to start your own business? If you answered yes to that question, you’re probably right! So you fuel your heart, we’ll fuel your mind, and together we’ll form you into somebody who’s ready to trailblaze a path for yourself.
Entrepreneurship is characterized by creativity and innovation, your ability to take risks, to experiment, to adapt, to learn from failure. You must be able to challenge yourself, and to solve problems from multiple perspectives. This major will inspire you to positively engage and serve the culture by creating new avenues for opportunity, vocation, innovation, and social improvement. You’ll learn how to identify certain needs that present themselves in today’s culture, the Church, and the world, then how to respond to those needs in a way that aligns with your Christian values. You’ll learn how to be a servant leader in all your endeavors, and how to build a culture of life, addressing the world’s social and ethical problems.  

Before you take the plunge and dive headfirst into your own upstart, you’ll toe the water with the courses in this program. An important first step for any entrepreneur is to develop and grow a network of individuals, organizations, and professionals. You’ll do that as part of this major. You’ll also develop – and be expected to display – knowledge and skills related to innovation, creativity, problem-solving, perseverance, and adaptability. You’ll ideate and identify emerging markets, trends, problems, and challenges, while learning how to articulate a vision for and commitment to ethical business practice in the education sector.

Technology is a huge benefit to entrepreneurs these days – you can expect to demonstrate competence in leveraging technology in market research and identification. Same goes for adaptability and “pivot-ability.” (You’ll also learn that the world of business is filled with words like pivot-ability.) This program will help you develop a business model, prototype an idea for a business or service, create and develop a business plan, and start or participate in starting a company/new business venture. Because why wait until you graduate to give it a go?

English is one of the most versatile degrees you can pursue because the skills you’ll learn are transferable. Critical thinking, reading comprehension, writing, and communication are essential in pretty much any career field—not to mention in your personal life.

You have two paths to choose from when pursuing a degree in English at CUW. This program can be a standalone liberal arts degree, or a complementary major for those of you seeking a degree in secondary education. Both routes will allow you to explore the language, literature, and expression of the Western canon. In order to demonstrate your understanding of texts and ideas, you’ll be regularly asked to write analytically and creatively. Professors will motivate you to think critically about texts and consider them within a Christian context, applying their lessons to your day to day life.

Courses center around comprehending, expressing, and analyzing ideas (both others’ and your own), so the content is going to get deep. Get ready to read a wide range of authors, and be prepared to speak up and engage in high-level academic discourse with faculty and fellow students. You will continually be learning to better express yourself by studying how others have communicated their thoughts.