B.A. Classical Liberal Arts
The classical liberal arts program at Concordia University, Nebraska provides you with the kind of education that has stood the test of time. You will read some of the best that has been thought and said, interact with timeless works of art and literature and engage with perennially important questions and issues. In an era when people change jobs multiple times, a classical liberal arts education offers you a breadth of learning that equips you to be an adaptable and creative thinker. You will also be encouraged to pursue the higher aims of education, not merely to make you a “worker” but a person ready for all of your life vocations—whether as a family member, a church member, a friend, a co-worker, a citizen.
The classical liberal arts curriculum at Concordia is interdisciplinary, and it charts a traditional and rigorous engagement with premodern languages and cultures. With course options in Latin, Greek, philosophy, history, literature and early Christian theology, this program is designed to educate you in foundational sources alongside the distinctively Lutheran education for which Concordia Nebraska is known. The goal of a classical education at Concordia is to pursue what is good, true and beautiful, considered within the light of Christian revelation. In doing this, it is designed to serve as a steppingstone in your pursuit of lifelong learning.
At Concordia, you will become part of a community committed to your intellectual and spiritual growth. You can explore your vocational options with the help of professors, the campus pastor and career counselors who care about your future. Whether you seek a church work vocation or to serve the world in another way, the classical liberal arts major at Concordia University, Nebraska is the ideal program to facilitate your pursuit of knowledge and truth.
Program Differentiators
Core Concepts
The classical liberal arts program at Concordia University, Nebraska seeks to cultivate within its students the wisdom and skills necessary to discover and fulfill their God-given potential and contribute to a flourishing and free society as they pursue a rigorous interdisciplinary focus in the liberal arts and explore their academic strengths and develop the art of learning as a lifestyle.
Luke Scholars
Your God-given talents should be cultivated and directed outward in order to help you serve and lead in the church and world. As a Luke Scholar, in Concordia's honor program, you will be challenged in ways you never thought possible, honoring God by using your gifts to serve a higher purpose.
Concordia NebraskaClassical Liberal Arts: Learning Objectives
In the classical liberal arts program at Concordia University, Nebraska, students will learn to be stronger writers and analytical thinkers who are able to express thoughts logically and clearly.
Students will recognize the central themes that define intellectual traditions.
Students will understand the historical and cultural influence of the classical liberal arts.
Students will develop into more proficient problem solvers and researchers.
Students will be able to articulate the integration of faith and learning across liberal arts disciplines.
Concordia NebraskaClassical Liberal Arts: Program Goals
Students in the classical liberal arts minor at Concordia University, Nebraska will develop skills in critical thinking, creative and collaborative problem solving and communication.
Students will synthesize and evaluate arguments from secondary scholarship and compose sustained, evidence-based written work.
Students will situate evidence about critical concepts, sites, events and figures within their own historical and cultural context, and in connection or contrast with the contemporary world.
Classical Liberal Arts Faculty
As experts in classical liberal arts, our faculty and instructors bring years of experience to the classroom.
Concordia NebraskaClassical Liberal Arts: FAQs
- In an increasingly competitive job market, simply graduating with a degree no longer makes one job applicant stand out from the next. However, a degree in classical liberal arts education does because it goes a step further to instill a critical thinking and creative problem-solving mindset in students. This mindset, along with the added benefit of data literacy and excellent communication skills gained from immersion in the arts and sciences, sets students up to interact both critically and creatively with challenges and opportunities in the workplace. That combination of creativity and critical thinking is an aspect that employers are looking for in applicants throughout every single industry.
- The well-rounded and flexible individual that obtains a degree in classical liberal arts will be prepared to adapt to ever-changing industry and economy. Most graduates will have multiple careers and vocations in their lifetimes. Classical liberal arts graduates are adept at dealing with change as liberal arts education teaches students how to learn, adapt and solve problems, making them uniquely prepared for the challenges of the career world.
- The primary difference between a classical liberal arts degree and other majors available at Concordia University, Nebraska is in the core requirements. In a traditional degree program, you will take a set of required core courses that provide the central knowledge, vocabulary, skills and research in that particular discipline. Often there are concentrations or options within the subject that provide you the opportunity to deeply master that one particular major.
- In the classical liberal arts program, the focus is on mastering how to learn, rather than focusing on a specific subject area. With core courses in philosophy, research methods, history, critical thinking and so on, you first develop the skills you need to become a more proficient researcher and learner. You’ll also have the opportunity to study courses in a variety of disciplines that interest you in the social sciences, humanities or the natural and life sciences.
- The classical liberal arts program at Concordia University, Nebraska is designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge to become better learners, free thinkers and communicators. There are many ways to design your classical liberal arts program to make it fit your individual research interests and goals.
- Classical liberal arts is a rigorous but rewarding program. If you’re interested in focusing on learning how to better learn, sharpening your skills in research and communication and becoming a more open, well-rounded thinker, then a degree in classical liberal arts from Concordia Nebraska may be the right choice for you.
In the classical liberal arts, the goal is to instill in you the joy of learning for learning’s sake and to help you discover where your God-given talents are leading you in your future vocations. Through a classical liberal arts education at Concordia University, Nebraska, you will gain an enhanced ability to abstract deeper meaning from life, the self-awareness and empathy to have more meaningful communication with others and the ability to critically think and problem solve in ever-changing environments.
Concordia Nebraska Classical Liberal Arts: Career Outcomes
Pastor
A Lutheran pastor serves the church by providing a balanced ministry of preaching, pastoral care and organizational leadership to the congregation. As a Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod pastor, you would care for the spiritual growth of your congregation, whether that is in a church, hospital, university or in the armed service as a chaplain.
Lawyer
As a criminal law attorney, you would use your knowledge of the criminal justice system to advocate for, advise and counsel the clients you represent. You might also appear in court to represent your client in criminal court proceedings. You would also be responsible for researching and preparing cases, collecting evidence and analyzing laws.
Teacher
The classical liberal arts program at Concordia University, Nebraska offers great preparation for teaching in public or private, Christian schools, or in schools dedicated to the classical liberal arts, as you will develop a wide range of knowledge and skills in various subjects, as well as research, learning and communication techniques that will equip you with the tools you need to be a successful teacher of future leaders.
As a teacher, you would plan lessons, teach, engage and assess your students through multiple and varied means of classroom assessment. You might also have duties such as sponsoring extracurricular activities and meeting with parents, administrators and other teachers.
Concordia NebraskaClassical Liberal Arts: Related Programs
History
At Concordia University, Nebraska, we provide our students with a broad knowledge of history and equip them with the skills necessary to study and understand the past. You will leave the history program as a strong written and oral communicator and exceptional analytical thinker, which will serve you in studying the history and provide you with the tools you need to be successful in your future, no matter your choice of career.
Theology
With a degree in theology from Concordia Nebraska, you will learn to think and read critically, speak clearly and persuasively, and better understand how religious convictions shape us ethically as members of the human community. Studying Christian theology helps you consider both historical and contemporary questions related to theological and religious thought to enhance your awareness of religious beliefs and practices among different cultures.
Pre-Seminary
Concordia University, Nebraska’s pre-seminary program will prepare you for admission to a theological seminary, so you can become a member of the ordained pastoral ministry. Designed to coordinate specifically with the Master of Divinity program of both seminaries of the LCMS, Concordia’s pre-seminary program is rooted in the liberal arts tradition and includes an emphasis in the biblical languages of Greek and Hebrew, along with a background in philosophy and the humanities.
1 Recent graduates attending graduate school or employed within six months of graduation.
2 Career salary and wages sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.