Art/Graphic Design
The Visual Arts Department teaches students to create and experience art and design that diversely reflects beauty, truth, and goodness, connecting technique with meaning and developing context within art history. Students assemble professional portfolios as they create from observations of God’s creation and His gift of imagination to communicate generously with neighbors through art and live as wise, honorable, and cultivated citizens in their creative vocations.
Biology
A wise student will understand that the boundary of the natural world may extend beyond where it is purported to be within our discipline, and will be able to think and articulate that bigger picture given the information they learn in our classes. An honorable student will know humanity in such a way that self is of less importance than other human beings, and behave accordingly in their chosen field within biology. A cultivated student will self-assess their actions and opinions when appropriate to determine if they are wise and honorable, and make adjustments when that need becomes apparent.
Communication Studies
Communication Studies majors pursue phronesis (practical wisdom) through studying theories of human symbolic interaction in all contexts (interpersonal, intercultural, rhetorical, organizational, mediated, etc.) to identify honorable applications (media productions, presentations, persuasive campaigns, journalism, etc.) thereby becoming a citizenry cultivated to serve as “triple threats” (speaking, writing, digitizing) in both public and private domains.
English, Writing, & Modern Languages
The Department of English, Writing, and Modern Languages cultivates wise and honorable citizens through engagement with language and great literary works to address the question of what it means to be human. Through the study of literary form and content, students cultivate an appreciation for goodness, truth, and beauty, enabling them to write with creativity and eloquence, to address persistent social problems with empathy, and to fulfill their professional callings with integrity.
History & Political Thought
History and Political Thought students embody wisdom, honor, and cultivation by learning how to see the world clearly and comprehensively. They show a discerning interest and engagement with the world around them. They analyze and examine contexts and controversies. They read, write, think, and make connections using the records of many peoples, preparing them to make judgments based on careful thought and Christian values. They communicate and collaborate with others for mutual good, understanding their place and purpose in history. This reinforces their sense of vocation, God's divine call in Christ to serve their neighbors.
Liberal Arts
The Liberal Arts major pursues wisdom, honor, and cultivation by studying the human condition through a variety of disciplinary and cultural lenses, thereby experiencing (1) the freedom inherent in exploring questions of self and other and (2) the truth, goodness, and beauty of God’s multi-faceted creation.
Mathematics & Computer Science
The Mathematics & Computer Science department teaches students to realize their Christian vocations by developing creative thinking, clear communication, problem solving, and technical skills, while balancing decision making and tradeoffs in complex challenges and real world issues. Students are challenged intellectually, while developing their spiritual and ethical habits as wise, honorable and cultivated citizens.
Music
The Music Department teaches students to imagine, create, perform, and contextualize God’s gift of music with excellence, cultivating an experience of expressive humanity within their community, one that transcends knowledge and ultimately reminds them of freedom, relationship, and divine love.
Psychology, Sociology, & Anthropology
The Department of Psychology, Sociology, and Anthropology is uniquely positioned to understand Christ’s words of “Love thy neighbor as thyself.” No other field of study examines love, neighbor, and self as directly as the Behavioral Sciences. We examine the cultural, societal, and personal constructs that facilitate or impede the understanding of these ideas.
Theatre
Theatre students examine and experience what it means to be human, through both the reading and production of plays; while acknowledging sinfulness and its role in conflict, Concordia theatre is unique because we explore this in the context of the fruits of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23). In this way, the art of storytelling becomes a collaborative endeavor whereby students must learn principles of wisdom, honor, and cultivation in order to connect successfully with an audience.