The Church Music major develops students into well-rounded church musicians, preparing them for careers as music professionals in a Christian worship setting. It enjoys all of the opportunities in Concordia's Music program, but also provides additional features. The music program is led by accomplished and caring faculty who give one-on-one attention to students in a nurturing community. The culmination of the major is a senior year public presentation of the student’s work. Students are equipped to lead both traditional liturgies and contemporary worship formats.

The successful Music major will enter the program with music reading ability and previous music performance experience and study. The level of each student’s abilities and experience will be initially assessed through a music placement survey, auditions for ensembles, and placement evaluations by private lesson instructors.

Students may add Director of Parish Music certification by completing the Lutheran Theology minor, compiling a portfolio, and passing entrance and exit interviews with the Department of Theology and Ministry. This leads to rostered church worker status as a Commissioned Minister in The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod.

General Education Requirements

All degree seeking undergraduate students must complete the general education requirements.

Degree Requirements

A bachelor of Arts degree consists of a major of typically 30 to 44 credits or two minors, general education courses, upper-level requirements, and elective courses totaling a minimum of 120 credits.

Prerequisites

The successful church music major will enter the program with music-reading ability and previous music performance experience and study. The level of each student’s abilities and experience will be initially assessed through a music placement survey, auditions for ensembles and placement evaluations by private lesson instructors. Based on this assessment, the student may be required to take one or more of the following courses:

Course Requirements

Director of Parish Music (DPM) Certification

Additional Requirements

Students must attend eight recitals or concerts per year and document such in their Music Portfolio to be submitted for review each year by November 1 to the Chair of the Music Department. A minimum of a 2.75 GPA is required in all music coursework, as well as a minimum of 2.5 GPA in each area of performance, history/literature, and theory/composition. Students must also complete a performance assessment for the music faculty in February of their sophomore year (or in their first year for transfer students). The Keyboard Proficiency Assessment must be passed prior to internship. Finally, students should take the Senior Music Outcomes exam when Musicianship/Music History courses are completed.