The Pre-Seminary program at Concordia University Ann Arbor prepares students for the graduate work needed to become a pastor or church worker in the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and the Lutheran Church—Canada. Pre-Seminary graduates continue their study at the Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Fort Wayne, Edmonton, and St. Catherines. The path to the ministry is an exhilarating and earnest one. Our goal is to offer you all the skills, knowledge, and support we can along the way.

Scholarships and grants

The Luther Scholar Guarantee - selected Pre-Seminary students will receive $20,000 of total financial aid from CUAA.

Diligent Timothy Book Award - for all incoming pre-seminary and pre-deaconess students.

The CUAA advantage

A Pre-Seminary degree from CUAA offers you:

  • Pre-seminary activities such as conferences and workshops, guest lecturers, seminary visits, mission trips and service projects
  • A flexible, high-quality program of study
  • A wide variety of optional worship and devotional opportunities
  • Extra-curricular activities and spiritual life on campus that blend education with real-world experience and personal growth in Christian faith and life
  • Participation in the STEPS program (Serving and Training Experiences for Pre-Seminary Students) for upper-level students with full standing
  • A Lutheran higher education community committed to helping students develop in mind, body, and spirit for service to Christ in the Church and the world

Program highlights

All incoming Pre-Seminary students with any financial need at all receive the Diligent Timothy Book Award. Those who maintain a B average or greater in Pre-Seminary courses continue to receive this award in successive semesters. Those with an A average receive double the award amount.

Learning outcomes

As a CUAA Pre-Seminary graduate, you'll enter the seminary with the knowledge needed to:

  • Clearly communicate God’s message through the written and spoken word
  • Understand the elements of traditional and contemporary Lutheran worship
  • Develop and lead a worship service
  • Understand and appreciate the Lutheran ethos, identity, and ethic
  • Help others perceive, proclaim, teach, and live out the centrality of the Gospel of Jesus Christ
  • Apply critical-thinking skills and a global perspective to philosophical inquiry
  • Make professional presentations using research, strategy, audience analysis, and technology
  • Discern the Lord’s direction for their direction into ministry

While originally designed for entrance into the LCMS seminaries in St. Louis or Fort Wayne, the Pre-Seminary curriculum of Biblical study, theology, church history and biblical languages provides excellent preparation for entrance into any Christian seminary. In recent years, an increasing number of students from other denominations have chosen Concordia for their preparatory studies in theology.

Coursework

Pre-Seminary coursework includes classes in Lutheran Worship, Public Speaking, Civilization and Worldviews, Introduction to Writing, and Biblical Theology. An extensive range of electives are available in categories such as Theology/Family Life, Philosophy/Literature, Historical Theology, and Writing. See our course catalog for details.

Complementary majors/minors

Pre-Seminary students are strongly encouraged to include two majors in their studies: Theological Languages and Pre-Seminary Studies.

These majors are designed to prepare students for the seminary competency examinations in the Old Testament, New Testament, Christian Doctrine, Greek, and Hebrew. These majors also include broader liberal arts studies in German or Latin, communication, writing, social science, and philosophy, all of which are helpful for theological study on a graduate level.

In special cases, students in the Pre-Seminary program may choose other majors and minors, but must always include at least a minor in Theological Languages.

Recommended high school prep

  • English
  • Math
  • Lab Science
  • Social Studies
  • Foreign language study, German or Latin if possible