Recognizing the significant need for Lutheran educators, Concordia has debuted the Lutheran Educator Support Scholarship (LESS) for fall 2023.


LESS is a $3,000 renewable scholarship that provides support for traditional undergraduates preparing to be Lutheran teachers. It’s one of two distinct scholarships given to Lutheran Teacher Diploma (LTD) candidates. Concordia also offers the Forward in Faith scholarship, which may be “stacked” on top of the LESS offering.

The new offering now brings the assistance for LTD candidates up to par with Concordia’s financial aid opportunities for pre-seminary candidates. It also makes a CUAA undergraduate education degree a more affordable option than peer Concordias in Nebraska and Irvine.

Highest numbers of church work candidates among the Concordias

Already, Concordia University Wisconsin and Ann Arbor trains the most Lutheran teacher candidates for the LCMS, as well as the most church work candidates for the Church.

Fall 2021 church work census data for Concordia University System schools (the most recent numbers available) reflect the vibrancy of the university’s efforts to prepare future leaders for the Church.

The Ann Arbor campus alone brings in the fourth-largest church work population, despite having the smallest enrollment of the seven Concordia University System campuses, and its trajectory is on the rise with its total enrollment rising 75 percent since 2014.

Within the Concordia University System, CUAA also offers:

  • The only Family Life Ministry program
  • The sole STEPS program (a paid internship program for church workers)
  • A 10:1 church work student-to-faculty ratio
  • 5 church work-specific scholarships
  • More than 50 church work endowments (awarded annually)

Additionally,

  • 23% of CUAA’s traditional undergraduate population is Lutheran (the third-highest percentage in the CUS, behind CUNE and CUW!)
  • 90% of traditional undergraduates at CUAA are Christian (the highest percentage in the CUS!)

Explore our education offerings

Undergraduate

CUAA offers more than a dozen bachelor’s programs within its School of Education. Any of these degrees may have the Lutheran Teacher Diploma added to make a candidate eligible to receive a call within the LCMS.

  • Bachelor of Arts in K-12 Music Education
  • Bachelor of Arts in Lower Level Elementary Education
  • Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics
  • Bachelor of Arts in Middle Level Secondary Education
  • Bachelor of Arts in Upper Level Elementary Education
  • Bachelor of Arts in Upper Level Secondary Education
  • Bachelor of Arts in K-12 Health & Physical Education
  • Bachelor of Arts in K-12 Special Education Learning Disabilities
  • Accelerated Online Bachelor of Arts in Cross Categorical Special Education
  • Accelerated Online Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education
  • Accelerated Online Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education – Mathematics
  • Accelerated Online Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education – Social Studies
  • Accelerated Online Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education – English and Language Arts

Graduate

CUWAA offers more than 20 graduate education degrees that will help you further your knowledge, experience, and career pursuits. Just a few options include:

  • Master’s in education administration
  • Master’s of Educational Leadership
  • Master’s in student personnel administration in higher education
  • Doctorate of Leadership in Innovation & Continuous Improvement
  • Master’s in Counseling
  • Master’s of Curriculum & Instruction with teacher certification in elementary or secondary education
  • Superintendent Licensure
  • Master of Science in Instructional Leadership
  • Master’s in Literacy

Want in?

Concordia University Ann Arbor knows the urgent need for more skilled workers for the Church. The university annually commits a variety of support to students who indicate their desire to pursue church work.