Bachelor of Arts in English

at Concordia University, St. Paul USA

The English major is an excellent choice for people who enjoy reading and writing. Contrary to popular belief, an English major does not doom graduates to a life of starvation or menial labor. In fact, our graduates go on to find success in a variety of occupations, including journalism, marketing, magazine writing, creative writing, public relations, web content creation, technology, management, and more. English majors also go on to graduate school in a variety of areas, including education, business, literature, creative writing, law, library science, and fashion history.

In the English major, students will gain broad-based knowledge of literature from all periods and from around the world. They will learn to write clearly and persuasively, think independently, create original works, present alternative viewpoints, and solve problems. Students can choose from four emphasis areas within the English major: literature, creative writing, journalism, or professional writing.

Communication Studies involves exploring the ways humans create, transmit, negotiate, and understand meaning through the exchange of messages. The study of the personal, social, political, and cultural functions of communication across multiple contexts prepares students to be thoughtful and informed citizens, prepared to thrive in a dynamic, global marketplace.

Lifelong skills such as speaking, working in groups, working with new media, organization, critical thinking, and writing form the foundation of the Communication Studies program. Classroom and on-the-job internship experiences prepare students for thoughtful and informed entry into countless career choices. The Communication Studies major is based on research data which indicates that employers are interested in potential employees with skills in oral communication, listening, writing, interpersonal communication, interviewing and small group communication, and who have some career training and orientation.

Biology majors develop a strong foundation in biology by exploring cell biology, genetics, molecular biology, chemistry, evolutionary theory, scientific methodology, and laboratory techniques in our core curriculum.  Students then have the opportunity to tailor their degree with various electives including immunology, microbiology, human anatomy and physiology, and human gross anatomy, in which students have access to a human cadaver lab. The coursework pushes students to sharpen their critical thinking, scientific reasoning, and laboratory skills. 

Concordia’s Criminal Justice programs offer students a comprehensive educational foundation of the multi-systemic criminal justice system. Through the program, students will explore alluring issues of crime and justice that critically impact the perspectives of interrelationships, functions, and operations within the dynamic components related to human behavior, cultural aspects, and global controversies.They will also gain a deeper understanding of patterns and behavioral causation of crime, ethical decision making, balancing crime control with civil liberty preservation, and the mounting importance of security and safety.

The Criminal Justice program is designed for students who desire to enter or are newly entering a Criminal Justice System (CJS) profession and those already established seeking long-term career aspirations. The course content is an overarching view of the multi-systemic CJS highlighting foundational and evolving changes, current research trends, professionalism, ethics, creative decision-making, and leadership development as central themes throughout the program.
This program offers students the opportunity to explore their criminal justice interests and develop leadership aptitude while building valuable, career-ready, and promotable skillsets upon graduation. The CJ-BA Program has been approved by the Minnesota Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) academic licensure requirements, and continuing education (CE) credits toward annual licensure requirements.

This intensive 80 credit program is designed to prepare students at the highest level for creative professions like graphic design and other communications-related fields that rely on visual imagery. Students will gain an understanding of design theories and practices related to production in all areas of graphic design for traditional and emerging digital formats. The addition of substantial advanced studio, theory, and contextual work beyond the BA means that upon completion of the program students will understand professional level craft, theory, process, and technical skills, and an ability to produce thoughtful and informed work in such areas as institutional branding and identity, new media, web development and interactivity, package design, publication design, advertising, illustration, signage and exhibition design, sustainability, spirituality, and social change.

A Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Concordia University, St. Paul provides a solid foundation for students interested in a wide range of human-focused careers, including social work, counseling, human development, and others - along with a pathway to powerful advanced degree programs.

Students in this program learn from experienced CSP faculty who bring deep expertise in human psychology, combined with unique insight into career path exploration to support students’ individual interests.

The focused curriculum provides the essential learning opportunities and skill-building that opens doors to myriad opportunities to help others in virtually limitless ways – whether within organizations and companies or in settings where graduates will work 1:1 or in group settings to help people improve their lives and resolve issues. 

The Music Business major is a joint offering of the Music and Business Departments. The major is designed for students who wish to work as promoters, marketers, assistants, or managers of musical organizations and individual artists in either the commercial or non-profit realms.  The degree provides students a foundational knowledge base in music and business, culminating in an internship with a professional musical organization in the Twin Cities.  The skills obtained in this degree prepare graduates for entry level positions in a variety of music and arts organizations.

The Community Arts program fosters students’ involvement, engagement, and service within the local arts community. In this interdisciplinary program, students learn both traditional and new media techniques, grounding them in practical applications. In the classroom, they gain a foundation in western and global art history and are introduced to community arts history and concepts. The program emphasizes social justice through arts applications. The 45-credit major starts with core studio requirements that familiarize students with various materials and concepts used to understand the nature of visual language. Students then take studio courses to enable a general and versatile art skill base. Students are also encouraged to add electives in theatre, graphic design, or specialize within studio arts. All community arts majors at Concordia take the foundational community arts class and during their final year, complete 8 credits of an internship. Students will be prepared to pursue a variety of career options upon graduation, from advanced degree in the arts to a variety of art-centered careers within community development and engagement. As a community arts major, you will be taught by an experienced faculty of active professionals with close ties to the vibrant Twin Cities art community. You will have complete facilities for ceramics, photography, digital art, printmaking, sculpture, as well as painting and drawing.

The Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology encourages students to develop lifelong skills in scientific thinking and understanding human thought, behavior, and interaction. Classroom learning in combination with a research-focused internship experience will prepare students to enter a career of choice, medical school, or graduate school.

The Department of Theatre and Dance provides students with a challenging variety of theatrical experiences that enrich their artistic, intellectual, cultural, and spiritual lives. Students will experience a rich blend of traditional classroom, hands-on laboratory, and performance opportunities that help prepare students for entry into professional careers in theatre, graduate study, or to support and strengthen their abilities and expertise in other fields such as education, business, or ministry.