Certification in Colloquy
CSP provides a pathway to certification through its colloquy program for those seeking to serve as a Director of Christian Education (DCE), Director of Christian Outreach (DCO), Director of Parish Music (DPM), or Lutheran Classroom Teacher (LCT). This program is delivered through a competency-based model, which enables a flexible and practical framework for adult learners, many of whom already hold degrees aligned with their intended area of ministry. A competency-based model allows faculty to engage more intentionally in the formative aspects of ministerial preparation while still delivering essential content for vocational readiness. Most significantly, this structure re-centers learning in the student’s ministry context, making the internship site the primary environment for theological reflection, skill development, and ministerial growth.
Competencies included in the process are adapted from the “Roles of a DCE” developed at the 1999 DCE Summit, but are applicable to all programs. Competencies include:
Administrator: Planning, organizing, coordinating/directing, promoting, managing, researching the parish ministry’s areas, etc.
Age-Group Resource: Spending time with, leading, or speaking on behalf of a person/group of a particular age.
Care-Action Minister: Ministering to a person, family, or group through nurturing and/or crisis visitation activities (home, hospital, etc.), community organization efforts, or one-to-one listening.
Pastoral & Staff Support: Working with the pastor(s) and other staff in parish ministries.
Church Professional: Developing and maintaining a sense of identity, personal devotional life, ethics, staff relationships, church-at-large commitments, peer support, and continuing education.
Program Resource (i.e., Education, Music, Outreach): Providing resources, or being the resource, for boards, committees, members, etc. in a specific area of congregational ministry.
Leader: Providing leadership to individuals, groups, committees, boards, and assemblies both inside and outside of one’s specialized areas of ministry.
Teacher: Serving the site as a teacher of the faith and theological resource in classes and programs.
Intakes
- Jan
- Aug
Application Processing Time in Days: 30
Minimum English Language Requirements
| English Level Description | IELTS (1.0 -9.0) | TOEFL IBT (0-120) | TOEFL CBT (0-300) | PTE (10-90) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Expert | 9 | 120 | 297-300 | 86-90 | |
| Very Good | 8.5 | 115-119 | 280-293 | 83-86 | |
| Very Good | 8 | 110-114 | 270-280 | 79-83 | |
| Good | 7.5 | 102-109 | 253-267 | 73-79 | |
| Good | 7 | 94-101 | 240-253 | 65-73 | |
| Competent | 6.5 | 79-93 | 213-233 | 58-65 | |
| Competent | 6 | 60-78 | 170-210 | 50-58 | |
| Modest | 5.5 | 46-59 | 133-210 | 43-50 | |
| Modest | 5 | 35-45 | 107-133 | 36-43 | |
| Limited | 4 | 32-34 | 97-103 | 30-36 | |
| Extremely Limited | < 4 | < 31 | < 93 | < 30 |
Job Opportunity Potential
Strengths / Positives
Career Services & Support
- CSP has active career development and internship fairs.
- They partner with tools / platforms like Handshake for students & alumni to find opportunities.
Growth & Strategic Planning
- The university is undergoing realignment of its academic programs (e.g. reorganizing colleges) to strengthen growth, especially in fields like Business & Technology, Health & Science, Nursing etc.
- They have launched a Strategic Plan 2030, which suggests a forward-looking approach and probably more opportunities as they expand / adapt.
CSP Global
- For working adults, CSP Global offers many degree programs designed to be flexible (8-week terms, year-round starts) in growth fields: business, technology, health sciences, nursing, education. That increases the relevance of skills in demand.
Work Environment Feedback
- On review sites (Indeed, Glassdoor) CSP scores reasonably well (~4.1/5 overall). People cite good culture, work-life balance, caring faculty / students.
- However, there are also critical reviews: about pay being low, limited advancement in some roles, and centralized decision making.
PSW Opportunity
Post-Study Work visa or permit, allowing international students on F-1 visas to work in the US after completing their studies, typically through Optional Practical Training (OPT).
Eligibility:
To be eligible for OPT, students must have been enrolled full-time in a US educational institution for at least one academic year and be seeking work related to their major.
Duration:
Students can apply for up to 12 months of OPT, either before they finish their studies (pre-completion) or after graduation (post-completion).
STEM OPT:
Students in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields can apply for an extended OPT period of up to 24 months.
Contact our PSA counselor for more information
Admission Requirement / Eligibility Criteria
Concordia has a test-optional admissions policy, and thus, applicants are not required to submit ACT or SAT scores as part of the admissions process.
Applicants are still welcome to send official scores (writing test not required) to CSP, but they will not be required for admission.
ACT school code: 2106, SAT school code: 6114
Final examination certificate (HSC, AISSC, or other standard XII certificate)
Test of English as a Foreign Language | TOEFL
Score of at least 59 (iBT). CSP’s institutional code is 6114. CSP only accepts electronic copies of the TOEFL score report.
International English Language Testing Systems | IELTS
Overall band score of the academic test of at least 5.5 or higher. General training exam not accepted. No institutional code is needed.
Pearson English Language Test | PTE
Minimum score of 46
Duolingo Language Test
Minimum score of 90
ACT or SAT
Minimum ACT or SAT requirements to the University
International Test of Language Proficiency | iTEP
Minimum score of 3.5
- Course Type: Full Time
- Course Level: Under Graduate Diploma or Certificate
- Duration: 01 Year
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Total Tuition Fee:
26400 USD
Average Cost of Living: 14000 USD /year
Application Fee: 30 USD