Academic Programs
BA Common Core
These are the common courses to all the Bachelor of Arts programs of 130 hours with a few minor exceptions.
Bible
The Associate of Arts in Bible is a two-year degree program designed for students who expect to serve in church leadership but probably not in a paid position (e.g. as a Bible teacher, elder, youth sponsor, worship leader, or church planting team member).
Biblical Studies
The Biblical Studies program is a four-year, 130-hour program that provides a solid foundation in General Education, Bible, and Theology. It is designed for students seeking entry-level positions in the teaching ministry of the Church.
Business Administration
The Business Administration program prepares students for entry-level positions in the business world. Distinctives of the program include smaller classes, real-world projects, and an applied/skill-based approach to learning. Current graduates are serving in manufacturing, small businesses, corporate offices, sales, non-profits, and church/parachurch organizations.
Children & Family Studies
The Children & Family Studies program aims to produce theological, academically, and spiritually grounded church leaders with specialized ministerial skills with children and families.
Communication
This joint program in Communication prepares Christian servant leaders as professionals in the field of communication, including both mass media systems and interpersonal/organizational communication systems. Graduates of this program will understand general communication theory and technology, but will also specialize in a particular area of communication.
Early Childhood
This two-year program will prepare the graduates to work in private or public day care and preschool settings. A student may also choose the option of preparing to serve as a day care teacher, director, meeting DCFS requirements for private administration of day care homes.
Education and Discipleship
The Education and Discipleship program is designed to equip students to be educational leaders of the church, who are theologically, academically, and spiritually grounded. Students will be equipped to be able to understand and work with various age groups, including children, youth, and young adults, in order to help them grow spiritually through the church's various educational processes, especially focusing on small group ministry.
General Studies
The General Studies program is designed to educate students who are interested in pursuing an area of study in General Education which is not available in other degree programs. Students will select an emphasis based on their area of General Education interest while they pursue their studies within the context of a Christian worldview. Graduates are encouraged to view this degree as preparatory to advanced study at the master’s and doctoral level. This program should be especially useful for transfer students.
Honors
Students with at least sophomore standing and a cumulative grade average of 3.5 or higher may apply for acceptance into an honors degree program. The honors degree requires 5 additional semester hours of study under a mentoring professor and the completion of a capstone project. The additional work may be completed in the area of the student’s ministry specialization or in an area of interest outside the specialization.
Intercultural Studies
The Intercultural Studies program is designed to prepare students for entry-level intercultural ministry, both domestic and foreign, by equipping students with the knowledge and skills to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ and become a sign of the Kingdom of God among all peoples.
Pre-Nursing
This Associate’s degree program is designed for students who want to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree program at a college of nursing. This program not only meets the typical 62 hours of pre-nursing program curriculum requirements from most colleges of nursing, but also adds an additional 12 hours of courses in Bible and Christian worldview studies that meet the University’s mission of “nurturing and equipping Christians with a Biblical worldview to serve and lead in the church and the world.”
Preaching Ministry
The Preaching Ministry major is designed to prepare students for entry-level, servant leadership positions in the church as preaching ministers, associate ministers, campus ministers, and so forth. The focus is on understanding both the message to be preached and the messenger who preaches it.
Philosophy
The philosophy program is designed to provide students with an understanding and appreciation of the fundamental issues of philosophy, primarily in the Western philosophical tradition. It will lead students to think critically and creatively about the classic problems of philosophy within the context of a Christian worldview. The program should prepare graduates to enter a variety of academic and professional programs at the master’s and doctoral levels.
Psychology
The Psychology program prepares persons for future employment in church, parachurch, and other community-based settings. Graduates are equipped to work with individuals and families in entry-level positions such as inner city ministries, children’s and group homes,social service agencies, crisis pregnancy centers, and benevolent and care ministries in the church. Students interested in pursuing full-time positions as counselors, therapists or psychologists receive adequate training in this focus to be able to continue into graduate programs in counseling or psychology.
Spiritual Formation & Ministry
The Spiritual Formation & Ministry program is a four-year, 130 hour B.A. designed for students who are passionate about facilitating holistic Christian spiritual growth in local church and parachurch settings. This is a classic Christian spiritual formation program, grounded in the spiritual disciplines, with emphasis upon personal and group spiritual formation practices, prayer and retreat ministries, ministries of compassion and mercy, and spiritual guidance/soul care.
Teacher Education
As part of its mission to prepare Christian teachers, Lincoln Christian University offers teacher education programs to prepare Christian educators to serve diverse learners in diverse cultures, believing that God has charged us with this responsibility and privilege. It is our goal to produce Christian educators who are life-long learners becoming master teachers—following the example of the Master Teacher, Jesus Christ. For further information contact Director of Professional Education or TECP Coordinator.
TESOL Certificate (Undergraduate)
The certificate program in TESOL (Undergraduate) is an 18-28 semester hour program designed to prepare Christians to teach English to those whose primary language is not English. The emphasis is upon how this preparation can be used in cross-cultural settings to advance God's Kingdom.
Worship Ministry:
The Worship Ministry degree is focused on preparing leaders theologically, pastorally, and artistically for the local church in the area of worship. We believe that the local church is a vital part of the Kingdom of God and deserves the best of our resources and leadership. We want to give students the tools to know what the Bible says about worship, know how the church has dealt with worship change in the past, know what the church of today needs in worship, and know how to express all of these things in culturally dynamic ways.
Youth and Family Ministry:
The Youth and Family Ministry program prepares students for service in the church as youth ministers or associate ministers working with youth who also desire more preparation in preaching. It also prepares preachers who desire more preparation in youth ministry.