Concordia University Chicago has followed a motto that has served us well throughout our history: You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free (John 8:32 ESV).

What makes us truly free is our commitment to providing students with a transformative educational experience that is grounded in faith, learning and vocation. At CUC, we live out the hope of this recognized Truth for our students, and our belief that this frees them to see clearly how the world opens up for them.

A Tradition of Faith

As a Christian university rooted in the Lutheran tradition, CUC cultivates within each of its students the ideals of a Christian life. Within that framework, students seek greater meaning in their spiritual and work lives, discovering ways to serve the greater good and mature in their faith.

In 16th-century Wittenberg, Germany, Martin Luther and Philip Melanchthon had a vision for higher education: the rigorous pursuit of the liberal arts for the benefit of the Church, family and society. They realized that vision beautifully, setting a standard for Lutheran higher education that lives on today.

Scientific advancements over the last two centuries have led universities to embrace greater specialization and realize a global reach. Many have done so at the expense of the liberal arts—but not CUC, which continues to embrace the transformative power of the quest for goodness, truth and beauty, centered in God’s revealed Word. The University also embraces the demands of the modern marketplace with professional programs that equip students for service at the cutting edge, both around the world and across the street.

Highly regarded nationally for the contributions of its faculty and graduates to the work and mission of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, the University equips future church professionals through the following programs: 

Director of Christian Education (DCE)

Lutheran Teacher Education (LTE)

Director of Parish Music

Deaconess Studies

Pre-Seminary

Classical Liberal Studies

Degrees and Programs

Find a degree rooted in Lutheran values that fits your academic goals.

See degrees

Service learning is an integral part of your college experience at Concordia-Chicago. Textbooks and classroom discussions quickly translate into hands-on opportunities to serve within local and national communities where you can change and improve the lives of others.

Current students serve by:

  • Leading youth retreats
  • Teaching Sunday school
  • Rebuilding homes in storm-stricken areas with Lutheran Church Charities Disaster Response
  • Service Learning and Ministry Outreach activities

Campus Growth and Spiritual Activities

At CUC, you can participate in:

  • National and international service – mission trips and Christian response to global issues of injustice and human rights
  • Lock-ins, retreats and concerts for high school students through Concordia Youth Ministry
  • Making blankets to support Project Linus through Ministry to Chicago
  • Ministry to the homeless – plarn mat-making, car kits for commuters to hand out, bringing meals to the homeless in downtown Chicago
  • Supporting local homeless shelters like Housing Forward
  • Volunteering with CUC’s Pillars Pantry and Beyond Hunger a local food pantry in Oak Park
  • Volunteering at Feed My Starving Children
  • Tutoring program at St. Paul Lutheran School in the Austin neighborhood of Chicago