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 Exposition
The Biblical Exposition program is a four-year, 130-hour program that not only provides a solid foundation in General Education and Christian Ministries, but also provides a 67- hour major in 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 Ministry
The Children & Family Ministry program aims to produce theological, academically, and spiritually grounded church leaders with specialized ministerial skills with children and families.
Christian Service Certificate
This certificate program is for students interested in college work, but who are not
academically qualified for a degree program. Eligible students include those whose ACT
composite scores and high school rank are below the 25th and above the 15th percentile.
This program is intended to help such students serve more effectively in the local church.
Christian Spiritual Formation
The Christian Spiritual Formation program aims to produce theologically, academically, and
spiritually grounded church leaders for focusing on small group ministries of various age
groups, including membership development, assimilation, mentoring, counseling,
discipleship, and Christian education. In this program, students are encouraged to develop
Christ-like character by deepening their personal relationship with Christ in order to prepare
for their ministry
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.
General Ministry:
The General Ministry degree program is designed for those whose ministry interests and
career goals are more general than our more specialized degree programs permit.
Students in this program may have several areas of interest they wish to pursue, including
areas not currently covered in our curriculum, which they can do through approved
transfer courses. Students still need to choose an area of focus, which then becomes the
basis for a required internship.
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 Degree Program
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.
Internship Program
The Internship experience is the capstone course for each degree-seeking student at Lincoln Christian
University, giving each student the opportunity to integrate and evaluate what they have learned, in
and out of the classroom. The learning context is an actual ministry setting under the direction of a
qualified mentor. Lincoln Christian University believes that students need an opportunity to experience
ministry, reflect upon that ministry experience with a mentor, articulate insights which have been gained,
and plan for future ministry utilizing the newly learned insights.
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.
Teacher Education
As part of its mission to prepare Christian teachers, Lincoln Christian University offers
teacher education consortium programs (TECP) in a joint arrangement with three nearby
colleges and universities. Depending upon the major selected, the programs involve
approximately three years of work at Lincoln and two years at the consortium school,
though our consortial program with Greenville College involves only four years.
Courses at Lincoln focus primarily upon Bible, theology, and general education; while
courses at the consortium school focus on professional education.
TESOL Certificate Only
The certificate program in TESOL 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 Preaching Ministry:
The combined Youth and Preaching 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.
Youth Ministry:
The Youth Ministry program prepares students for service in the church as youth
ministers (birth to college age), in focused student ministries (e.g., junior high ministry),
and as associate ministers working with youth. It also prepares students to serve youth in
church-related organizations, as well as in campus ministry, urban and international
settings, and related areas. Students are trained with a family ministry and an
empowering-teams ministry mindset.
