The Church Leadership Concentration is designed to prepare students for future careers in church service. Many of our graduates take positions in Christian Education or Youth Ministry directly after graduation. Others enroll in seminaries as a preparation for ordained ministry.

LaGrange College is one of only nine colleges in the nation that is authorized by the United Methodist Church to offer certification programs in Youth Ministry and Christian Education. United Methodist students who complete the Church Leadership program fulfill all of the educational requirements needed for professional certification in these fields.

The major consists of 11 courses in addition to the exploratory course in Religion that is taken as part of the core, yielding a total of 12 courses.  The Church Leadership concentration requires successful completion of the following courses:

• Biblical Studies (one (1) course). Courses: 1102 or 1103 (if not taken for the core requirement), 2110, 2111, 2120, 2121, 3110-3160.
• Historical Studies (one (1) course). Courses: 1104 or 1106 (if not taken for the core), 2210-2230, 3210-3220.
• Ethics and Theological Studies (one (1) course). Courses: 1105, 1107, or 1108 (if not taken for the core), 2310, 3310-3350.
• Philosophy (one (1) course) from PHIL 1410, PHIL 2410, PHIL 2440, PHIL 3410, PHIL 3420 (or POLS 3340), PHIL 3430, and PHIL 4410.
• Church Leadership and Youth Ministry (four (4) courses). Courses: 3510-3560.
• Internship (one (1) course). Course: 3550, scheduled in consultation with the Church Leadership Program Director.
• Senior Thesis or Project (one (1) course). Course 4620 is normally taken in the fall of the senior year.  The student should choose a project director from within the Religion & Philosophy faculty and work with this director to refine a topic in the semester prior to which the student enrolls for the course.  Thus, most students should select a topic and project director by the end of the spring semester of the junior year.

At least two of the courses in the Biblical Studies, Historical Studies, and Ethics and Theological Studies requirements must be at the 2000-level or above.  In addition, students seeking certification in Christian education by the United Methodist Church must complete United Methodist Studies (3210).  Students who do not seek United Methodist certification may choose any religion course to fulfill the remaining course requirement for the major.