Deaconess Studies Program (Online-ODS)
Concordia Seminary’s Deaconess Studies Program (Online-ODS) prepares women to share the Gospel through works of mercy, spiritual care and teaching the Christian faith in congregations, hospitals, nursing homes, social service organizations and foreign missions. The four-year distance education program leads to certification as a commissioned deaconess in The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS).
The integrated curriculum includes 16 master’s-level courses offered one at a time in a live, online format. Students are required to participate in three activities on campus: orientation at the beginning of the program, and formation seminars midway and again near the end of the program.
Students serve as interns in their location of service upon entering the program and beginning course work. Online deaconess students are advised by and supervised by Ministerial Formation. At the end of the program, students are eligible to receive deaconess certification and placement as a deaconess in the LCMS.
Eligibility
Applicants must be active members of a Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) congregation, and have been active members of an LCMS congregation or church body in fellowship with the LCMS for at least two years before enrolling in the Deaconess Studies Program (Online).
Each applicant must have a high school diploma or equivalent and be committed to the Lutheran confession of faith and willing to uphold the doctrine of the LCMS.
College Preparation
All Deaconess Studies Program (Online) courses are taught at the master’s degree level and, as such, applicants should have the experience and capability to study at this level.
Students who qualify and want to receive a Master of Arts (M.A.) (Spiritual Care Major) after completing the program must have a bachelor’s degree.
For more information, review the Academic Catalog and Entry Level Competency Exam requirements.
Deaconess Studies Program (Online-ODS) Curriculum
| Course 1 | PRA471 | Introduction to Deaconess Ministry |
| Course 2 | PRA472 | Introduction to Spiritual Care |
| Course 3 | SYS471 | The Master Narrative |
| Course 4 | SYS472 | Creedal Themes |
| Course 5 | SYS473 | Lutheran Distinctions |
| Course 6 | PRA473 | Spiritual Care of Women |
| Course 7 | PRA474 | Teaching the Faith |
| Course 8 | SYS474 | Means of Grace |
| Course 9 | SYS475 | Lutheran Confession of Faith |
| Course 10 | EXE471 | Scripture and Faith |
| Course 11 | EXE472 | Old Testament Theology |
| Course 12 | EXE473 | New Testament Theology |
| Course 13 | HIS471 | The Lutheran Reformation |
| Course 14 | PRA475 | Teaching the Word to Women |
| Course 15 | EXE474 | The Church and Its Life |
| Course 16 | PRA476 | Deaconess as Leader and Theologian |
Students serve as interns in their location of service upon entering the program and beginning course work. The internship is supervised by a qualified LCMS rostered church worker. For more information, please contact internship@csl.edu.
Paths to Certification
At Concordia Seminary, there are two residential degree routes: The Master of Arts (M.A.) with Deaconess Certification and the dual-degree Master of Arts (M.A.) with Deaconess Certification + Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) Program. There are also three additional paths to certification via distance and extension education through the Center for Hispanic Studies (CHS), the Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology (EIIT) and the Deaconess Studies Program (Online-ODS).
