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DCE Colloquy Program Overview

DCE Colloquy Program
This is a 30-credit graduate program: 24 graduate credits and 6 undergraduate credits. Tuition rate is $214 per academic credit for 2007-2008. For financial aid applications contact your LCMS district office and congregation. Federal loan aid is available for the Cohort portion of the program through Concordia's Financial Aid office: (651) 603-6300 or finaid@csp.edu.

CUEnet
Complete the CUEnet Theology coursework online or document its equivalent; 8 courses at $625 per course.

Program Structure
The Director of Christian Education (DCE) Colloquy program is an accelerated program for lay workers in congregations or other Recognized Service Organizations of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod.

Program Schedule
The DCE Colloquy program requires approximately one to two years to complete. The program includes the following steps:
  • Complete CSP's minor in Confessional Lutheranism (or equivalent) or CUENET coursework.
  • Complete the 24 graduate credits and 6 undergraduate credits, for the Colloquy internship, DCE colloquy cohort sequence. This sequence begins with a one-week on-campus residency. The remaining courses, each approximately six weeks long, are delivered online.
  • Complete Colloquy entrance and exit interviews.
  • Included in the program is an internship, which runs concurrent with the coursework.

Individualized Academic Plan
The colloquy applicant must meet the DCE program requirements in theology, education and fieldwork. The initial DCE Colloquy interview will determine a candidate's specific course of study based upon transcripts, documentation of life experience and/or competency exams.

The Director of Colloquy will determine each applicant's theology requirements. Each candidate's academic plan will define how the outcomes will be met for theology, education, and field experience. The candidate's proposed academic plan as recommended by the entrance interview team is submitted to the Dean of CVM for approval. If the dean has reservations about the candidate's academic plan, the dean will consult with the interview team until the academic plan is mutually agreed upon.

Curricular Foundations
The curriculum of the DCE Colloquy program builds upon the definition, mission, and values for all DCEs as accepted within The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod.

Definition: A Director of Christian Education is a synodically certified, called and commissioned lifespan educational leader prepared for team ministry in a congregational setting.

Mission: Empowered by the Holy Spirit, the Director of Christian Education plans, administers, and assesses ministry that nurtures and equips people as the Body of Christ for spiritual maturity, service, and witness in home, job, congregation, community and the world.

Important values for DCE's:
  • Exhibits Christian character
  • Displays a spiritually maturing faith
  • Relates well with people of all ages
  • Expresses a passion for teaching and learning
  • Possesses a servant heart
  • Manages personal and professional life effectively
  • Seeks to work in team relationships
  • Strives for excellence
  • Operates in a self-directed manner

Options for Meeting Scripture and Theology Requirements
Scripture and Theology courses in doctrine and Confessions must be taken through an institution of the Concordia University System or Valparaiso University. Scripture and Theology courses may also be taken through the Concordia Online Colloquy Program.

For information on this technology based instruction, contact CUENET, 345 SW Cyber Drive, Bend, Oregon 97702, 1-800-238-3037, colloquy@cuenet.edu or http://www.cuenet.edu/colloquy. The student may choose instead to meet the outcomes required to meet the standard of theological competency through the minor in Confessional Lutheranism at Concordia University, St. Paul.

Option I:
    On-site at Concordia University, St. Paul
  • RLG 203 - Old Testament Narrative (3)
  • RLG 206 - New Testament (3)
  • RLG 241 - Church History (3)
  • RLG 301 - Old Testament II (2)
  • THY 330 - Our Living Faith (4)
  • THY 341 - Lutheran Confessional Writings (3)
  • THY 422 - Church Ministry and Practice (3)
Option II:
    Coursework offered through the Concordia University Education Network (CUENET)
  • Old Testament
  • New Testament
  • History of Theology
  • Lutheran Confessions
  • Christian Doctrine
  • Varieties of Belief
  • Lutheran Teacher 1
  • Lutheran Teacher 2
Option III: Course work assigned by the Colloquy Entrance Interview Team. DCE Colloquy candidates may exempt from specific courses by competency examination or by documentation of comparable life experience. Such options will be incorporated into the candidate's academic plan by the entrance interview team. Students may also be excused from coursework they already have taken at another Concordia or Valparaiso University. Such exemptions should be included in the candidate's academic plan.

DCE Colloquy Online Cohort Education Course Requirements

Residency - One week (3 graduate credits)
  • CLQ 576, Introduction to DCE Ministry
On-line Coursework - Each course (3 graduate credits each) is 6 weeks in length and will operate as a continuous cohort.  
  • CLQ 512 Volunteer Management
  • CLQ 519 Teaching Strategies for Adults
  • CLQ 515 Teaching the Faith Across the Lifespan
  • CLQ 520 Leadership
  • CLQ 572 Family and Youth Ministry
  • CLQ 513 Ministry Teams in the Parish
  • CLQ 573 Role of the DCE
Internship
  • CLQ 478 DCE Internship I and CLQ 479 DCE Internship II (3 undergraduate credits each)
  1. Six to twelve months in length depending upon the assessment of life experiences, but normally not longer than the cohort coursework.
  2. Requires a minimum of one on-site assessment visit (six month) or two on-site visits for 9-12 month internship.

Credit/Exemption for Life Experience
Credit or exemption for life experience may be granted by documenting accomplishment of outcomes through a portfolio process. The applicant and academic advisor will identify courses that may have been accomplished through life experience.

The applicant may then compile a portfolio consisting of essays and/or statements of verification that will document accomplishment. The course instructor will then review the portfolio for verification. A standard fee will be assessed for this process.

Field Work and Clinical Practice Experiences
Fieldwork and clinical practice experiences may be taken at the site of parish service or the RSO. These experiences will be designed on the basis of need as identified through consultation between the Director of the DCE Program, the applicant and the pastor of the congregation or the administrator of the RSO served by the applicant.

Final DCE Colloquy Certification Review Process
The Certification Review Process serves as the outcomes examination for the Parish Education Major and the DCE Certification Program, providing a final review before application for Certification and providing closure and synthesis for the DCE candidate. The Certification Review Process, conducted by the Colloquy (Certification) Interview Team will serve as the colloquy examination for those seeking to be placed on the roster of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod as Ministers of Religion, Commissioned as Directors of Christian Education.

A. The final colloquy Certification Review Process will be through a two hour interview which will include the following:
  1. Examination of content knowledge of the Old and New Testament, Lutheran Confessions, and Christian doctrine
  2. The expression of synthesis of content is accomplished through the final Philosophy of DCE Ministry paper. The outline for this paper may be obtained in the application for certification review materials.
  3. Submission of the final professional portfolio to the Colloquy Certification Review team.
B. The Colloquy Certification Interview is to be scheduled after DCE Internship and in conjunction with application for Synodical placement. The Colloquy Certification Review Team that conducted the admission interview will reconvene if possible to conduct the final interview.
C. Approval by the Dean and faculty of the College of Vocation and Ministry. In the event that a student is not recommended for certification the applicant may appeal to the Dean of The College of Vocation and Ministry. The Dean of the College of Vocation and Ministry shall determine the nature of the reconsideration process.
D. Approval by the colloquy process of The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod as specified in the synodical Handbook By-law III.