Concordia Seminary
801 Seminary Place
St. Louis, MO 63105

Founded more than 150 years ago by a group of Germ emigrants, Concordia Seminary is today owned and operated by the Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod. Situated on a 72-acre site in Clayton, Missiouri -- but close to downtown St. Louis -- the seminary college's mission is to prepare men to become parish pastors, chaplains, and mission workers throughout the nation and world.

As part of its mission, Concordia Seminary offers the Master of Divinity degree, which is how ordained members of the ministry typically gain their certification. In order to gain admittance to the program students must present a bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year institution of higher learning. Students who have not received a bachelor's degree may also be admitted to the program, but the number of non-degree students is limited to 10 percent of the total students enrolled in the Master of Divinity program.

Throughout the years, Concordia Seminary has continued to succeed in its mission by providing over 12,000 professional workers for the church. The seminar school also boasts an international seminary exchange program that allows students to study at schools in places like Brazil, Cambridge, Korea, and Oberursel.

Quick Facts:

• This seminary college has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools as well as the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada. The clinical pastoral education has also been accredited by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc.


• Concordia Seminary students participate on intercollegiate teams for basketball and tennis. The college also has intramural teams in sports like chess, badminton, wiffleball, golf, sand volleyball, pool, horseshoes, racquetball, and flag football.


• Out of Concordia Seminary's 45 faculty members, 40 have a doctorate in their respective fields. The college also has a mission professor within each of its theology departments.


• Concordia Seminary also offers a certificate program that closely parallels the Master of Divinity program but which does not lead to a degree.