Tracks Available

Congregational Ministry

Congregational Ministry prepares students to work in a congregational-based children’s, youth, and family ministry program. Courses provide students with the tools needed to create a comprehensive ministry program, including program administration and event planning.

Community Outreach

Community Outreach provides students with tools necessary to lead programs in community-based organizations. Examples include social service agencies, children’s after-school programs, teen outreach centers, family support centers, or parachurch youth organizations. Coursework introduces students to program planning, administration, legal issues, working with volunteers, and community organizing.

Intercultural Outreach

Intercultural Outreach prepares students to work in culturally diverse settings with children, youth, or families, with an emphasis on evangelism and outreach. Coursework introduces students to working in intercultural settings, skills in interpersonal communication, and developing effective ministries within churches, organizations, and communities.

Outdoor Leadership

Outdoor Leadership prepares students to work in an outdoor recreation setting, such as a camp, retreat center, or wilderness program. The primary classroom learning takes place through attending two years of the Lutheran Outdoor Ministries School (held at various sites around the country), where students learn basic administrative and programmatic aspects of outdoor ministry leadership. 

“Create Your Own”

Students with other interests are invited to create their own track. Courses can be taken in the Children, Youth & Family Studies Department, courses offered by other degree programs at Trinity, through independent study with a faculty advisor, or, in some cases, courses taken at another college or university. In addition to classroom-based learning, students will complete a junior-year practicum working 5-8 hours per week in an organization that closely aligns with their academic interests. The senior-year internship will also be completed in a setting that specifically reflects the student’s learning objectives.

Students considering this option must create a proposal for their intended course of study and submit it to the department chair for approval before any coursework can be counted toward the major.