Lutheran university in Irvine, California, serving the Pacific Southwest since 1976.
Concordia University Irvine comprises five schools: Christ College (School of Theology), School of Arts and Sciences, School of Business, School of Education, and School of Professional Studies. The university offers 20 undergraduate majors and 50 specializations, nine graduate programs, four adult bachelor's degree completion programs, and three nursing programs. In 2014, the university launched its first doctoral program in Educational Leadership. The institution was originally established to provide training for pastors, religious education teachers, and Christian school administrators within the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod.
The 70-acre campus is located in Irvine, California, approximately 50 miles south of Los Angeles, 80 miles north of San Diego, and 6 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean. The campus sits on a plateau overlooking Orange County and is surrounded by wildlife. Irvine is recognized as one of the safest cities of its size in the United States. The university competes in NCAA Division II athletics with 20 varsity sports, competing primarily in the Pacific West Conference since 2015–16. Athletic teams are known as the Golden Eagles.
Concordia University Irvine is a member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. The university's code of conduct for students prohibits sexual intimacy for unmarried people and defines marriage as heterosexual only. The institution's motto is 'Developing Wise, Honorable, and Cultivated Citizens.'
In U.S. News & World Report's 2016 rankings, Concordia University Irvine earned a ranking of 55 among regional universities in the Western U.S. The Chronicle of Higher Education recognized the university in 2015 as one of the fastest-growing private nonprofit master's universities, noting growth over a 10-year period (2003–2013). Money magazine included the university in a list of schools providing the best value for tuition dollars.