A Progressive and Dynamic Department of Music, An Urban University, An Arts-Rich Community
Established in 1877, the Department of Music has an historic reputation for excellence, anchored by the Augsburg Choir. Augsburg’s main campus is located near downtown Minneapolis, with ready access to the enormous range of cultural and artistic events and institutions for which the Twin Cities is known. The Twin Cities is a major metropolitan center featuring two world-class orchestras (the Minnesota Orchestra and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra), leading semi-professional choirs and orchestras, and an expansive number of excellent church and community musicians and ensembles. The MacPhail Center for Music, several blocks from campus in the revived and thriving warehouse district that includes the nationally known Guthrie Theater, serves the largest number of intergenerational students of any community music school in the country. St. Paul is home to the American Composers Forum, the leading national professional organization for composers and new music, as well as the classical music presenting Schubert Club.
The area is rich in diversity and the music of diverse peoples and is recognized as one of the leading philanthropic communities in the country. Jazz and popular music abound in clubs and concert venues, notably the nationally known Dakota Club and First Avenue. Chamber groups and new music are vital aspects of the music scene, notably through the cutting-edge Walker Art Center. The Cedar Performing Arts Center, only two blocks from campus, is in the heart of the Twin Cities’ Somali community and presents internationally known musicians from diverse ethnic traditions. In addition to the Guthrie Theater, the “cities” are home to a large number of semi-professional and local community theater troupes. The downtown theater district in Minneapolis regularly features touring shows, as does the spectacular Ordway Center in downtown St. Paul. Guest artists of the renowned Schubert Club, the acclaimed Minnesota Opera, the two professional orchestras, and Vocalessence provide convenient and affordable access to critically regarded international performers, composers, and conductors. The department is a frequent beneficiary of lectures, collaborations, and short-term residencies due to the large number of widely known local, national, and international musicians to whom it has access.
Augsburg University offers more than 50 undergraduate majors and 11 graduate degrees to approximately 3,400 students of diverse backgrounds. The trademark of an Augsburg education is its emphasis on direct, personal experience. Guided by the faith and values of the Lutheran church, Augsburg educates students to be informed citizens, thoughtful stewards, critical thinkers, and responsible leaders.
Among the distinctive features of the university are its deep dedication to civic and community engagement, robust undergraduate research programs, and a strong belief in the integration of liberal arts and professional studies across all programs. The University's commitments to our urban context and the world beyond it are enhanced through the work of four signature centers: the Christensen Center for Vocation, the Center for Global Education and Experience, the Sabo Center for Democracy and Citizenship, and the Strommen Center for Meaningful Work.
As part of Augsburg University's commitment to intentional diversity, 50% of our current student body identifies as Black, Indigenous, and persons of color. The emerging interdisciplinary Department of Critical Race and Ethnicity Studies builds on this foundation to further diversify our academic curriculum and co-curricular programs. We do this work out of historical and contemporary obligations rooted in our ethical and intellectual commitments to prepare our diverse student body for a cosmopolitan world.