Augustine institute

Teachers for Christ

"We are witnesses of these things."
(Acts 5:32)

About the Program

Teachers for Christ is a program that forms Catholic teachers of all subject areas so that they are ready to place the best practices of Catholic liberal education at the service of the temporal and eternal good of the whole human person. 



Students complete the two-year graduate program debt-free with the Master of Arts in Catholic Education from the Augustine Institute, an alternative teaching license from the Institute for Catholic Liberal Education's Catholic Educator Formation and Credential Program, and extensive classroom experience in Catholic schools in Missouri and Illinois, and in the member schools of ICLE's international network.

Intellectual & Spiritual Formation

Teachers for Christ integrates intellectual, spiritual, and moral formation through a sequence of collaborative projects and hands-on experiences, reading and discussion, informal talks and formal lectures, and a communal life rooted in prayer and the sacraments. This formation synthesizes the insights of the coursework, ICLE training, and the classroom apprenticeship.

For Aspiring Educators

This program seeks Catholic men and women who have completed their undergraduate degree within the past four years, desire to serve as teachers in Catholic schools, and are able to commit to a two-year program of study, formation, and apprenticeship.

Fully-Funded

There are no out-of-pocket costs for Teachers for Christ. Full-tuition scholarships and course books are provided as well as room and board during the 14 months of residence at the Augustine Institute. During the program’s second year, schools hosting Teachers for Christ will provide living arrangements or financial support for room and board.

Beyond Graduation

Upon graduation, Teachers for Christ are offered placement counseling and assistance in the member schools of the Institute for Catholic Liberal Education and in diocesan schools across the United States and a year-long post-graduate mentorship experience with ICLE staff and master teachers.

Admission Requirements

The Teachers for Christ program seeks
students who have:

  • A bachelor’s degree obtained within the last four years
  • A cumulative grade point average of 3.25 or higher
  • Strong writing and speaking skills
  • A commitment to serve the mission of Catholic education

The admission process includes the submission of letters of recommendation and several essays, interviews by videoconference and in person, and a psychological evaluation. Although there is no strict requirement of service, it is expected that Teachers for Christ will commit to a minimum of three years of teaching in Catholic schools.

Applications will open on August 30, 2024 and close on January 20, 2025. The program will begin on 
June 2, 2025 on campus at the Augustine Institute.

Program Curriculum

Teachers for Christ follow a course of studies that integrates the Augustine Institute’s M.A. in Catholic Education with the Catholic Educator Formation and Credential Program of the Institute for Catholic Liberal Education. The rhythm of instruction involves two Master’s courses during each of the program’s six semesters, interwoven with workshops, seminars, and mentorship meetings that supply formation in the art of teaching and in the essential disciplines of the Christian life.

Summer - 1

CEDU 501: Catholic Education: Ends, Principles, and Means

CEDU 502: Christian Anthropology

Workshops and seminars with ICLE Complete Protecting God’s Children through
the Archdiocese of St. Louis

Fall - 1

SCRP 501: Salvation History

THEO 505: The Rule of Faith

Classroom observation, tutoring, and after-school programs in the schools of
the Archdiocese of St. Louis

Spring - 1

SCRP 502: Jesus & the Gospels

THEO 506: Light to the Nations

Classroom observation, tutoring, and after-school programs in the schools of
the Archdiocese of St. Louis

Summer - 2

CEDU 503: History of Catholic Education

CEDU 504: The Art of Teaching

Workshops and seminars with ICLE

Fall - 2

CEDU 601: The Catholic Classroom

Elective course

Half-time apprentice teaching at an ICLE member school

Spring - 2

CEDU 602: The Liberal Arts in the Catholic Classroom

Elective course

Half-time apprentice teaching at an ICLE member school