The part-time, 15-credit-hour Certificate in Theological Education is available to provide focused preparation for teaching theology at the high school level. A flexible distance-learning model allows you to participate in once-a-week classes on campus or online.
Certificate in Theological Education
The Theology and Religious Studies Certificate in Theological Education empowers participants to become better teachers in Catholic high schools. The course of studies builds on the U.S. Catholic Bishops high-school curriculum framework, allowing those in the program to explore both the content of coursework they might be expected to teach and also pedagogical strategies and approaches effective with adolescents and young adults.
Students will read classic texts from the tradition and discuss ideas with other teachers. The courses offer the opportunity to develop practical applications, such as developing course units, writing lesson plans, and practicing classroom strategies. The Certificate meets the academic requirements for high school religion certification in the Diocese of Cleveland.
Theology & Religious Studies Program Highlights
Top 10
JCU has ranked in the top 10 of U.S. News & World Report, Best Midwest regional universities for 30 consecutive years.
Why choose JCU for a Graduate Degree in Theology & Religious Studies?
John Carroll’s Department of Theology & Religious Studies offers a remarkable breadth of faculty expertise, with notable scholars of the Bible and early Christianity, Asian religions, Judaism and rabbinics, Islamic Studies, contemporary Catholic theology, moral theology, and the sociology of religion.
The Department of Theology & Religious Studies offers programs that are both firmly grounded in the Catholic theological tradition and radically open to engaging the diverse religious communities that shape our world today. For more than 50 years, the Tuohy Endowment in Interreligious Studies has supported study, dialogue, and understanding among diverse religious believers at John Carroll and beyond. Currently, the department boasts endowed chairs in Catholic Theology and Islamic Studies, as well as a visiting fellow in Jewish Studies. Faculty have experience on the national Lutheran-Catholic Dialogue and the national Muslim-Catholic Dialogue, both co-sponsored by the U.S. Catholic Bishops’ Conference.
The courses in the Certificate in Theological Education are designed around the core requirements of the U.S. Bishops’ high school curriculum framework (Scripture & Revelation, Christ & the Pascal Mystery, Church & Sacrament, Catholic Moral Theology). A 3-credit-hour “Teaching Theology” course focuses on such topics as evangelization and education, the vocation of the theology teacher, the developmental needs of adolescents and young adults, diversity in the classroom, and concrete pedagogical strategies. Plus, the certification coursework can be applied directly to the M.A. degree or can serve as a post-graduate credential.
The Department of Theology & Religious Studies has a large alumni network that is especially strong in Catholic high schools in Northeast Ohio. All students are invited to participate in the annual “Theology for Teachers” workshop, which has brought to campus almost 200 teachers, campus ministers, and administrators from over 50 Catholic high schools across the region to build lasting connections.
Our Team and Resources
Faculty in the JCU Department of Theology & Religious Studies are nationally and internationally known in the areas of church history, contemporary systematic theology, Asian religions, interfaith studies, Islam, pastoral theology, religious ethics, and scripture.
Furthermore, our members are prominent in professional activities and draw their educational backgrounds from outstanding universities. They have served as officers of professional societies, as advisors to the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, as editors of professional journals, as members of boards of trustees; they have published numerous books and scholarly articles and bring a wealth of real-world knowledge to the classroom.
Courses
This Certificate requires 15 credit hours of 400- and 500-level coursework. The basic program comprises five Core Courses:
- TRS 400 Scripture & Revelation
- TRS 532 Christ & The Paschal Mystery
- TRS 534 Church and Sacrament
- TRS 560 Catholic Moral Theology
- TRS 581 Teaching Theology & Religious Studies*
*TRS 581 is required for this Certificate
If a student has prior work in one or more of the first four core areas, up to two graduate-level Theology & Religious Studies electives may be substituted for those requirements.
Theology for Teachers
Every year John Carroll University hosts a day-long workshop for high school theology teachers. Click here for more information and resources.