Curriculum Overview

Catholic studies form a key part of our program, alongside prayer and community

Catholic Studies

St. Therese Institute offers post-secondary courses that support Catholic identity and worldview. Catholic Studies focus on knowledge of Scripture, Tradition, and Church history, as well as developing foundational understanding of Catholic Theology and classical Philosophy. Such coursework prepares Catholic men and women to live as leaders and saints in the Church and in the world. Completion of our nine-month program entitles you to a Certificate in Catholic Studies for the Lay Apostolate.

Our Academic year is made up of three parts:

In the month of September, orientation prepares you to live in a community and introduces you to St. Thérèse of Lisieux and her spirituality.
From October 1st (the feast of St. Thérèse) through mid-March, with a Christmas break in the middle, you take 2 sets of 10 week courses (20 weeks total). These are post-secondary-level courses taught by lively, faithful instructors.
Finally, from mid-March until early May, there is our Spring Course series of week-long intensives on topics related to living as a disciple of Christ in a secular world. Registration for Spring Courses is also open to friends, family, benefactors and other guests.

Our Streams of Study

We have two primary parallel streams of study: one for Gap Year students and one for students who request a second-year Mission Year in this unique Catholic community.

The Gap Year program is designed to stand alone. But you can choose to stay on for additional years!

The second year focuses on missionary vision for the post-modern era, is called our Mission Year, and builds upon the Gap Year course content.

Students in both program years live in dorms and share meals together as one community.

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Finally, after being in our community as a student, a team of five or six is invited to spend a year at St. Therese developing vocational skills as interns in the mission operation and as community leaders. This is called a St. Therese Apostolic Year (STAY).

Discover more about each stream of our program!

Learn by living

All students participate in what might be seen as an additional course: “Spirituality and Christian Community.” This course spreads throughout the entirety of the year and involves varied forms of engagement. It encompasses student retreats, conferences hosted by the institute, participating in share-groups with fellow students, and meeting regularly with a Pastoral Advisor. It also includes spiritual reading assignments that are discussed as a community. Finally, students submit scheduled personal letters to the Director of Formation. These describe areas of spiritual growth and reflect on community life. While not a course in the traditional sense, all these things add up to a beautiful pedagogy offered to each student in our program.

Our alumni have transferred credits from St. Therese to a variety of post-secondary institutions. Read more in Transfer Credits

More Information

You can find out even more in the Faith Formation Program Overview document (2.3MB PDF) or by contacting our Admissions Coordinator.