Catholic school teachers have dual professional roles: They are committed to imparting knowledge and shaping the future of young people in our country as well as sharing the Church’s mission to encourage their students’ religious and moral development.
Santa Clara’s Online Catholic Master of Arts in Teaching (OCatMAT) is a tailored master’s degree program that addresses the practical need for credentialing and spiritual formation. This article explores the structure and benefits of the OCatMAT program.
What Is the OCatMAT Program?
The OCatMAT program is one of Santa Clara University’s top-ranked graduate programs in the School of Education and Counseling Psychology. It was designed with the pedagogical foundation necessary for Catholic educators and provides a curriculum that aligns with California diocesan and state requirements.
The School of Education and Counseling Psychology follows the Jesuit value of magis, which is the commitment to serve the Church, education, and the community. It’s in the spirit of magis that Santa Clara Online offers the OCatMAT program to prepare Catholic school teachers to express Christ’s calling of love and evangelization in the classroom and in their personal lives.
As an employed teacher in a private Catholic school, you can enroll in the Online CatMAT program on a full- or part-time basis—and you’ll be eligible to receive a 40% tuition reduction. Depending on your enrollment option, you can finish your master’s degree and teacher credential in less than two years. With structured coursework and community support, the OCatMAT program bridges the gap between educational preparation and ecclesiastical mission, so you’re fully equipped to shape minds and hearts for Christ.
You’ll gain the practical, hands-on skills you need to create a learning-centered environment that’s welcoming for all students. Additionally, the coursework will cover ways to address your students’ psychological and social needs in the classroom through a distinctly Catholic approach.
Catholic Teacher Preparation: Building Faith-Centered Pedagogy
Santa Clara’s Online CatMAT program includes equity-oriented teaching that reflects Catholic social teaching and ethics. CatMAT-trained teachers take an asset perspective of their students—that is, they see their students’ resources and experiences as assets to build on rather than obstacles to overcome. When students face challenges, teachers use these challenges as opportunities to help students grow personally and professionally rather than blaming students who struggle.
As a student in Santa Clara’s Online CatMAT program, you’ll learn unique teaching methods that blend spirituality and pedagogy, built on the model of Christ’s patient love. As part of your mission to educate the whole child, you’ll learn the importance of cultivating relationships that support each child’s growth.
Through these relationships, you can guide students’ development and promote their well-being. You’ll learn to develop compassionate leadership practices in the classroom and create culturally responsive learning opportunities. You’ll become an expert in making students from all backgrounds feel welcome and helping them to understand each other better. As a result, your students will be poised to learn more about themselves, others, and society.
Catholic schools are known for providing an academically rigorous education, and those in California continue this tradition by following both the California Common Core standards and diocesan standards.1 Your OCatMAT coursework will prepare you to give all students, regardless of their strengths, resources, or background knowledge, support and access to a challenging and engaging education.
Flexibility and Community Support
Santa Clara’s Online CatMAT program supports teachers who are already in the classroom or working another job. With the online format, you can obtain your degree and teaching credential without leaving your place of employment. The program is designed to fit your life and your schedule. Santa Clara Online offers all the benefits of the traditional student experience along with the convenience and accessibility of a vibrant online community.
The OCatMAT program gives you opportunities for reflection, mentorship, and growth. With an average class size of 16 and a 12:1 student-to-teacher ratio, you can be assured of personal attention and the opportunity to be active and engaged in your classes. Your faculty members have decades of experience in the classroom and are well-versed in current research, so you’ll learn theoretical and practical approaches to teaching.
As a Santa Clara Online teaching student, you’ll be a part of a peer cohort that encourages collaboration with others. This will help you build long-term relationships with other teachers serving in schools throughout the diocese.
Though you’ll have the flexibility to learn at your own pace, you’ll never be alone in your studies. Teaching is a collaborative profession, which is reflected in the structure of the OCatMAT program. Santa Clara University has been preparing teachers for the classroom for over 100 years. Our dedication to excellence and Jesuit values provides our graduates with multiple opportunities to work in California Catholic schools after graduation.
Deliver a Rigorous Education Rooted in Faith
Santa Clara’s Online Catholic Master of Arts in Teaching and Teaching Credential program empowers you to make a lasting impact on your students’ lives. Learn to integrate faith with pedagogy and create meaningful educational experiences that help your students grow in knowledge and Christ’s love.
We’ve designed this program to be accessible and flexible. All full-time Catholic school teachers are eligible to receive a 40% tuition reduction for the program. Santa Clara University’s School of Education and Counseling Psychology (ECP) grants this scholarship in recognition of the substantial service Catholic school teachers commit to the Diocese of San Jose and the Church more broadly. To apply, you’ll need to submit an online application, a statement of purpose, letters of recommendation, and a current resume. You’ll also need to provide transcriptions that show you’ve completed at least a bachelor’s degree with a minimum of a 3.0 GPA.
Our rigorous curriculum and exceptional faculty will ensure that you receive a top-quality education. The flexibility to learn on your own schedule allows you to advance your skills and education without disrupting your life or career. Contact us today to learn more or apply to earn your Catholic school teacher credential through Santa Clara Online.
- Retrieved on June 6, 2025, from cta.org/our-advocacy/common-core-state-standards