Partnership Leads to Redesigned Master of Arts Degree in Education

Clarke College is pleased to announce a newly redesigned master of arts in education (MAE) degree program. The new program, developed and offered in partnership with the Archdiocese of Dubuque Office of Education, is designed for practicing classroom teachers who wish to take the next step in their careers.

Media are invited to attend the official signing of the program agreement between Clarke and the Archdiocese on Friday, Feb. 18, at 1 p.m. in the O’Connor Rare Book Room on the Clarke campus. Clarke President Catherine Dunn, BVM, Ph.D. and Archdiocese of Dubuque Vicar for Education/Superintendent of Schools Rev. Msgr. Thomas Toale, Ph.D. will sign the agreement and be available for interviews. Other representatives of Clarke and the Archdiocese will also be in attendance.

The new program is open to teachers at both parochial and public schools, with special tuition rate offered for teachers within the Archdiocese of Dubuque. The Archdiocese of Dubuque encompasses much of eastern Iowa, including Dubuque, Cedar Rapids and Waterloo.

The new curriculum will consist of 18 credit hours offered through Clarke and 18 credit hours offered through the Archdiocese. Courses will be offered in a blended, on-line format, in which some portions of class take place in a traditional classroom format and some portions take place electronically.

Students can choose from an emphasis in instructional leadership, designed for teachers who are educational leaders in their schools but do not seek an administrative endorsement, or an emphasis in literacy/reading, which includes endorsements in K-6, 7-12, or Reading Specialist K-12.

“This new program allows Clarke and the Archdiocese to combine Catholic and educational missions to help today’s teachers take their training to the next level,” said Dunn. “Clarke College continues to be a leader in preparing teachers to meet the demands of the 21st-century classroom. We are thrilled by this exciting partnership.”

“We are looking forward to this innovative, collaborative venture with Clarke,” said Toale. “We feel that the program will offer our teachers a wide array of delivery methods and content to meet their needs for the classroom of the future.”