Franciscan Univesity Of Steubenville

[tinytherese]

Some of you may remember my post about Benedictine College but rather recently I've been having doubts about my decision, so I'm applying to Franciscan. I have a question on the online application. Where it lists majors I'd be catechetics and education, but I don't know what to put down for concentration when it comes to education. I want to have the licence to teach theology in a catholic high school but there's no specific concentration on liscensure for that.

What it lists for some of the education concentrations:

adoles young adult bio edu

adoles young adult biology

adoles young adult chem edu

adoles young adult chemist

adoles young adult lang arts

adoles young adult mathematics

adoles young adult social studies

(some elementary, middle school ones, and some education specializations that really don't apply)

post liscensure



I know that it's best just to ask my transfering adviser but I need to know this quickly since I know that the catechetics major fills up quickly.

[Brother Adam]

There is no education licensure to teach theology. Theology teachers are the rare high school teachers that do not have to be licensed by the state to teach. The catechetics department will make you take a grueling catechism test from hell at the end of your BA before they award you the degree, so start getting ready for that now by reading the catechism. I was one of only 10 or so students in our graduating class to pass it the first time.

It would be insanely wise for you to have another state license to teach another subject. It will make you much more marketable and you will have something to fall back on when there are no theology jobs open. I'm half way through my MA in theology and I still consider myself very fortunate to have a job, many of our classmates never found work, some joined the military to help pay off their loans and others filed for bankruptcy.

Edited November 15, 2008 by Brother Adam

[Apotheoun]

Interesting. I didn't know that they had a "comprehensive" exam of sorts for students in the BA theology program.

[Brother Adam]

You need it for the catechetics degree, not the theology.

Its the multiple choice test from hell when I took it all based on the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Each question could have 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 right answers. You had to circle 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 answers for each question and if you missed even one in that question it was wrong. There were 40 or so questions and I believe we had to score a 85% on the test to pass it.

I've read the CCC 6 times cover to cover now.

[Apotheoun]

[quote name='Brother Adam' post='1701603' date='Nov 14 2008, 07:00 PM']You need it for the catechetics degree, not the theology.

Its the multiple choice test from hell when I took it all based on the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Each question could have 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 right answers. You had to circle 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 answers for each question and if you missed even one in that question it was wrong. There were 40 or so questions and I believe we had to score a 85% on the test to pass it.

I've read the CCC 6 times cover to cover now.[/quote]
As an Eastern Christian I would probably fail it.

[icelandic_iceskater]

Is religious ed. a bad field to go into then?

I was planning on double majoring in Religious ed and theology and either going in to teach high school religion or work for the church. Should I rethink this?

[Apotheoun]

[quote name='icelandic_iceskater' post='1701618' date='Nov 14 2008, 07:40 PM']Is religious ed. a bad field to go into then?

I was planning on double majoring in Religious ed and theology and either going in to teach high school religion or work for the church. Should I rethink this? [/quote]
You should do what you believe God wants you to do.

My MA in Theology doesn't really give me a large income, but I do not regret getting the degree.

[Brother Adam]

As one of our professors said, if you are called to religious ed you will be unhappy doing anything else, and if you are not called to religious ed you will never be happy in the field. Discern God's call, but if you do go into Rel Ed. have a back up plan in case the best you ever get is a volunteer position. For instance, do Rel. Ed, theology, and business, or education, or something that if you have to, you can make a living outside of religious ed. As parishes close, jobs in this field are shrinking.

[Apotheoun]

Orthodox catechists will help to change the course of history. The future may look bleak but as one of my teachers says, "God is still God."

[tinytherese]

[quote name='Brother Adam' post='1701712' date='Nov 14 2008, 10:40 PM']As one of our professors said, if you are called to religious ed you will be unhappy doing anything else, and if you are not called to religious ed you will never be happy in the field.

Discern God's call, but if you do go into Rel Ed. have a back up plan in case the best you ever get is a volunteer position. For instance, do Rel. Ed, theology, and business, or education, or something that if you have to, you can make a living outside of religious ed. As parishes close, jobs in this field are shrinking.[/quote]

Cool musing at the top. Yikes, I hadn't realized that finding work as a catechist was that hard.

Edited November 15, 2008 by tinytherese

[LivingStone]

Good place to be. I'll recommend FUS, being there.

[icelandic_iceskater]

[quote name='Brother Adam' post='1701712' date='Nov 14 2008, 11:40 PM']As one of our professors said, if you are called to religious ed you will be unhappy doing anything else, and if you are not called to religious ed you will never be happy in the field.[/quote]
I'm going to have to share that with the DRE at my parish. She'll like that.

I think I will still go into religious ed and theology then. I can't imagine what else God would want me to do, besides a stay at home mom. If all else fails I know I have one of two greenhouse/plant nursery jobs I can (probably) default back to.

[Brother Adam]

That is another sign you are called to catechetics - nothing else sounds right. If you are open to moving anywhere in the world and doing any type of work in catechetics, you will probably find a job. Just like being a regular teacher, don't *expect* to get to move back to the city you grew up in. We almost ended up on the Gulf. I ended up getting the one job available in my field in Michigan the year I was hired at this church.

[Thy Geekdom Come]

[quote name='Apotheoun' post='1701728' date='Nov 14 2008, 10:57 PM']Orthodox catechists will help to change the course of history. The future may look bleak but as one of my teachers says, "God is still God."[/quote]
Yes...we can change history...until Obama has us dragged into the streets and shot.

[icelandic_iceskater]

then we'd be martyrs for our faith ^^^ and a witness to not only our own generation, but to future generations as well

[quote name='Brother Adam' post='1701959' date='Nov 15 2008, 09:51 AM']That is another sign you are called to catechetics - nothing else sounds right. If you are open to moving anywhere in the world and doing any type of work in catechetics, you will probably find a job. Just like being a regular teacher, don't *expect* to get to move back to the city you grew up in. We almost ended up on the Gulf. I ended up getting the one job available in my field in Michigan the year I was hired at this church.[/quote]
hmm. moving to the other half of the country would be hard. My youngest sister is 3 and I can't imagine not being in her life as she grows up. But I guess she'd be able to come and spend a few weeks in the summer at my place! That would be fun.

Actually the more I think about this the more excited I get.

I'm worried though that since I've been homeschooled since 2nd grade, I wont be able to relate to kids as well. I mean yea I've done stupid stuff etc but I've never really dealt with a lot of drinking, drugs, sex, all that jazz. Most of the peer pressure I get is more along the lines of "Come to adoration! Dooooooooo it!" I'm afraid that I'll end up being that teacher who stands up there for an hour and talks at you about how "illicit activities are bad, praying and going to church is good". <<actual hour long discussion I had in religion class last year. The teacher meant well, but he just couldn't relate to teens. I do not want to end up being that teacher.