Honors College News

Belmont Abbey College Announces a New Graduate Degree in Classical and Liberal Education

Belmont, N.C. (December 5, 2023) – Today Belmont Abbey College announces the launch of a Master of Arts in Classical and Liberal Education. Through this degree, Belmont Abbey and its partner institutions will provide strong formation in classical pedagogy, the Great Books, the liberal arts, and the Christian and Catholic intellectual tradition. Intended for individuals with a passion for classical education, this degree program will enlighten classical educators on the formation of their students in the moral, intellectual, and theological virtues. In turn, these qualified educators will address the growing demand for classical liberal arts education coming from K-12 students and their parents.The college will welcome its first cohort for this new program in the Fall of 2024.

The new program aligns with Belmont Abbey’s mission to educate students in the liberal arts and sciences, so that God may be glorified in all things. Dr. Joseph Wysocki, Dean of the Honors College and Interim Provost, speaks to the need for this program. “At Belmont Abbey College, we believe in the development of the whole person—mind, body, and soul. During the undergraduate years, we help instill a foundation of critical thinking in our students so that they can go forth and lead virtuous lives. At the graduate level, individuals come to us with career and industry experience and a desire to lead. The new Master of Arts in Classical and Liberal Education takes this idea of educating the whole person and edifies educators on how to implement this approach so they can form future generations”, said Wysocki. Developed with administrators, educators, and non-profit leaders in mind, the Master of Arts in Classical and Liberal Education follows an online, synchronous format with 30 credit hours required for graduation. This program is designed intentionally with a pathway for students to earn up to 12 graduate credits for prior learning through their completion of teaching apprenticeships at the Institute for Catholic Liberal Education (ICLE) and the Center for Independent Research on Classical Education (CiRCE).

The Institute for Catholic Liberal Education (ICLE), a robust supporter of Catholic educators, offers an attractive alternative to state teacher licensure. ICLE’s credential program prepares educators to infuse a deeply Catholic philosophy and practice of education into their teaching. “This new program at Belmont Abbey is a welcome opportunity for Catholic educators who seek to understand the Church’s long-standing tradition of education and apply that in their classrooms,” said Dr. Alyssan Barnes, Director of ICLE’s Credential Program. “It’s an excellent next step for many of our CEFC (Classic Educator Formation and Credential) graduates; our program introduces them to the great treasures of the Catholic intellectual tradition, and the M.A. in Classical and Liberal Education at Belmont Abbey will further deepen their intellectual formation.” The 18-month CEFC program contributes nine credit hours towards the Master of Arts in Classical and Liberal Education and is delivered through in-person workshops and distance learning. The application period for ICLE’s credential program opens December 15, 2023. Click here to get more information on the program.

The CiRCE (Center for Independent Research on Classical Education) Institute provides inspiration, information, and insight to classical educators throughout the U.S. and Canada. The three-year Teaching Apprenticeship Program from the CiRCE Institute equips educators to understand the nature and principles of classical education and shows how to apply those principles in any classroom. “By partnering with Belmont Abbey College, we at The CiRCE Institute look forward to our Apprenticeship graduates being able to further develop the arts of truth perception with a trusted faculty. We are working toward the same end, toward the purpose of Christian classical education, which is the cultivation of human excellence”, says Andrea Lipinski, Vice-President of the CiRCE Institute. Students can pursue CiRCE’s Teaching Apprenticeship Program, accruing 12 credit hours, and pair it with the Master of Arts in Classical and Liberal Education at Belmont Abbey. CiRCE is currently accepting registrations for the Teaching Apprenticeship Program. Register here.

Belmont Abbey College is currently accepting applications for the Fall 2024 semester while the Master of Arts in Classical and Liberal Education is awaiting final approval from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Get program information and apply here.

Press Inquiry Contact: Julia Long, Director of Enrollment Marketing, julialong@bac.edu or 423-827-8727 

Download the press release.