LUChOICE - Loyola University Chicago Opportunities in Catholic Education Program

A scholarship and faith formation program of Loyola University Chicago led by the Andrew M. Greeley Center for Catholic Education is for persons:

• Seeking to earn their master’s degree in teaching, with Illinois certification, in Elementary Education or Secondary Education. 
• Interested in completing their field experiences in a Catholic School in the city of Chicago.
• Wishing to participate in a spiritual formation program grounded in the Jesuit tradition.

Eligibility Requirements for LUChOICE candidates:

• Persons seeking to earn their certification in Elementary Education or Secondary Education.  All members will be enrolled in the master’s degree in Elementary Education or Secondary Education at Loyola University Chicago. Classes are offered late afternoon/early evenings.
• The MEd in Elementary Education or Secondary Education are designed for individuals looking to make a difference in the lives of children. Graduates of the Elementary program will receive a Professional Educator License (PEL) with elementary and ESL endorsements with the potential to add bilingual, learning behavior specialist (LBS1) specialists, and middle grades endorsements. 
• This field-based program is designed for individuals seeking to secure an initial teaching license to teach in elementary schools, whether that be in general education, special education, or ESL and bilingual education
• Persons currently teaching (or able to find a teaching position) in a Chicago Catholic School
• Persons committed to participating in a spiritual formation program grounded in the Jesuit tradition 
• Persons interested in having an instructional coach assigned from the Greeley Center to guide them in teacher development during the 13 months of their degree program 

A few goals of the program:

• Create a pipeline of well-trained teachers interested in teaching in Catholic Schools.
• Form the whole person, mind, and spirit.
• Keep persons already in a Catholic school at the Catholic school.
• Keep persons from the community in the community.
• Provide a pathway to licensure for people already working in Catholic schools without it.

Graduate Studies: MEd Elementary Education, MEd Secondary Education 

• LUChOICE is for persons seeking to earn their certification in Elementary or Secondary Education. All members will be enrolled in the master’s degree in Elementary Education at Loyola University Chicago. Classes are offered late afternoon/early evenings.
• The MEd in Elementary Education and the MEd in Secondary Education are designed for individuals looking to make a difference in the lives of children. Graduates of the Elementary program will receive a Professional Educator License (PEL) with elementary and ESL endorsements with the potential to add bilingual, learning behavior specialist (LBS1) specialists, and middle grades endorsements. 
• This field-based program is designed for individuals seeking to secure an initial teaching license to teach in elementary schools, whether that be in general education, special education, or ESL and bilingual education

MEd in Elementary Education Program Information 

MEd in Secondary Education Program Information 

Spirituality

An active spiritual formation program is at the core of all aspects of LUChOICE.  As teachers in Catholic schools, teachers nurture the faith development of their students and share their own faith journeys. Communities pray/reflect together and encourage the spiritual development of each member.

LUChOICE teachers participate in retreats and days of reflection and then come together to reflect on their experiences.

Applicants need not be Catholic to apply. However, all applicants must be willing to study and work in a Catholic university and elementary school.

To request more information, please contact:

Debra Sullivan, EdD, Co-Director: dsullivan2@luc.edu

Michelle Lia, EdD, Co-Director: mlia@luc.edu
School of Education
Loyola University Chicago
Lewis Towers Suite 601
820 N. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60611