Notre Dame of Maryland University and St. John’s College Partner to Address Teacher Shortage

BALTIMORE — The St. John’s College Graduate Institute and Notre Dame of Maryland University today announced a new partnership: the Joint Master’s-Level Teaching Certification. This program will allow Graduate Institute students to earn a Liberal Arts Education Certificate through St. John’s College and a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree from Notre Dame in just two years of study, certifying them to teach. St. John’s College President Nora Demleitner and Notre Dame President Marylou Yam, joined by Graduate Institute Dean Emily Langston, Notre Dame Provost Martha Walker, Notre Dame’s School of Education Dean Kathryn Doherty, students, faculty and staff, signed a memorandum of understanding to officially launch the program.

“Through this partnership, Notre Dame of Maryland University and St. John’s College will prepare more certified teachers to fill critical positions in Maryland classrooms,” said President Yam. “Notre Dame continues to play a leadership role in addressing the state’s teacher shortage as one of Maryland’s top providers of certified teachers and a top producer of Teachers of the Year. We are excited to expand our reach to prepare St. John’s graduates for the opportunity to become highly qualified educators.”

“This partnership just makes sense,” said President Demleitner. “All classes at St. John’s are conducted in the same way: by reading a ‘great’ text—one that continually elicits deep questioning about the human experience and our place in the world—and discussing it rigorously around a table. Our pedagogy creates great teachers because it exemplifies ‘learning by doing:’ everyone around the table acts as both teacher and learner simultaneously.”