Urban Catholic Teacher Corps
Urban Catholic Teacher Corps
Founded in 1997, the Urban Catholic Teacher Corps (UCTC) actively engages in the ministry of teaching in the schools of the Archdiocese of Boston. UCTC provides an academically rigorous and experientially rich urban Catholic teacher preparation based on the 500-year-old Jesuit tradition of formative education.
About the Program
UCTC members complete a master’s degree in Curriculum & Instruction at Boston College’s Lynch School of Education and Human Development and commit to a two-year teaching practicum in Boston’s Catholic schools serving urban students. Learn more about the benefits of this rigorous teacher preparation program below.
Experience in the classroom
Through coursework, teaching placements in the Boston Catholic Schools, workshops, reflections, and other opportunities, you'll be continually challenged and supported in your growth as exceptional urban Catholic school educator.
Mentor support
Receive teaching support from an assigned mentor, supervisor, and instructional coach.
Intentional community living
Live with other UCTC participants, actively engaging in an intentional faith-based living and learning community where faith is actively engaged with, individuals are loved and supported, and all experiences and perspectives are shared and respected. By living in community, you'll find a unique support system among a group of individuals experiencing similar challenges and successes.
Individual faith formation opportunities
UCTC offers participants the opportunity for weekly faith sharing, three retreats a year, spiritual direction, and pilgrimages.
Monthly stipend and free housing
Receive a $600 non-service stipend payment each month over the two years of your participation in the program. In addition, UCTC covers all rent and utilities in the required UCTC community housing.
Tuition remission
UCTC covers the cost of the 30 credit hours for the Master's Degree in Curriculum & Instruction in the Lynch School of Education and Human Development at Boston College.
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Explore dual degree pathways
Starting in Fall 2023 semester, students who have completed a year in the Urban Catholic Teacher Corps are now able to apply for dual degree programs throughout their educational journey. Students may choose to complete a third year while pursuing a dual degree in the following areas:
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Get involved or make a gift
We are always looking for individuals who are able to offer professional or personal support to members of the program (mentorship, coaching, tips, etc.). If you would like to support the program, let us know by filling out the form below or by making a monetary gift.
Curriculum
The UCTC Curriculum & Instruction M.Ed. is a 10-course, 30-credit program of study. Approximately half of the courses are taken as a UCTC cohort.
The following courses are taken as a cohort:
- EDUC7421—Theories of Instruction
- EDUC7436—Curriculum Theories and Practice
- ELHE7425—Transforming the Field of Catholic Education
- EDUC7435—Social Contexts of Education
- EDUC7495—Human Development and Disabilities
- EDUC7621—Bilingualism and Literacy Development
EDUC6346 or EDUC6347—Teaching Bilingual Students and electives are not scheduled as cohort courses.
You may take electives in any courses you have interest or offer you additional opportunity for growth as a Catholic school teacher. For single-subject teachers (middle and high school) you may take all or some in your single subject area in order to fulfill requirements for Massachusetts professional licensure (to be applied for after three years of teaching under your initial licensure).
All UCTC members receive both academic and professional licensure advising with specific UCTC advisers.
Federal student loan deferral
Offered to all Boston College graduate students.
Boston College Teaching English Language Learners (TELL) Certification
All UCTC participants will complete the requirements of the BC TELL certificate, which is needed for licensure if you are coming from outside Massachusetts.
Catechetical Educators Certification
All UCTC participants complete the Catechetical Educators Certification offered through the Archdiocese of Boston and Boston College’s School of Theology and Ministry Crossroads program. Please note that completion of the certificate requires approximately one online four-week course per semester.
Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL) and Massachusetts Initial Licensure
For individuals who do not complete their MTEL or file for Massachusetts Initial Licensure as part of their undergraduate program of study, UCTC will pay these fees. However, the required exams and filing must take place in your first summer in UCTC.
| Course | Course Title | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| EDUC9988 | Dissertation Direction Dissertation related course work for advanced doctoral students. |
3 |
Requirements
- Courses: 10
- Credits: 30
- Comprehensive Exam
UCTC by the numbers
32
UCTC members
17
Schools served
2,149
Students served
3
Community houses
Who We Are
Charles Cownie, J.D., Ph.D.
Director
Director of Catholic Teacher Formation
Co-Director of Jesuit Education in a Global World MEd
Cristina Hunter, M.A., Ph.D.
Assistant Director
Myra Rosen-Reynoso, M.Ed., Ph.D.
Research Director
Audrey Friedman, Ph.D.
Academic and Research Coordinator
Retired Associate Professor of Teaching, Curriculum, and Society
Hometown: Honolulu, HI
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Santa Clara University, History (Focus in teaching)
Graduate Institution and Area of Study: Seton Hall University (EPICS), Master of Arts in Education (Focus in Catholic Education)
Doctoral Studies: Loyola Law, Juris Doctor (Focus in Public Interest Law); Boston College, Ph.D. in Higher Education
Specializations: Catholic Education; Catholic School Teacher Formation; Jesuit Education; Jesuit Higher Education; Student Formation; Models of Teaching and Learning in Catholic Schools
Work with UCTC: Charlie finds the work of student formation in the Jesuit tradition to be a ministry. Despite the challenges of this ministry, he has found accompanying UCTC members in their formative journey through their time in UCTC and beyond to be a gift. Charlie notes that "Working with UCTC allows me to fully utilize my education and work experience in a ministry that I am tremendously passionate about: the ministry of Catholic education in general and the formation of Catholic school teacher in particular. Additionally, being able to engage in this ministry in a place like the Lynch School with such a special and essential mission is truly a blessing."
Hometown: Guaynabo, Puerto Rico
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Boston College, Elementary Education and Human Development
Graduate Institution and Area of Study: New York University, Educational Psychology
Doctoral Studies: Boston College, Ph.D. in Applied Developmental and Educational Psychology
Specializations: Catholic Education; Catholic Teacher Formation; Culturally Responsive Pedagogy; Linguistically Responsive Education; Dual Language Learning in Catholic Schools
Work with UCTC: Prior to working with UCTC, Cristina served as the Associate Director of Research Initiatives for the Roche Center for Catholic Education where she worked on multiple program initiatives including the TWIN-CS network. Cristina’s doctoral and post-doctoral research has focused on the experiences of Latino migrants in the United States with a specific emphasis on dual language development. Additionally, Cristina completed a post-doctoral research fellowship on a collaborative study between Boston College and Tufts University examining character development in youth. Cristina also co-edited Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Education: Designing Networks That Transform Schools. She finds her work with UCTC to be a natural extension of her efforts to research and support Catholic models of teaching and learning that support the marginalized and excluded.
Hometown: Massachusetts
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Georgetown University, Fine Arts
Graduate Institution and Area of Study: Harvard University, Human Development
Doctoral Studies: Boston College, Ph.D. in Applied Developmental Psychology
Specializations: Qualitative Research; Health Care; Catholioc Education; Educational Equity; Critical Theory; Urban Catholic Education
Work with UCTC: Myra enjoys the research UCTC is conducting because it has broad lines of inquiry for the purposes of ensuring an excellent and equitable education for the students served by urban Catholic schools.
Hometown: Massachusetts
Undergraduate Institution and Major: University of Massachusettes, Amherst, Zoology, Secondary Education, and English
Graduate Institution and Area of Study: University of Massachusettes, Boston, Critical & Creative Thinking; Univesity of Pennsylvania, Reading & Language Arts
Doctoral Studies: Boston College, Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction
Specializations: Instructional Methods; Curriculum Design; Catholic Social Teacher; Student Formation; English Teaching Methods; Science Teaching Methods
Work with UCTC: Audrey has worked in urban education as a practitioner, coach, administrator, advisor, and researcher for the last five decades. She has published more than 20 peer-reviewed articles as well as several books and chapters. Her most recent research and publications, focus on how urban Catholic educators discern vocation, enact Catholic social teachings, and develop lives of meaning and purpose. Her work with college student and educators focused on how they make reflective judgments about ill-defined moral-cognitive dilemmas that pervade teaching, learning, and living. She has served as the PI of more than $2,000,000 in grants. Dr. Friedman has also received several awards including Professor of the Year for the State of Massachusetts awarded by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, the Golden Eagle Award for Outstanding Teaching at Boston College, Teacher of the Year for Boston College given by Alpha Sigma Nu Jesuit Honor Society, the Mary Kaye Waldron Award for service to students, the Boston Higher Education Partnership Award, and the Distinguished Faculty Award for Teaching at Boston College. Audrey has worked with UCTC for the last 5 years and believes that UCTC is rich in “good soil, faithful people,” and hearts and minds committed to respecting the dignity of all persons, developing genuine community, and cultivating the best in humankind, and is blessed to be in such a garden!”
“It took less than two years for Boston to become my home and the UCTC community to become my family. Although UCTC is technically only a two-year program, its positive impact will forever remain with me. Living in a faith-based intentional community provided support and love to cope with the balancing act of grad school and the first two years of teaching.”
Apply
PrintApplication & Deadline
How to apply
- On the Lynch School of Education and Human Development application page, apply to the master’s program in Curriculum and Instruction.
- On the Lynch School application form under “Academic Information” section, where it asks, “Are you applying to a specialty program?” select "Urban Catholic Teacher Corps" from the drop down menu.
- The Lynch School waives the application fee for UCTC applicants. Applicants to UCTC do not need to take the GRE.
Deadlines
All applications are due January 4
Interview
Every UCTC candidate who completes an application will be offered an interview, which will be scheduled after you have successfully applied to and have been accepted by the Lynch School of Education and Human Development.
Letters of Recommendation
You will need recommendations from two individuals who can speak to your academic qualifications, a roommate/housemate, a student teaching supervisor, and a spiritual advisor.
- Contact potential references early to provide them adequate time to complete a high-quality recommendation.
- Your references’ names and contact information are submitted through the “Recommender Registration” tab on the Lynch School application.
- They will receive an e-mail with instructions and you will be notified in this section of the application when their recommendations are received.
*Note: If you do not begin your full-practicum student teaching until the Spring semester, you may send your Supervising Teacher Recommendation Letter no later than February 15. Please contact uctc@bc.edu if you plan on sending in your Supervising Teacher Recommendation by the February deadline.
Offer
Candidates of UCTC will be notified of their application status on approximately March 17.
- At that time candidates are either offered admission to the program (including notification of placement school, community house, and important program information), offered a place on the waitlist, or not offered a position in the program.
- After receiving offers of placement, candidates are normally given 72 hours in order to confirm or they will be moved to the waitlist and a candidate on the waitlist is offered a position.
- Well-qualified candidates who are not able to be offered a position, but are admitted to the Lynch School, are supported in identifying full-time teaching opportunities in the Archdiocese of Boston.
Requirements
Admission to the Lynch School of Education and Human Development (Curriculum & Instruction)
Before being admitted to UCTC, candidates must first be accepted to the master of education program in Curriculum & Instruction at Boston College’s Lynch School of Education and Human Development. UCTC will review candidates prior to notification of acceptance to the Lynch School; however, final decisions cannot be made regarding any candidates for UCTC until the Lynch School has made all admissions decisions.
Vocation to teach in Catholic schools
Successful candidates to UCTC have discerned a desire to teach in Catholic schools serving urban students and see teaching in this setting as a life calling.
Desire to live in an intentional faith-based community and to grow in one’s own faith
Community living is a required component of program participation. UCTC members live, learn, and actively support each other throughout the two-year commitment. All participants must have a desire and be willing to commit themselves to focusing on their own continued faith formation.
Full year of supervised student teaching or other previous supervised teaching experience
Most often applicants to UCTC are education majors or minors; however, depending on the program of study available at your undergraduate institution, this may or may not be the case. Regardless of your undergraduate program of study, all candidates must have completed a supervised student teaching experience or one year of supervised teaching experience in order to be considered for admission to UCTC.
Eligibility for Massachusetts initial licensure
For more information on eligibility for initial licensure in MA, visit the Commonwealth of Mass. Department of Education Licensure webpage.
Visit
Though not required of any applicant, a visit to Boston College, the UCTC schools, and the UCTC residence gives potential applicants the greatest sense of what their life will be like as a UCTC volunteer.
Doctoral Fellowship
For information on the Urban Catholic Teacher Corps Doctoral Fellowship, please contact Dr. Charlie Cownie.
FAQ
When does the program start and end?
For those placed in Boston/Brockton or Lawrence the program begins in June and participants will complete their Master’s degree by the end of June two years later.
What graduate program should I apply for in the Lynch School?
Applicants must apply for, and be accepted to, the M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction; please note UCTC as your Special Program.
If I am admitted to the Lynch School and UCTC, how much tuition will be covered by the program?
If you are admitted to the Lynch School and the UCTC program, UCTC covers tuition for your Master's degree (UCTC members are responsible for all University fees, including the confirmation deposit).
Can I apply if I don’t have an undergraduate degree or concentration/minor in education?
Corps members usually have a bachelor’s degree with either a major, minor, or concentration in education, though this is not an absolute (depending on available programs of study at your undergraduate institution). UCTC members MUST have completed a semester of full-time student teaching or a year of supervised teaching and be eligible for initial licensure in the Commonwealth of Mass. in order to qualify for UCTC Boston/Brockton & Lawrence. For more information on eligibility for initial state licensure, visit the Commonwealth of Mass. Department of Education Licensure page. Please note that those seeking to teach theology or religion eligibility for teaching licensure is not required, but evidence of ability and preparation to teach is required.
Where will I teach? Can I choose where and what I will teach?
UCTC participants teach in schools throughout the Archdiocese of Boston. UCTC teachers work in Pre-K through 12th grade. Upon offer of admission, candidates will be notified of school placement, though not of grade level teaching.
What does “living in intentional community” really mean?
Participants live in the UCTC community residence with the other program members. Living in intentional community means pooling your resources to purchase food and other necessities. UCTC provides internet through BC-secured WiFi. Dinner is eaten together as a community on Monday through Thursday nights and the community gathers weekly for faith sharing. The community makes a commitment to spend some free time together.
What will I get paid? For what expenses will I be responsible?
You will receive a modest living stipend from the program. Your tuition, rent, and utilities will be paid. You will be responsible for personal expenses, including food, personal travel, text books, and car expenses.
If I have student loans from the past, can I get them deferred or forgiven by the UCTC?
Federal loans (Stafford and Perkins) may be deferred because you are a graduate student. Any private loans you have may or may not be eligible for deferment. In order to confirm the eligibility of your loans for deferral, please contact your lender. You may also qualify for partial cancellation of Perkins loans depending on where and what you teach.
If I am in UCTC, do I need to have a car?
A car may make the commute to a placement easier; however, the UCTC house is located within a mile of the T, the commuter rail, and a number of bus stops.
What should I do if I have other questions?
Please contact UCTC at 617-552-0602 or uctc@bc.edu.