Program Overview
The Catholic Teacher Formation Academy (CTFA) at the University of Dallas prepares Catholic school educators to be professional teachers and faith-filled leaders. Rooted in the Church’s intellectual and spiritual tradition, the program helps teachers integrate faith and reason, shaping classrooms where Catholic values guide both instruction and culture. Participants develop and strengthen essential teaching skills such as lesson planning, classroom management, differentiation, and assessment while gaining practical teacher preparation grounded in Catholic education. Courses emphasize the formation of the whole child in mind, heart, and soul, with a foundation in child and adolescent development shaped by human dignity and Catholic anthropology.
Educators in the CTFA learn to create classroom cultures that reflect Catholic identity, promote virtue, and foster community. They are prepared to serve all learners with inclusive, culturally responsive methods and to apply ethical, mission aligned assessments that support both academic and spiritual growth. The program nurtures reflective practice, collaboration, and acts of Christian service as central habits of Catholic educators. Whether earning Texas Catholic teaching credentials, starting a career, seeking professional development, or looking for renewed purpose, the CTFA offers a flexible path that equips teachers to lead with clarity, confidence, and conviction in Catholic schools across Texas and beyond.
Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops Education Requirements
Developed in collaboration with the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops Education Department (TCCB ED), the CTFA responds to the need for accessible, mission-driven teacher preparation. The four CTFA courses satisfies the 12-credit hour TCCB ED requirement for Catholic school teachers in Texas.
Dioceses Beyond Texas
While the CTFA courses are designed to meet Catholic teacher credentialing needs in Texas, dioceses beyond Texas are warmly encouraged to consider the individual courses or the full series within the Catholic Teacher Formation Academy for professional development and continuing education for their Catholic school teachers.
Why Now?
The landscape of Catholic education today is marked by both profound challenges and exciting opportunities, making the need for well-formed Catholic teachers more urgent than ever. As Catholic schools serve increasingly diverse student populations, often including many non-Catholic families, they are called to be places where the faith is not only taught but lived with authenticity and joy. Yet many schools struggle to find teachers who are not only excellent educators but also deeply formed in the Catholic intellectual tradition and committed to the Church’s mission in education.
University of Dallas plays a pivotal role in addressing this need by preparing teachers who understand that Catholic education is more than academic instruction; it is the formation of the whole person, mind, heart, and soul. The Catholic Teacher Formation Academy (CTFA) integrates pedagogical training with a firm grounding in Catholic identity, philosophy, and moral teaching. University of Dallas, through teacher preparation in the CTFA, uniquely equips future teachers to serve as authentic witnesses to the faith.
In a time when Catholic schools face financial pressures, shifting demographics, and cultural challenges, investing in teacher formation at University of Dallas ensures that the next generation of Catholic educators is ready to sustain and advance the mission of Catholic education. These teachers are not merely employees; they are stewards of a sacred trust, called to shape young lives in the light of the Gospel and to ensure that Catholic schools remain vibrant, faithful, and mission-driven well into the future.
Program Director
Janette Boazman, PhD
Associate Professor, Education and Classical Learning, Graduate Director, Education
Phone: (972) 265-5714
Email: jboazman@udallas.edu
Office: Braniff Graduate Building #22
Office Hours: By Appointment: In-Person & Virtual
