CDU is authorized to award the Catechetical Diploma, a valuable teaching credential in the Church. CDU was the first Catechetical Institute in the United States to award the Catechetical Diploma and teach the Faith to adults using distance education exclusively.
Responding to the commission Christ gave to his followers to make disciples of all nations, each person is called to share the Gospel message of God’s love. Through systematic study of the profession of Faith, liturgy, Sacred Scripture, moral teachings, and spirituality, students achieve this ecclesiastical teaching certificate and equip themselves to teach the Faith with authority and confidence. Courses in the diploma program award undergraduate credit.
Program Requirements
- 36 Credits (33 Core Credits plus 3 Elective Credits)
- Catechetical Project (Essay, Research Paper, or Lesson Plan)
- Minimum 2.0 GPA
Program Time Limit: 5 years
Application Process:
- Submit a free program application and letter of recommendation.
- Send official transcript from high school, GED, or most recent undergraduate institution attended.
Investment:
- Tuition: $960 x 12 courses = $11,520
- Technology fee: $150/course x 12 courses = $1,800
- Books: $100/course (estimate) x 12 courses = $1,200
- Total: $14,520
- Detailed cost of attendance budgets can be found here.
Program Goals
Students who complete this program should be able to:
- Synthesize the essential and fundamental content of Catholic Doctrine as described in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
- Explain the Profession of Faith with increased understanding.
- Demonstrate knowledge of Sacred Scripture by describing the essential theological concepts of Church teaching and worship derived from the Scriptures, and demonstrate how Jesus Christ is the center of Salvation History.
- Describe the nature of the Church and the vocation of the laity in furthering the mission of Jesus Christ.
- Identify with greater precision the foundations of Catholic morality and its applications in his or her life.
- Describe the preparation, celebration, and effects of the Sacraments, and incorporate sacramental theology within the work of catechesis.
- Integrate catechetical principles and methods for faithful catechesis particularly in directing religious education or evangelization programs.
- Understand the proper relationship of Christian prayer, Sacred Scripture, and doctrinal truths to influence a Catholic approach to daily life.
Course Lists
For descriptions of both required and elective courses, please consult the online course catalog. All courses listed below are 8 weeks long unless otherwise noted.
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
| RELED 433 | The Art of Catechesis: Dynamic Renewal | 3 |
| SCRPT 103 | Survey of the Old Testament | 3 |
| SCRPT 106 | Survey of the New Testament | 3 |
| SCRPT 230 | Introduction to Scripture and Salvation History | 3 |
| SPIR 301 | Applied Catholic Spirituality | 3 |
| THEO 204 | Foundations of Catholicism | 3 |
| THEO 213 | God, Man, and the Universe | 3 |
| THEO 232 | Jesus Christ: God, Man, and Savior | 3 |
| THEO 253 | Sacraments: Masterworks of God | 3 |
| THEO 268 | Principles of Moral Theology | 3 |
| THEO 343 | Vatican II: The Church and Her Liturgy | 3 |
For descriptions of both required and elective courses, please consult the online course catalog.
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
| CHIST 214 | Church History: Early Christians to the Middle Ages | 3 |
| CHIST 224 | Church History: Renaissance to the Modern Church | 3 |
| CHIST 244 | History of the Catholic Church in America | 3 |
| HIST 211 | Christian Civilization | 3 |
| HUM 228 | Introduction to Comparative Religions: Judaism and Islam | 3 |
| PHIL 311 | Ethics | 3 |
| PHIL 315 | Metaphysics | 3 |
| SCRPT 210 | Reading Scripture Theologically | 3 |
| THEO 103 | The Moral Life: Living the Virtues | 3 |
| THEO 419 | The Thought of Thomas Aquinas | 3 |
| THEO 440 | Presenting the Faith in the Modern World: Dealing With the Hard Questions | 3 |
THE CDU ADVANTAGE
In a 2022 survey of CDU graduate students, 100% reported that they had achieved their learning goals.
CDU Offers:
- Authentic Catholic teaching
- Flexibility to study where and when you choose
- The lowest undergraduate tuition of any U.S.-based online university offering Catholic theology
- A global Catholic community
- Knowledgeable and accessible faculty
- Engaging online courses with discussion forums
- Mobile app for study on the go
- Online library staffed by a theological librarian
- 24/7 technical support
The Catechetical Diploma program is nationally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. The university is certified as a degree-granting institution by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission.
