Our History
Our tradition of providing continuing education opportunities to alumni, the Catholic community and Ontario’s professional communities stretches back to the early 1900s. In 1987 USMC formalized its commitment by establishing the Continuing Education Division.
Our Mission
As a Catholic university, St. Michael’s is committed to the study of the Catholic tradition within a context of faith and to fostering the creative engagement of that tradition with the widest range of disciplines as well as with other traditions, both religious and secular. Our mission has emphasized 3 areas of service:
- To serve the learning needs of the alumni of St. Michael’s College – particularly in the traditional College areas of literature, philosophy, religious studies and classics.
- To serve the professional development needs of the more than 100,000 Catholic educators in Ontario’s Catholic School system.
- To provide formation to laypersons within the Archdiocese of Toronto, with educational offerings fitted to the needs of various professional workplaces (e.g., healthcare, law, policy) and to the concerns (e.g. matters of ethics, conscience, speech).
We accomplish our mission through partnerships and collaborations. Continuing Education’s longest-standing continuous partnership is with the Archdiocese of Toronto: Together, we have provided Catechesis of the Good Shepherd training for more than 25 years.
Renewing Continuing Education
The recent 30th anniversary of the Continuing Education Division provided a fine opportunity for reflection and planning. A formal review encouraged us to reflect upon our original vision, a vision closely aligned with St. Mike’s commitment to educating servants who lead and leaders who serve. A copy of the 2017 review can be found below.
The Renewal of the Continuing Education Division is a priority for St. Michael’s. Precisely how the recommendations of the 2017 review will be implemented will be shaped profoundly by the results of the new institutional strategic plan, St. Mike’s 180, which will be operationalized in 2021. Having crafted institutional goals and priorities from a wider engagement of the St. Michael’s Community, St. Mike’s 180 will help guarantee that a renewed Continuing Education Division is embedded in, and animated by, a unified vision for the University of St. Michael’s College’s future.
Non-Credit General Interest Programming
Our annual non-credit Continuing Education Program and its Blue Card Passport plan are currently on hiatus.
Certificate Programs
Our highly successful, long-running Certificate Programs continue uninterrupted: