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In addition to the sound philosophy at the heart of the curriculum, the Angelicum Homeschool Program allows parents the flexibility - 13 course options (subjects), more than any other program - to select only those courses they wish, when they wish, and to pace their coursework as they see fit. Most Angelicum students are doing six or seven subjects in two or three different grade levels because they have excelled in some areas, yet taken more time in others. This is a common-sense approach to education, not a one-pace-fits-all approach to unique human beings.

Sixteen important elements were brought together to complete the Angelicum curriculum:
1. Catholic religion, history and literature texts are central to our curriculum;

2. Classical education - elements of items 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8, described below, make our program distinctly classical in approach;

3. the "Good Books" - the great children's classics, selected by the famed Catholic classicist, the late Dr. John Senior, which are read in our nursery-8th grade literature program prepare our students for the greatest works of our culture;

4. the Great Books - the greatest classics of Western civilization, beginning with the ancient Greeks, then the Romans, Medievals and Moderns, which are studied in our 9th-12th grade literature program;

5. Great Books Discussion - these optional, online groups develop thinking, speaking, listening and reading skills while acquainting our students with the great ideas contained in the classics, from a Catholic perspective;

6. the finest materials available - since we did not write the classics we are able to select from the finest illustrated editions and most up-to-date texts available in other subjects from many sources, without having to restrict our selections to our own materials;

7. our "poetic" and integrated approach to education of the senses, imagination and intuition via the use of the natural wonder and love of the beauty of nature in young students, which was developed for older students into the Integrated Humanities Program by Drs. Quinn, Senior and Nelick;

8. our liberal arts and generalist educational approach (from "libertas" meaning liberty or freedom from ignorance - not "liberalism" as a political view) is preparatory not merely for college, but also for life; it is not the narrow specialization or vocationalism that prepares young people for only one job, skill or specialty so often obsolete in ten years, or even less in our day;

9. designed for homeschool or independent study, with all the attendant advantages which numerous studies have demonstrated homeschooling has over public schooling;

10. our program is complete - nursery through 12th grade, 13 subjects, placement tests, daily lesson plans, quarterly tests, and grading;

11. flexibility - students may progress at their own pace, in each course selected, on different grade levels - no one-size-fits all obstacles are imposed in our program. Parents are free to choose and mix from among any, or all, courses and grade levels offered;

12. all enrolled students are given our unique coded access to 5 online resources;

13. Britannica’s Annals (documents) of American History Online;

14. The Oxford English Dictionary Online;

15. Oxford Research Online;

16. and Classical Homeschooling Magazine, available at: www.classicalhomeschooling.com.


Patrick S.J. Carmack is a former Judge at the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, member of the U.S. Supreme Court Bar, former Chairman of the International Caspian Society, and President of the Angelicum Academy.

Steve Bertucci is a Director of the Great Books Program and has probably moderated more Great Books discussion groups (literally thousands now) than any living human!

In a recent article in Catholic Homeschooling Magazine, Angelicum President Peter Redpath and Patrick S.J. Carmack outlined the 13 points that make up the philosophy of education (as distinguished from theology; the distinctly Catholic elements are addressed elsewhere at www.angelicum.net) for the Angelicum Homeschooling Program. That article can be found at the following link: : http://www.classicalhomeschooling.com/html/third_issue_philedu.html.