Please note that the following lists of courses are recommendations for independent students. Academy students seeking diplomas and transcripts from the CLAA must follow the Academy study plans. All of the study materials necessary for the subjects listed below are provided in the Academy’s online courses.
Table of contents
Overview
In the Classical Liberal Arts Academy, we seek a true classical Catholic education, while simultaneously satisfying the requirements of modern education laws. As these are two separate streams of learning, they are best kept separate, with the modern requirements being completed in an efficient manner that does not crowd out the more important studies.
It must be understood that the modern K-12 grade level system never existed in world history before the public schools were created in the 1850s. The great flaw of most homeschools and private schools is that they imagine that they will follow the public school model which, in the end, only means one thing: they will neglect classical Catholic education and complete only the minimum modern standards (if they do that much). This is the plague of modern Catholic education.
Only in the Classical Liberal Arts Academy do we maintain our focus on classical Catholic studies while satisfying modern requirements. This method of education is different and requires some learning, but it will prove simpler and more effective in the long run.
Goal: Classical Catholic AND Modern Studies
In the Classical Liberal Arts Academy, we work to complete both classical Catholic and modern studies. This can only be done by (a) focusing on classical Catholic studies and (b) completing modern studies in the simplest and most efficient way possible. This can only be done in the Classical Liberal Arts Academy. Course IDs reveal whether courses are considered classical (TRV, QRV, PHL, THL, HUM) or modern (ELA, FLA, MAT, SCI, SOC).
I. Primary (Ages 6-14, Grades 1-8)
In the Catholic Church, children are said to reach the “age of Reason” around age 7, which is why the sacraments of Penance and First Communion are administered at this time. Likewise, in ancient times, a student aged 6-14 was considered a child (παις) and the “childish” education given was called paideia (παιδεια). The focus of this period in classical education was on physical development through “Gymnastics”, cultural development through Music, and academic development through Grammar. Gymnastics and Music continued throughout a student’s education and parents are encouraged to provide for these through private, local activities.
Grade K (Ages 3-6)
The following courses provide satisfy modern grade K requirements and add opportunities for the beginning of classical Catholic studies:
English Language Arts
- ELA-091 HANDWRITING I
- ELA-000 ENGLISH READING K
- ELA-020 ELEMENTARY LITERATURE K
Mathematics
- MAT-011 MODERN ARITHMETIC I
Philosophy
- PHL-101 AESOP’S FABLES
Theology
- THL-100 CATHOLIC BIBLE I
- THL-011 BALTIMORE CATECHISM 0
- THL-151 LIVES OF THE SAINTS
Grade 1 (Ages 6-7)
The following courses allow students to satisfy modern 1st grade requirements and prepare for classical Catholic studies. Advanced students may begin Latin Reading at any time.
English Language Arts
- ELA-091 HANDWRITING I
- ELA-001 ENGLISH READING 1
- ELA-100 ENGLISH SPELLING
- ELA-021 ELEMENTARY LITERATURE 1
Mathematics
- MAT-011 MODERN ARITHMETIC I
Science
- SCI-171 ELEMENTARY SCIENCE 1
Philosophy
- PHL-101 AESOP’S FABLES
Theology
- THL-100 CATHOLIC BIBLE I
- THL-111 BALTIMORE CATECHISM I
Grade 2 (Ages 7-8)
The following courses allow students to satisfy modern 2nd grade requirements and prepare for classical Catholic studies. Advanced students may begin Latin Reading at any time.
English Language Arts
- ELA-091 HANDWRITING I
- ELA-002 ENGLISH READING 2
- ELA-100 ENGLISH SPELLING
- ELA-022 ELEMENTARY LITERATURE 2
Mathematics
- MAT-011 MODERN ARITHMETIC I
Science
- SCI-172 ELEMENTARY SCIENCE 2
PHILOSOPHY
- PHL-101 AESOP’S FABLES
THEOLOGY
- THL-100 CATHOLIC BIBLE I
- THL-111 BALTIMORE CATECHISM I
- THL-151 LIVES OF THE SAINTS
Grade 3 (Ages 8-9)
The following courses allow students to satisfy modern 3rd grade requirements and prepare for classical Catholic studies. Advanced students may begin Latin Reading at any time.
English Langauge Arts
- ELA-094 HANDWRITING IV
- ELA-003 ENGLISH READING 3
- ELA-101 ELEMENTARY GRAMMAR
- ELA-100 ENGLISH SPELLING
- ELA-023 ELEMENTARY LITERATURE 3
Latin
- TRV-110 LATIN VOCABULARY
Mathematics
- MAT-121 MODERN ARITHMETIC II
Science
- SCI-173 ELEMENTARY SCIENCE 3
Philosophy
- PHL-101 AESOP’S FABLES
Theology
- THL-100 CATHOLIC BIBLE I
- THL-111 BALTIMORE CATECHISM I
- THL-151 LIVES OF THE SAINTS
Grade 4 (Ages 9-10)
The following courses allow students to satisfy modern 4th grade requirements and prepare for classical Catholic studies. Advanced students may begin Latin Reading at any time.
English Language Arts
- ELA-094 HANDWRITING IV
- ELA-004 ENGLISH READING 4
- ELA-101 ELEMENTARY GRAMMAR
- ELA-100 ENGLISH SPELLING
- ELA-024 ELEMENTARY LITERATURE 4
Latin
- TRV-110 LATIN VOCABULARY
Mathematics
- MAT-121 MODERN ARITHMETIC II
Science
- SCI-174 ELEMENTARY SCIENCE 4
Social Studies
- HUM-101 WORLD CHRONOLOGY
Philosophy
- PHL-101 AESOP’S FABLES
Theology
- THL-100 CATHOLIC BIBLE I
- THL-111 BALTIMORE CATECHISM I
- THL-151 LIVES OF THE SAINTS
Grade 5 (Ages 10-11)
The following courses allow students to satisfy modern 5th grade requirements and prepare for classical Catholic studies. Advanced students may begin Latin Reading at any time.
English Language Arts
- ELA-005 ENGLISH READING 5
- ELA-101 ELEMENTARY GRAMMAR
- ELA-100 ENGLISH SPELLING
- ELA-025 ELEMENTARY LITERATURE 5
Latin
- TRV-110 LATIN VOCABULARY
Mathematics
- MAT-151 MODERN ARITHMETIC III
- MAT-141 ELEMENTARY GEOMETRY
Science
- SCI-175 ELEMENTARY SCIENCE 5
Social Studies
- HUM-101 WORLD CHRONOLOGY
- HUM-112 ELEMENTARY GEOGRAPHY
Philosophy
- PHL-101 AESOP’S FABLES
Theology
- THL-100 CATHOLIC BIBLE I
- THL-111 BALTIMORE CATECHISM I
- THL-151 LIVES OF THE SAINTS
Grade 6 (Ages 11-12)
The following courses allow students to satisfy modern 6th grade requirements and prepare for classical Catholic studies. Advanced students may begin Latin Reading at any time.
English Language Arts
- ELA-006 ENGLISH READING 6
- ELA-101 ELEMENTARY GRAMMAR
- ELA-100 ENGLISH SPELLING
- ELA-026 ELEMENTARY LITERATURE 6
Latin
- TRV-110 LATIN VOCABULARY
Mathematics
- MAT-151 MODERN ARITHMETIC III
- MAT-141 ELEMENTARY GEOMETRY
Science
- SCI-176 ELEMENTARY SCIENCE 6
Social Studies
- HUM-101 WORLD CHRONOLOGY
- HUM-112 ELEMENTARY GEOGRAPHY
Philosophy
- PHL-101 AESOP’S FABLES
Theology
- THL-100 CATHOLIC BIBLE I
- THL-211 BALTIMORE CATECHISM II
- THL-151 LIVES OF THE SAINTS
Grade 7 (Ages 12-13)
The following courses allow students to satisfy modern 7th grade requirements and prepare for classical Catholic studies. Advanced students may begin Latin Reading at any time.
English Language Arts
- TRV-301 ENGLISH COMPOSITION
- TRV-201 CLASSICAL GRAMMAR
- ELA-100 ENGLISH SPELLING
- ELA-027 ELEMENTARY LITERATURE 7
Latin
- TRV-110 LATIN VOCABULARY
Mathematics
- MAT-261 PRE-ALGEBRA (OS)
- MAT-141 ELEMENTARY GEOMETRY
Science
- SCI-177 ELEMENTARY SCIENCE 7
Social Studies
- HUM-101 WORLD CHRONOLOGY
- HUM-212 ANCIENT GEOGRAPHY
Philosophy
- PHL-101 AESOP’S FABLES
Theology
- THL-200 CATHOLIC BIBLE II
- THL-211 BALTIMORE CATECHISM II
- THL-151 LIVES OF THE SAINTS
Grade 8 (Ages 13-14)
The following courses allow students to satisfy modern 8th grade requirements and prepare for classical Catholic studies. Advanced students may begin Latin Reading at any time.
English Language Arts
- TRV-301 ENGLISH COMPOSITION
- TRV-201 CLASSICAL GRAMMAR
- ELA-100 ENGLISH SPELLING
- ELA-028 ELEMENTARY LITERATURE 8
Latin
- TRV-110 LATIN VOCABULARY
Mathematics
- MAT-261 PRE-ALGEBRA (OS)
- MAT-141 ELEMENTARY GEOMETRY
Science
- SCI-201 INTRODUCTION TO SCIENCE
Social Studies
- HUM-101 WORLD CHRONOLOGY
- HUM-212 ANCIENT GEOGRAPHY
Philosophy
- PHL-101 AESOP’S FABLES
Theology
- THL-200 CATHOLIC BIBLE II
- THL-211 BALTIMORE CATECHISM II
- THL-151 LIVES OF THE SAINTS
II. Secondary (Ages 14-18+, Grades 9-12)
Historically, age 14 was recognized as the time when a boy (παις) became a lad (μειρακιον), and his education advanced to a new level until he became a young man (ἐφηβος) at age 18. It was at this time, age 14, that King Philip of Macedon arranged for Aristotle to tutor his son, Alexander. In the Catholic Church, we find the sacrament of Confirmation taking place at this time. In medieval times, students could move to the University at this time. Academically, a student needs to take responsibility for his own studies, and work as hard as possible to make year-round progress.
The following course recommendations are for homeschool students. To view the CLAA’s Accredited High School diploma program, click here.
Grade 9 (Ages 14-15)
The following courses provide satisfy modern 9th grade requirements and add opportunities for rigorous classical Catholic study:
English Language Arts
- TRV-301 ENGLISH COMPOSITION
- TRV-201 CLASSICAL GRAMMAR
- HUM-321 CLASSICAL GREEK LITERATURE
Latin
- TRV-111 LATIN READING I
- TRV-221 LATIN GRAMMAR I
Mathematics
- MAT-321 ELEMENTARY ALGEBRA (OS)
Science
- SCI-301 MODERN BIOLOGY (OS)
Social Studies
- HUM-301 WORLD HISTORY
Trivium
- TRV-351 CLASSICAL LOGIC
- TRV-361 CLASSICAL RHETORIC
Quadrivium
- QRV-311 CLASSICAL ARITHMETIC
- QRV-321 CLASSICAL GEOMETRY
Philosophy
- PHL-311 CLASSICAL ETHICS
- PHL-321 CLASSICAL PHYSICS
- PHL-331 CLASSICAL METAPHYSICS
Theology
- THL-351 SACRED SCRIPTURE I
- THL-451 CCC I
- THL-151 LIVES OF THE SAINTS
Grade 10 (Ages 15-16)
The following courses provide satisfy modern 10th grade requirements and add opportunities for rigorous classical Catholic study:
English Language Arts
- TRV-301 ENGLISH COMPOSITION
- TRV-201 CLASSICAL GRAMMAR
- HUM-322 ROMAN LITERATURE
Latin
- TRV-121 LATIN READING II (PSALMS)
- TRV-321 LATIN GRAMMAR II (SYNTAX)
Mathematics
- MAT-341 INTERMEDIATE ALGEBRA (OS)
Science
- SCI-302 MODERN PHYSICS (OS)
Social Studies
- HUM-301 WORLD HISTORY
Trivium
- TRV-351 CLASSICAL LOGIC
- TRV-361 CLASSICAL RHETORIC
Quadrivium
- QRV-311 CLASSICAL ARITHMETIC
- QRV-321 CLASSICAL GEOMETRY I
Philosophy
- PHL-311 CLASSICAL ETHICS
- PHL-321 CLASSICAL PHYSICS
- PHL-331 CLASSICAL METAPHYSICS
Theology
- THL-352 SACRED SCRIPTURE II
- THL-451/2 CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH I/II
- THL-151 LIVES OF THE SAINTS
Grade 11 (Ages 16-17)
The following courses provide satisfy modern 11th grade requirements and add opportunities for rigorous classical Catholic study:
English Language Arts
- TRV-301 ENGLISH COMPOSITION
- TRV-201 CLASSICAL GRAMMAR (REVIEW)
- HUM-323 ENGLISH LITERATURE
Latin
- TRV-311 LATIN READING III (AQUINAS)
- TRV-321 LATIN GRAMMAR II
Mathematics
- MAT-411 PRE-CALCULUS (OS)
Science
- SCI-403 MODERN CHEMISTRY(OS)
Social Studies
- HUM-311 AMERICAN HISTORY
Trivium
- TRV-351 CLASSICAL LOGIC
- TRV-361 CLASSICAL RHETORIC
Quadrvium
- QRV-311 CLASSICAL ARITHMETIC
- QRV-321 CLASSICAL GEOMETRY I
Philosophy
- PHL-311 CLASSICAL ETHICS
- PHL-321 CLASSICAL PHYSICS
- PHL-331 CLASSICAL METAPHYSICS
Theology
- THL-353 SACRED SCRIPTURE III
- THL-452/3 CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH II/III
- THL-151 LIVES OF THE SAINTS
Grade 12 (Ages 17-18)
The following courses provide satisfy modern 12th grade requirements and add opportunities for rigorous classical Catholic study:
English Language Arts
- TRV-301 ENGLISH COMPOSITION
- TRV-201 CLASSICAL GRAMMAR
- HUM-324 AMERICAN LITERATURE
Latin
- TRV-411 LATIN READING IV
- TRV-421 LATIN GRAMMAR III
Mathematics
- MAT-441 CALCULUS I
Science
- SCI-404 MODERN ASTRONOMY (OS) OR SCI-405 ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY (OS)
Social Studies
- HUM-421 AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
Trivium
- TRV-351 CLASSICAL LOGIC
- TRV-361 CLASSICAL RHETORIC
Quadrivium
- QRV-311 CLASSICAL ARITHMETIC
- QRV-321 CLASSICAL GEOMETRY I
Philosophy
- PHL-311 CLASSICAL ETHICS
- PHL-321 CLASSICAL PHYSICS
- PHL-331 CLASSICAL METAPHYSICS
Theology
- THL-355/6 SACRED SCRIPTURE V/VI (NT)
- THL-453/4 CCC III/IV
- THL-151 LIVES OF THE SAINTS
What Selective Colleges Are Looking For
If a student desires to attend a college that does not have a selective admissions rate, admission is not a concern. So long as the modern courses recommended above are completed, the student has a GPA over 3.0 and a decent SAT score (if required), he will be admitted.
If, however, a student wishes to attend a more selective university, he must realize that every student applying will have a solid high school transcript, high grades and great test scores. This will not be enough for admission. The message from the most selective colleges is clear:
“By taking the most academically demanding courses you can find, you can improve both your chance of admission to a selective college and your performance during the first years of college.”
Harvard University
“Whenever you can, challenge yourself with the most rigorous courses possible.”
Princeton University
“When the admissions committee looks at your transcript, it will not focus on whether you have taken any specific course. It will be far more interested to see that you have challenged yourself with difficult coursework, and have done well.”
Yale University
“We recommend you pursue a reasonably challenging curriculum by choosing courses from among the most demanding available at your school.”
Stanford University
“You should focus on taking the most challenging courses available to you in the areas that most interest you.”
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
“When making curriculum choices, seek out courses that will enrich and challenge you, rather than worry about how they will look to a college application reader.”
University of Chicago
“There’s no minimum grade point average or class rank required, but know this: You’re up against the best and the brightest in the world. The more rigorous your course selection, the better your grades, and the higher your class rank, the more competitive your application will be.”
University of Notre Dame