We are pleased to offer an extensive, multi-level curriculum that provides all students, including those with academic accommodations, with the opportunity both to challenge themselves and to achieve success by enrolling in the level of courses that meets their needs. More importantly, recognizing that a student’s academic needs vary by discipline, we do not “track” our students.
Additionally, we offer fifteen dual credit courses for which students earn credit at both Mater Dei and Kaskaskia College. All the dual credit courses, except Residential Electricity, are offered at Mater Dei for no additional charge. Dual credit courses provide our students with numerous advantages following graduation: experience with college-level coursework, financial savings, and the opportunities to earn additional minors or majors or to graduate early.
The pages below provide a listing of available courses, as well as the amount of credit earned in those courses. For complete descriptions of each course, please review the 2021-2022 Curriculum Guide.
Graduation Requirement: 0.5 credit of Consumer Economics
For complete descriptions of the courses, please review the 2022-2023 Curriculum Guide
Year-Long Course (1 credit)
Accounting Principles *
CEO - Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities *
Semester Courses (0.5 credit)
Consumer Economics
Computer Applications
Advanced Computer Applications *
Web Page Design
Agricultural Business Management
Business Law
Marketing
Small Business Management
Introduction to Networking
Introduction to Coding
Office Assistant
* This course is a dual credit course for which students earn credit at both Mater Dei and Kaskaskia College for no additional charge.
Graduation Requirement: 4 credits of English and 0.5 credit of Speech 103
For complete descriptions of the courses, please review the 2022-2023 Curriculum Guide
Year-Long Courses (1 credit)
English I A
English I
English I Honors
English II A
English II
English II Honors
Semester Courses (0.5 credit)
Short Literature I
American Literature
American Literature Honors
Short Literature II
English Literature
Practical Writing
Composition
Composition Honors
Effective Writing
Methods of Writing
English Composition 101 *
English Composition 102 *
Speech 103 *
* This course is a dual credit course for which students earn credit at both Mater Dei and Kaskaskia College for no additional charge.
Graduation Requirement: 0.5 credit
For complete descriptions of the courses, please review the 2022-2023 Curriculum Guide
Year-Long Courses (1 credit)
Concert Band
Jazz Band
Year-Long Course (0.5 credit)
Wind Ensemble
Semester Courses (0.5 credit)
Chorus
Introduction to Music in America *
Arts Appreciation
Art Graphics
Drawing and Design
Advanced Drawing and Design
Ceramics
Advanced Ceramics
Portfolio of Advanced Art Projects
Semester Course (0.25 credit)
Noon Chorus
* This course is a dual credit course for which students earn credit at both Mater Dei and Kaskaskia College for no additional charge.
NOTE: To participate in Marching Band, a student must enroll in Concert Band, Jazz Band, or Wind Ensemble. However, a student enrolled in Concert Band, Jazz Band, or Wind Ensemble is not required to participate in Marching Band.
Graduation Requirement: none (minimum of two years recommended for college)
For complete descriptions of the courses, please review the 2022-2023 Curriculum Guide
Year-Long Courses (1 credit)
Spanish I
Spanish II
Spanish 101 *
Spanish 102 *
* This course is a dual credit course for which students earn credit at both Mater Dei and Kaskaskia College for no additional charge.
Graduation Requirement: none
For complete descriptions of the courses, please review the 2022-2023 Curriculum Guide
Semester Courses (0.5 credit)
Sewing I
Sewing II
Foods to Faith - A Spiritual Journey Through Culinary Arts
Graduation Requirement: none
For complete descriptions of the courses, please review the 2022-2023 Curriculum Guide
Year-Long Courses (1 credit)
Basic Shop I
Basic Shop II
Drafting
Year-Long Courses (2 credits)
Building Trades I
Building Trades II
Residential Electricity *
NOTE: Because these courses meet two periods per day, students earn two credits.
* This course is a dual credit course for which students earn credit at both Mater Dei and Kaskaskia College. This course, which includes additional fees, is offered at the Kaskaskia College Education Center in Trenton during the school day.
Graduation Requirement: 3 credits
For complete descriptions of the courses, please review the 2022-2023 Curriculum Guide
Year-Long Courses (1 credit)
Essentials of Algebra I
Algebra I
Algebra I Honors
Essentials of Geometry
Geometry
Geometry Honors
Essentials of Algebra II
Algebra II
Algebra II Honors
Algebra II and Trigonometry Honors
Precalculus
Calculus and Analytic Geometry **
Semester Courses (0.5 credit)
Finite Mathematics
Trigonometry
Statistics
** While this course is not an official Advanced Placement (AP) course, the level of coursework fully prepares students for the AP test.
Graduation Requirement: 1.5 credits of physical education and 0.5 credit of Health
For complete descriptions of the courses, please review the 2022-2023 Curriculum Guide
Year-Long Course (2 credits)
Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) *
NOTE: Because this course meets two periods per day, students earn two credits.
Year-Long Courses (1 credit)
Physical Education II (males)
Physical Education II (females)
Weightlifting and Conditioning *
Semester Courses (0.5 credit)
Health
Physical Education I (males)
Physical Education I (females)
Physical Education III
Physical Education IV
Weightlifting and Conditioning *
* This course is a dual credit course for which students earn credit at both Mater Dei and Kaskaskia College for no additional charge.
Graduation Requirement: 4 credits and Senior Service Project
For complete descriptions of the courses, please review the 2022-2023 Curriculum Guide
Year-Long Course (1 credit)
Youth Faith Formation Teacher (seniors only)
Semester Courses (0.5 credit)
Theology I: Jesus Christ, God's Revelation to the World
Theology I: Theology of the Body
Theology II: Jesus Christ, God's Love Made Visible
Theology II: The Paschal Mystery
Theology III: The Church, Our Story
Theology III: Meeting Jesus in the Sacraments
Theology IV: Your Moral Life in Christ
Theology IV: Foundations of Catholic Social Doctrine
Service Requirements
An essential aspect of our Mission is to provide an opportunity for our students to both learn to serve and serve to learn. Therefore, in addition to performing service as a school community, our students perform individual service. Through their service experiences, our students develop
self-confidence, become aware of the needs of others, and recognize the many ways they can serve others with the talents God has graciously given them.
More specifically, each year, our freshman, sophomore, and junior students perform acts of service aligned with the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy. Our senior students complete a
three-week Senior Service Project in January, during which they respond to the needs of others at a variety of locations in Clinton County, the greater metro-east area, and St. Louis, including day care centers, schools, hospitals, nursing homes, civil agencies, and social agencies.
Graduation Requirement: 2 credits
For complete descriptions of the courses, please review the 2022-2023 Curriculum Guide
Year-Long Courses (1 credit)
Physical Science A
Physical Science
Physical Science Honors
Biology A
Biology
Biology Honors
Earth Science
Chemistry
Chemistry Honors
Physics
Physics Honors
Introduction to Engineering
Agricultural Science
Agricultural Business Management
Semester Courses (0.5 credit)
Biology II
Anatomy and Physiology
Chemistry II *
Animal Science
Soil Science
* This course is a dual credit course for which students earn credit at both Mater Dei and Kaskaskia College for no additional charge.
Graduation Requirement: 2 credits, including American History, and passing the U.S. Constitution test
For complete descriptions of the courses, please review the 2022-2023 Curriculum Guide
Year-Long Courses (1 credit)
World History
American History
Advanced Placement (AP) American History
Semester Courses (0.5 credit)
American Government
Modern American History
Current World Issues
Global Studies
Marketing
Rules for Life
General Psychology *
Early Child Development *
Life Span Growth and Development *
* This course is a dual credit course for which students earn credit at both Mater Dei and Kaskaskia College for no additional charge.
During the school year, students complete both the classroom phase and the behind-the-wheel phase of Driver's Education. (Note there are additional fees for Driver Education.) For a complete description of the course, please review the 2022-2023 Curriculum Guide
In addition, the classroom phase of Driver Education is offered during the summer at Mater Dei for students meeting the applicable birth date requirement. Fees are set per the following categories: Mater Dei students, Central Community High School students, and students from all other high schools. The fee must be paid on the first day of class, and checks should be made payable to Mater Dei Catholic High School Driver Education. (Note that the fee is for the classroom phase only. Additional fees will be charged for the behind-the-wheel phase and the driver's permit and license.)
When available (traditionally in February), the registration form and the dates of the two sessions will be available on this page. (Note that priority for placement in the course will be given to Mater Dei students first, Central Community High School students second, and students from all other high schools third.)
