Electives

STMA offers students in grades 10–12 a popular program of semester-long electives each academic year across all areas of the Upper School curriculum.

For the 2026–27 academic year:

Grade 10
Students must complete two (2) electives during the academic year—one in the fall semester and one in the spring semester. Students may enroll in an additional elective in the fall semester with administrator approval.

Grade 11
Students must complete three (3) electives during the academic year and may choose to complete four (4). For planning purposes, please note that one Tuesday or Thursday study period will be replaced by Physics lab during the spring semester.

Grade 12
Students must complete four (4) electives during the academic year.

FALL 2026 ONE-DAY ELECTIVE ENROLLMENT DATE IS MONDAY, AUGUST 3rd beginning at 8am.

TR 8:00-9:10

Leadership and Ethics (Mr. D’Andrea). From Joan of Arc to Elizabeth Ann Seton and from Ignatius of Loyola to John Paul II, there has been no shortage of Catholics called to positions of leadership both great and small, but not all historical leaders were saints. In this course, students will be introduced to leadership principles and tools, such as servant leadership, “Extreme Ownership” and Operational Risk Management. Students will apply those tools to leadership case studies in various settings.

Using Claude Code and other AI tools to enhance the Design Thinking process (Mr. Govert). This course introduces students to design thinking—the process used by innovators, entrepreneurs, and product teams to identify meaningful problems, develop creative solutions, and evaluate whether those solutions effectively meet real needs. Students will learn to begin with people and problems, generate solution concepts through structured ideation, and rapidly prototype ideas for testing and refinement. A core feature of this course is learning to use AI tools — including Claude Code — to enhance and improve the design process. Students will use AI to test ideas, challenge assumptions, research markets, and build working digital prototypes without needing a software background. The goal is not to train developers, but to cultivate students who can think critically, solve problems creatively, and build like designers. This course has a $68 licensing fee.  Administration approval required for enrollment.

St. Francis of Assisi (Mr. Mulligan). After a great sickness deprived him of glory in war, Giovanni di Pietro found himself lost and confused. But when he came across a church in disrepair, three words would come to define the rest of his life: “Rebuild my Church.” Rejecting all the wealth he was given, Giovanni set forth to do just that, becoming one of the most beloved (and often misunderstood) saints in the Church’s history. This course will explore the life of St. Francis of Assisi, portrayals of him, and his impact on the Church as he endeavored to hold it up from the inside.

History of the Twentieth Century Church (Mr. Small). The 20th century was one of the most turbulent and transformative periods in human history, marked by world wars, political upheaval, technological change, and profound cultural shifts. How did the Catholic Church respond? This course explores major historical events of the 20th century through the lens of the Church’s engagement with the modern world. Students will examine the leadership of various popes, the witness of saints, and key primary source documents to gain a deeper understanding of how the Church navigated the challenges and opportunities of the era and sought to shape the world around it.

SciComm (Mrs. Sweeney). Scientists are often called poor communicators, and the goal of this course is to combat this stereotype. In SciComm, students will learn to interpret statistics, read academic papers, and conduct research with the aim of “translating” scientific findings for public understanding. Creativity will be required to present often jargon-heavy concepts in an engaging way.

Introduction to Psychology (Deacon Brad). Intro to Psychology is a broad survey of the science of human thought, emotion, behavior, learning, memory, personality, and mental health using the Psychology For Dummies text. Like my Anatomy & Physiology and Exercise Science electives, the class should be fun and engaging, but be prepared for substantial reading, regular quizzes, and three tests, because trying to understand the human mind actually requires using your own.

Introduction to 3D Computer Modeling (Mr. Isaac Watkins). This introductory course provides students with hands-on experience in solid modeling, surface modeling, and rendering using Fusion 360. No prior experience is required.

Elective Study (Staff). Open to grades 10-11.

TR 9:15-10:25

Public Speaking (Mrs. Chandler). This course will explore and practice various aspects of public rhetoric (style, organization, delivery, visual aids, etc.) and use them in context to create and deliver speeches for practical public speaking opportunities (training/teaching, special occasion/ceremonial speeches, panel interviews, etc.) Class expectations include regular reading, some writing + visual aid creation, and of course public speaking.

Personal Finance (Mrs. Jackson). This course will challenge students to analyze personal financial decisions, evaluate the costs and benefits of those decisions, recognize their rights and responsibilities as consumers, and apply the classroom learning to real-world financial situations. Students will develop practical financial literacy skills, including managing bank accounts, budgeting, understanding taxes, evaluating college costs, and recognizing the potential pitfalls of debt and poor financial planning.

Dostoevsky’s Dystopias: Apocalyptic Hope (Mr. Kirkendall). This course will put Fyodor Dostoevsky’s powerful and enigmatic social thought, represented by two of his novels, in conversation with other dystopian stories and apocalyptic perspectives. Criminal psychology, existentialism, art, faith, film, Russian history, politics, and iconography will converge in studying the “Greatest Christian Novelist’s” uniquely religious response to modernity. Administrator approval required for enrollment.

Physics of Automobiles (Mr. Nolan). This course explores the science behind automobiles. From the dependable Honda Civic to the exotic Lamborghini Murciélago and even high-performance race cars, students will uncover the physics at work every time a car accelerates, turns, or brakes. Through class discussions and hands-on labs, students will investigate topics such as power, friction, weight transfer, aerodynamics, and other engineering principles that shape vehicle performance and design.

The History of the Twentieth Century Church (Mr. Small). See description in 8:00am block.

Catholic Anthropology (Ms. Watkins). The first gift God gives is life; within it, He gives human beings their identities as men or women. Perhaps no other part of our human identity is less understood today. This course will trace ideas of human nature and sexual difference from ancient thinkers through to the present, bringing clarity to a much-contested issue. Expect modest (but important) reading assignments.

Elective Study (Staff). Open to grades 10-11.