About

Ursuline Academy is an independent, Catholic, college preparatory school for young women in grades 7-12. Founded in 1946, Ursuline Academy in Dedham operates under the sponsorship of the international network of Ursuline Sisters, the oldest religious teaching order devoted to the education of young women.

Admissions

Our Admissions team welcomes families for tours throughout the year, and we sponsor events designed for students to explore our campus, sit in on classes, and to get to know our community. Ours is a holistic approach to knowing each student as we review qualifications for admissions. Learn why families choose Ursuline, and how our graduates become young women of character, faith and scholarship!

ACADEMICS

Ursuline Academy offers a rigorous program of study designed to challenge and inspire students, and our faculty encourage their love of learning, reading, and scholarly exploration in the pursuit of truth. Our graduates are fully prepared to study, analyze, and communicate persuasively to meet the challenges of university work.

LIVING THE MISSION

The values of an Ursuline education– a Catholic education– were established centuries ago when Saint Angela Merici dedicated her life to forming a company of young women engaged in bettering their communities. At Ursuline, we challenge our students to live lives of integrity that reflect the principles of Catholic social teaching, and to be Christ to one another in today’s world. We welcome students of all faiths, and support every student on her spiritual journey.

An Ursuline School

For 75 years, Ursuline Academy has encouraged young women to push past their expectations of themselves. Steeped in an environment of encouragement, support, and faith, students feel free to discover every part of their being, to be both bold and compassionate, and to find what gives them joy. In a tradition combining the best of all-girls and Catholic schools, they emerge as women of integrity who engage in their communities with purpose and presence.

The values of an Ursuline education were established centuries ago when Saint Angela Merici, a forward-thinking Italian religious educator and foundress of the Order of St. Ursula, dedicated her life to forming a company of young women engaged in bettering their communities. Hundreds of years later, we still believe in a world in which every young woman is empowered and supported to find her voice and be the best she can be for herself and in contribution to the world around her.

For 500 years, the women of the Ursuline Order have eagerly embraced innovation. From the moment St. Angela Merici encouraged her followers to "risk new things," the Ursulines have never hesitated to advance boldly. As a result, the Ursulines were the first women to establish a Catholic school in North America. Their school communities gave rise to the first female pharmacist in the United States and the first woman to contribute a book of literary merit, and also provided the first classes for female African-American slaves, free women of color, and Native Americans.

The Serviam shield is the emblem of loyalty known by Ursuline students throughout the world. The cross stands for faith, the foundation of all Christian action, and the seven stars represent Ursa Minor, a reminder of Saint Ursula, our patroness and a source of inspiration for Saint Angela Merici.