Graduate Teaching Certificate Program

  • Overview
  • Develop
  • Practice
  • Reflect
  • Apply
  • For Faculty Mentors

Overview

To compete in an increasingly competitive job market, graduate students must demonstrate their commitment to teaching effectively as future faculty members. Launched in 2003, the Certificate Program is for advanced graduate students. Participants work individually and together to develop, practice, and reflect on their teaching over the course of 12 months.

2009-2010 Program Calendar (PDF)

DEVELOP Skills

Develop skills in six areas (Course Design, Student Backgrounds, Teaching Methods, Assessment, Evaluation, and Mentoring) through participation in sessions rooted in the latest research on student learning:

  • Program Orientation
    Get to know your fellow Certificate Program participants, while learning about the program and the literature on teaching and learning.
  • Training Options (Pick 1):
    • 3 Graduate Workshops: The Center sponsors an ongoing series of workshops designed to address a variety of topics. Select and register for three that interest you.
    • Teaching Assistant Fellows Program: Gives outstanding TAs the opportunity to engage with the latest research on teaching and learning as they develop and implement workshops for new TAs in different departments.
    • Teaching, Learning & Technology: This program helps graduate students effectively integrate technology into their teaching using the Blackboard course management system.
  • Teaching Portfolio Workshops
    These sessions provide key strategies and examples to help you develop your own teaching philosophy and comprehensive teaching portfolio, which are part of the final program requirements.

PRACTICE Teaching

We offer a variety of options to give you teaching experience while providing support through small group meetings with peers, a faculty mentor and the program advisor:

  • Independent Teaching Project
    During the academic year, you will develop an independent teaching project using the literature on teaching and learning: either exploring a teaching innovation you will use in your teaching or designing a new course. You will meet quarterly with your peers and the program advisor in small project groups to exchange feedback & ideas on your teaching projects.
  • Teaching Experience Options (Pick 1)
    Participants must demonstrate their teaching ability as part of the program. Options include:
    • Department Course: arranged by you through your home department
    • Freshman Seminar: interdisciplinary, team-taught course
    • School of Continuing Studies: usually to nontraditional students
    • Partner Schools: teach at another school in the area
  • Quarterly Mentoring Meetings
    Work with a faculty mentor, from your own or another department, to get feedback on your teaching project and support for your teaching interests.

Critically REFLECT

Critical reflection is a process we encourage throughout the program to promote personal growth and change and document developmental achievements in your teaching, through:

  • Quarterly Meetings & Essays
    Discussion meetings allow you to engage in open discussions about the latest research on learning and teaching with your peers. Short essays allow you to respond to discussions and workshops as you develop your own approach to teaching.
  • Classroom Feedback:
    • Small Group Analysis
      Gather in-depth student feedback and learn useful modifications to improve a course. A trained Teaching Consultant will collect feedback from students and help the participant to evaluate and interpret the results.
    • Observation Feedback
      A teaching mentor or fellow program participant will observe your class and then meet privately with the participant to share his or her observations.
  • Teaching Portfolio
    Over the summer, you will create a comprehensive teaching portfolio which is the culmination of the Certificate Program. You will receive valuable feedback on your portfolio from the program advisor and fellow participants.

Application Information

Interested advanced graduate and postdoctoral students (beyond 2nd year at NU in Fall 2010) must attend one of the information meetings, submit an application, and participate in a short interview. The number of participants is limited.

Information Meetings for 2010-2011
Wednesday, April 21, 2010 at noon
Thursday, April 22, 2010 at noon
At the Searle Center for Teaching Excellence

Attendance at ONE of these sessions is required to apply for the Certificate Program. Email teach@northwestern.edu if you cannot attend either of these sessions

To apply:

  • Complete the online form
  • Submit the following in one document to teach@northwestern.edu:
    • Curriculum vitae
    • 1-page statement of teaching philosophy
    • Evidence of your teaching ability, such as:
      • CTECs
      • Letters from students
      • Sample handouts & assignments
      • Sample lesson plans/syllabi
      • (You do not have to include all of these items, just a sample)
Applications for 2010-2011 are due by Friday, May 14, 2010 at 5pm.
If you would like additional information about the Graduate Teaching Certificate Program, contact the Center at 847-467-2338 or teach@northwestern.edu.
The Mentor's Role
Certificate program participants work with a faculty teaching mentor. Graduate students often have research advisors but no one to discuss issues related to teaching and learning.

Faculty teaching mentors:
  • Meet with the program participant at least once a quarter to discuss issues of teaching and learning
  • Provide feedback on the program participant's Teaching Project, usually the design of a new course or the re-design of an existing one
  • Have their teaching observed by the program participant
  • Observe the program participant teach & provide feedback
  • If requested, provide a letter for the program participant's teaching portfolio

Choosing a Mentor
In most cases, participants choose their own faculty teaching mentor. A mentor:
  • Is ideally not the program participant's research advisor, to provide a different perspective
  • Is usually from the same discipline as the program participant, but they can be from any department
  • Can be at any stage of their faculty career as long as they have a demonstrated interest in teaching and learning issues

Mentors can be faculty from:
  • Northwestern University
  • A partner school: Lake Forest College, Oakton Community College, or Northeastern Illinois University
  • Another local institution with approval from the program coordinator

Working with a Program Participant
The specifics of the mentor-participant relationship are negotiated individually. Participants are responsible for setting up meetings, as well as setting meeting agendas, unless other arrangements are made.