Preparing Future Faculty Certificate

The Preparing Future Faculty (PFF) Certificate provides graduate students an opportunity to gain experience and skills necessary to teach at a college or university in their disciplines, while completing their graduate degree at IUP. The Certificate is provided through the Center for Teaching Excellence and the School of Graduate Studies and Research, though students must have approval from their specific graduate program coordinators. Students must complete core classes (9 credits) within their degree programs, complete an approved teaching class (3 credits), and participate in activities specific to skill learning and teaching practice. This certificate provides interested students the exposure to faculty life in a protected educational context, and allows them to make an informed decision about whether or not they want an academic career, while gaining the experience to be competitive if they choose to move forward into teaching.

The Certificate in Preparing Future Faculty is a cohort program of approximately 20 graduate students beginning each fall semester. Students must submit an application of interest to the School of Graduate Studies and Research no later than August 1. The applications will be reviewed by the Center for Teaching Excellence Advisory Board and notification will be provided to the student and their respective Graduate Coordinator.

Graduate students in the certificate program must complete twelve credits of course work. Nine graduate credits in their major department that represent core material for their field. Graduate Coordinators will make the determination which courses meet that requirement. A three credit teaching class (as determined by the Center for Teaching Excellence) is also required. Meeting with a faculty mentor, guest lecturing in relevant courses, as well as attendance at monthly workshops are also required for the certificate.

Program Requirements

• Approved teaching course completed
• Minimum of nine (9) graduate credits completed in discipline
• Three graduate credit teaching course
• Weekly meetings with Faculty Mentor (minimum 30 hours)
• Undergraduate Lecture/Guest Speaker 1
• Undergraduate Lecture/Guest Speaker 2
• Undergraduate Lecture/Guest Speaker 3
• Undergraduate Lecture/Guest Speaker 4
• Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) Evaluation
• Video Assessment 1 (1000 word response)
• Video Assessment 2 (1000 words response)
• Research Presentation
• Senate Meeting Participation (1000 word reflection paper)
• Service Commitment (minimum 20 hours)
• CITI Certificate (copy of certificate)
• CTE Workshops (attendance at a minimum of 6)