Advanced Graduate Teaching Certificate
A program for UT Dallas graduate student teaching assistants (TAs) designed to encourage them to become scholars of teaching and to further explore new innovations in instruction.
Purposes
- Provide a structured process for the exploration of pedagogy from a discipline-based perspective.
- Assist TAs in developing a deeper understanding of the scholarly duties required in an academic position. Improve the instructional performance of TAs while at UT Dallas.
- Encourage the use of evidence-based best practices in instruction.
- Improve instructional performance for those pursuing a teaching career in higher education.
- Encourage reflection and innovation in pedagogy for those new to teaching.
- Enhance employment prospects by developing professional skills and strategies related to teaching.
Prerequisite
Completion of the Graduate Teaching Certificate.
Requirements
Recipients must complete all requirements listed below. Note that the requirements below are in addition to those needed for the basic graduate teaching certificate.
1. Courses in Pedagogy
Complete the following three courses developed by Epigeum and licensed to UTD: (1) Lecturing 2, (2) Understanding the Principles of Course Design, and (3) Developing Your Teaching. These are short, online courses that can be completed in a self-paced manner.
2. Teaching Experience
Complete an additional two semesters of teaching experience. Teaching is broadly defined as having regularly scheduled instructional duties with students in a classroom, studio, laboratory, or online, in which the teaching assistant has some responsibility for learning activities over an extended period of time. The teaching assistant can serve as a grader, lab supervisor, tutor, discussion leader, independent instructor, or another pedagogical role appropriate to the class or school.
3. Original Work and Its Assessment
Submit an example of your original work (syllabus, course development, lesson plan, class or lab activity, major assignment, project, or examination) and have it assessed by a faculty mentor or designated UTD personnel. Discuss the learning goals envisioned by that work with that person as well as what revisions might be made in the light of that assessment.
4. Exploration of Pedagogy
Complete one of the following:
- Write a review of pedagogical literature in your discipline that is based on 5 to 6 articles.
- Complete a course on college teaching offered at UTD.
- Participate in a regularly scheduled reading group or seminar series on teaching.
- Present an original research paper related to teaching on campus or at a professional meeting.
- Provide a Teaching Philosophy Statement*.
*Write or revise your teaching philosophy statement. It should be based on your teaching experiences in the discipline and connect to what you learned from participating in this program.
5. Teaching Workshops and Events
Attend a minimum of three additional teaching development workshops or events. The teaching assistant is required to complete a one-page reflective essay on the experience for each of the workshops or events.
Download: Completing Your Advanced Graduate Teaching Certificate (AGTC) (.docx)