Postsecondary Teaching
Quick Facts
- Modality: In person program
- Credits: 12
- Length of Program: Variable
- Application Deadline: Rolling
Program Overview
The post-secondary teaching certificate is an opportunity for you to gain insight into and practice the foundations of learning and instruction at the college level.
You have the flexibility to choose courses to count toward the certificate that reflect both the empirically-derived, evidence-based theories and pedagogies of education (in HGED 5610, as well as other courses offered by the SOE, like EDUC 5330) AND the norms of their field (as one example, CHEM 5550, Teaching College Chemistry).
The certificate is complimentary to the Preparing Future Faculty program at Iowa State – many people do both.
For those who have other career plans but may want to teach a college course occasionally, holding the certificate will complement substantive expertise and industry experience to department chairs making adjunct/term faculty hiring decisions.
The Iowa State University School of Education – Postsecondary Teaching Graduate Certificate is designed to prepare eligible teachers and faculty to serve in roles with the goal of improving teacher practices in postsecondary education. The program provides a unique opportunity to develop deep expertise in theories, methods, practice, and leadership skills.
Is this for you?
The post-secondary teaching certificate is designed for graduate students at Iowa State University who want to demonstrate a commitment to excellence in teaching undergraduate-and-graduate-level course work.
Curriculum
The Postsecondary Teaching graduate certificate is a 12-credit certificate. All students seeking the certificate must take HGED 5610, College Teaching, which reviews educational theories, methods, and strategies for improving college instruction. The additional 9 credits may be taken from a list of approved courses.
HGED 5610: College Teaching
- 3 Credits
- Course Description: Educational theories, methods and strategies for the improvement of college instruction. Assist potential college instructors in developing knowledge of protocol, assessment, and the scholarship and art of teaching. Emphasis on the unique challenge of college teaching in a changing student population environment.
Examples of teaching methodology courses include:
- AGEDS 5200, Instructional Methods for Adult and Higher Education in Ag Ed
- EDUC 5330, Learning Theories
- CHEM 5550, Teaching College Chemistry
- ENGL 5000, Teaching Multimodal Composition
- PSYCH 6330, Teaching of Psychology
- VPTH 5300, Teaching and Learning in Veterinary Medical Education
Other teaching methodology courses approved by the GCPE administrator
Students may apply 3 credits of an approved teaching practicum towards the certificate. This includes:
- GRST 5870: PFF Teaching Practicum supervised by PFF staff and departmental faculty mentor (requires admission to the PFF program)
- Or other post-secondary teaching practicum offered at ISU (i.e., XXXX 5900).
Students enrolled in Preparing Future Faculty may apply the following courses.:
- GRST 5850: Preparing Future Faculty Introductory Seminar
- GRST 5860: Preparing Future Faculty Intermediate Seminar
- GRST 5880: Preparing Future Faculty Special Topics
Other courses not on this list but focusing on post-secondary learning and teaching will be considered by the director of the certificate for approval on the Academic Plan. Examples include:
- EDUC 6800: Motivation in Educational Context
- ELPS 6220: Decolonizing Praxis