UMSL Certificate in University Teaching

Whether you plan to have a career in academia, industry, business, education, public service, or the health professions, UMSL's graduate Certificate in University Teaching (CUT) will be of value to you. Nearly all professional roles require pitching, presentation, or instruction. This program, jointly sponsored by the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) and the Graduate School, is open to all UMSL graduate students - both Master's and doctoral candidates. 

How Do You Participate? 

  • Attend the Teaching Assistant Academy in August (separate registration).
  • Register each semester for upcoming CUT units ($50 to $100 per unit).*
  • Complete all of the activities included in each unit. Explore the pages below for more information on each unit!
  • Submit your teaching portfolio to the CTL for evaluation after completing all other CUT requirements.

CUT is not a linear program, meaning the units may be taken simultaneously when available, and in any order, with one exception: Unit F: Higher Education Foundations, must be completed prior to Unit C: Teaching Practicum Capstone. It is possible to complete all units in one year although most students opt to stretch them over multiple years.

Starting Fall 2023, graduate students can have unit fees credited back to their UMSL student account by the Graduate School upon completion of the unit. These fee credits are typically processed the week following each semester for units completed during that semester. Fees are waived for qualifying part-time (adjunct) faculty. Contact Jamie Martin (jmptr@umsl.edu) for more details

Register for Upcoming Units

 

What do Participants Say About CUT?

“As a participant in the Certificate in University Teaching (CUT) program, I have truly transformed as an instructor. I have known for years that I wanted to be a university professor, but this goal seemed very challenging and maybe even impossible at times. CUT helped me bridge the gap between pedagogical theory and practice. I learned techniques specific to diverse student populations, I learned online teaching methods just in time to move my courses online for COVID, and I learned about my own understanding of higher education and the kind of classroom I want to build for my students. CUT helped me think through and solidify my values and goals around teaching, and certainly prepared me for the job market.” - Nikki Hurless, Counseling PhD Candidate

“Looking back to the full-year training of CUT... I obtained much greater confidence in university teaching, especially in course design, assessments and grading, active learning, and most importantly, leveraging online teaching platforms and tools… I thank the CUT program for developing my teaching by providing great opportunities and feedback.” - Yingtong (Amanda) Wu, Biology PhD Candidate

“The Certificate in University Teaching program has really helped me in determining and understanding those nuances that come with university teaching.” - Anna Taft, History MA Student

“As an aspiring educator, I was thrilled when I got the opportunity to commence the Certificate in University Teaching (CUT) program, at the start of my second year of graduate school in August 2019. I wanted to take the courses in the program and ultimately earn the certificate as I knew it would set me apart from other educators following the completion of my PhD. What I did not fully understand back then, was how much I didn’t know about being an educator and how much this program would teach me about how to develop the many skills needed and most importantly perhaps, self-reflection.” - Michael McKeever, Chemistry PhD Candidate

“I am proud of myself. It took me almost two years to decide to enroll in the CUT program. I was concerned it would take time away from my research (which it did) and I was not sure if I would gain much from the program (and I was so very wrong). Now, my only regret was not starting the program earlier! I grew so much as an educator, a mentor and a scientist. And I grew in confidence in myself and the career path that I chose.” - Andreia Figueiredo, Biology PhD Candidate