University Science Teaching

Provide a formal training in science communication, education, teaching, and mentoring to the biomedical PhD students. This certification is geared towards students interested in careers with communication, mentoring, and leadership direction (e.g. academic careers; managerial positions). This training process prepares students for their future positions as leaders.

The Certificate Program in University Science Teaching (CUST) is a formal transcripted program and one of a handful of programs in the country that offers biomedical scientists formal training in education and teaching. Through CUST, participants acquire core competencies by developing a critical background in pedagogical theory, gaining practical teaching and effective communication experience, applying innovative educational approaches, and implementing various assessment methods. Creative, critical thinking, and communication skills are developed, which are highly transferable to research and other arenas.

Upon completion of this program, participants will be better equipped to engage in collaborative, interdisciplinary, and translational research and education projects. Gained skills will also result in increased competitiveness for positions as postdocs and alternative career pathways.

• This is a 2-3 year program that typically starts in a students’ 2nd year (after passing the qualifying exam) and runs through year 3 or 4. Students’ 5th year should be dedicated to completing their dissertation.
• Fifteen (15) credit hours are divided among coursework, workshops, hands-on teaching apprenticeships, and an independent scholarly educational project.
  • Many of the required credits are within the scope of the existing BSGP PhD core curriculum requirements (min 3 credits).
  • The program provides flexibility in types of teaching and scholarly projects.
  • Elective credit hours provide the flexibility to tailor the program to meet individual goals and needs.
  • Documentation of teaching activities, along with a statement of teaching philosophy and self-reflective journal are collated in a Teaching Portfolio.
  • CUST graduates have demonstrably enhanced competitiveness to pursue a wide range of careers that require effective communication, teaching, mentoring and assessing others.
• Students will receive an email confirming the completion of their application once received. Admissions decisions generally take two weeks after receipt and are made on a rolling basis throughout the year.

• This program is an optional voluntary certificate.
• Program content may include, but is not limited to:
  • Formulation of teaching philosophy statements
    • What is learning?
    • Student assessment
    • Teaching from a scholarly perspective, as well as a target population angle
  • Course design
    • Plan lectures
    • Create syllabi
    • Contextual learning beyond course material
    • Accessible and effective teaching pedagogy
    • How to adapt to the needs of the local population
  • Reflective teaching and communication practices
    • Know the audience
    • How to engage different learning styles
    • Establish learning goals
    • Innovation
    • How to learn and reflect on assessments
    • Study and teaching strategies
  • Student-faculty collaboration
  • Facilitates a community of peer educators and mentors
  • Unify the dichotomy between teaching and research