FAQs

The Teaching Academy's Certificate of Completion program is designed to help prepare Ph.D. students and Post-doctoral Fellows for academic careers and to provide assistance in acquiring a foundation for the teaching responsibilities associated with their first faculty appointments.

The certificate that will be presented upon completion of the program will enhance graduates’ competitive advantage as they seek their first faculty appointments. Understanding best instructional practices and experiencing mentored teaching prior to graduation will greatly enhance the ability of new assistant professors to prepare for their first teaching assignments.

The certificate track is open to all PhD students (in or beyond) their second year of doctoral work or Post-doctoral Fellows who are considering academic careers that will include teaching.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis so you can apply any time!  You will typically recieve notification of your enrollment in the program within 1-week of submitting your application.  If you have any questions, please email teachingacademy@jhu.edu.

Yes. Each student should consult with his/her faculty research advisor to secure their agreement to the student’s participation in the Teaching Academy's Certificate of Completion program. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) form available on this site will help students shape their request to their research advisors: Research Advisory MOU Form (Required for Application).

There is no cost to students to participate in any of the activities associated with the Teaching Academy's Certificate of Completion program. However, unless a student is assigned full instructional responsibility for the Phase III teaching experience (as the instructor of record) or participates as a TAR@Hopkins Fellow, there is no compensation for the time committed to these activities.

Students who teach full courses through Dean's Teaching Fellowships, Summer Session, Intersession, or other programs do receive teaching stipends through the normal route and these activities do fulfill the Phase III activity requirement.

The Teaching Academy's Certificate of Completion program is not a credit program; it is a professional development opportunity. All three phases are designed to be concluded within a one-year time frame. However, given students busy schedules and research priorities the time to completion may extend beyond a single year.

As part of this program, each participant should identify a faculty member who is willing to function as a teaching mentor in the execution of the teaching assignment during Phase III. This identification is not required at the application stage, but the teaching mentor must be identified by the time Phase III begins. Click here to download the Mentor – Mentee agreement form.

Students who need assistance identifying a faculty teaching mentor should contact the Program Manager, teachingacademy@jhu.edu

An event to celebrate the accomplishments of the Teaching Academy's Certificate of Completion program participants will be held to highlight students’ professional growth and teaching experiences and accomplishments. Outstanding work in the Certificate of Completion program will be recognized and awards will be made to students. Participants receive a letter and certificate of completion.