Graduate Teaching Certification
The Graduate Teaching Certification (GTC) is a year-long professional development program designed to help graduate and professional students build a strong foundation in the core skills and knowledge needed for effective teaching in higher education. Students will engage in thoughtful exploration of effective teaching strategies and gain practical insight into promising practices by completing a graduate seminar on college teaching, attending cohort sessions, completing a teaching observation or demonstration experience, and crafting a teaching philosophy statement. The GTC is a collaborative effort between the Graduate College, Office of the Executive Vice Provost and Provost, UNLV Office of Online Education, GPSA, and a number of departments that offer teaching support.
This is a medallion-qualifying program for UNLV graduate & professional students. For additional information, please see the Graduate College Medallion Program website.
To be eligible to participate in this program, graduate students must:
- be currently enrolled and in good academic standing in their graduate or professional degree program.
- be interested in developing and enhancing skills to teach in post-secondary settings.
- have completed or plan to enroll in EDH 780 or an approved alternative teaching seminar during the current academic year.
Thank you for your interest in joining the Graduate Teaching Certification. We've had a strong response to this year's program and are now at full capacity for the 2025-26 cohort.
We would like to offer you a spot on our wait list and will contact you if a space becomes available. If you would like to be added, please provide your details below.
To successfully complete the Graduate Teaching Certification (GTC) program, students must fulfill all program requirements. Upon completion, participants will receive a certificate and the GTC achievement will be recorded on their official UNLV transcript.
All program components and submissions will be managed through the Graduate Teaching Certification WebCampus course. Participants will be enrolled in the course following their acceptance into the program.
Program Requirements:
- Attend 3 cohort meetings with curated learning opportunities.
- Register and complete EDH 780: Seminar: Teaching in Higher Education (or an equivalent, approved class: normal tuition and fees apply) for spring 2026.
- Complete a Teaching in Practice Activity, selecting one of the following and completing all components:
- Chalk Talk Practice Presentation (Fall)
- Teaching Observation (Spring)
- Draft and submit your teaching philosophy statement for faculty review.
- Complete all program surveys.
Attendance at cohort meetings is expected unless an exception is approved in advance.
2025-2026 Cohort Meeting Schedule
- Teaching Cohort Meeting 1: Monday, September 22, 2025, 3:30-5:00 p.m.
- Teaching Cohort Meeting 2: Monday, November 17, 2025, 4:00-5:00 p.m.
- Teaching Cohort Meeting 3: Monday, April 13, 2026, 4:00-5:00 p.m.
The below workshops will help fulfill the requirements for the Graduate Teaching Certification. To receive credit for a workshop, click on the workshop recording you would like to watch, write a 1-page summary (single or double-spaced), and submit the summary via WebCampus.
- The Importance of Gender Pronouns
- Paths after Graduation for F-1 and J-1 International Students
- Finding Grant Funding
- Gen AI: Getting Started, Benefits, Ethics, and Pitfalls
- Grounded Grad Rebel Series: Finding Your Work-Life Fit
- Grounded Grad Rebel Series: Cultivating Mindfulness
- Hack Your Syllabus: Planning & Time Management for Teachers
- Academic Job Search Demystified Series: Negotiating your Job Offer
- The Importance of Gender Pronouns
- Academic Job Search Demystified Series: Preparing for a Multiple Day Interview
- Academic Job Search Demystified Series: Etiquette, Communicative Competence, and Professionalism
- Resume vs. CV Workshop
- Academic Job Search Demystified Series: Preparing your Application Materials
- Assignments & Discussions: Using Multiple Methods to Provide Meaningful Feedback
- Academic Job Search Demystified Series: Preparing your Job Talk
- Academic Job Search Demystified Series: Preparing a Teaching Demonstration
- Course Organization: Creating an Inclusive and Interactive Online Course Syllabus
- Building Mentorship Skills for Academic Careers
- Professionalism 101
- Pedagogy & Building Courses Online
- Managing Conflicts or Concerns in Mentor-Mentee Relationships
- Time Management: Strategies for Success
- Difficult Conversations & Conflict Resolution
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae: How to Create Them and When to Use Them
- Inclusive Teaching Practices
- Academic Interviewing Strategies
- Facilitating Inclusive Online Discussions
- Public Speaking 101
- Tips & Tricks from Graduate Teaching Assistants
- Online Teaching Strategies
- Using Active Learning in Your Class & Assessing Student Learning
- Teaching Logistics: Planning and Managing a Class
- How to Run a Great Meeting
- Ethics & Professionalism
- Planning Lessons for Student Engagement & Retention
- Leadership During Crises
- Giving Great Virtual Presentations
- Service Learning
- Creating Short Lecture Videos
- Launching the Leader in You
- Mentoring Resource Panel
- UNLV Graduate College YouTube Channel
- UNLV Teaching & Learning Commons
- UNLV Directory of Faculty Development Resources
- Chronicle of Higher Education Teaching
- Pedagogy Unbound (A place for college teachers to share practical strategies for today's classrooms)
- Syllabi Content
- Writing Your Teaching Philosophy