Teacher Scholar Certificate
The mission of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is to
advance human knowledge through teaching, research, and public engagement.
All teachers—faculty, academic professionals, and teaching assistants—serve
a vital role in realizing this mission.
The Teacher Scholar Certificate is a program of the Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) and is supported by campus academic units and the Graduate College. It is designed to encourage instructors to become scholars of teaching by providing a structured process for the exploration of pedagogy from a discipline-based perspective. It also helps TAs develop a deeper understanding of the scholarly duties required in an academic position.
When you decide to work on the Teacher Scholar Certificate, contact CTE to be matched with a Specialist in Education who will be your consultant for the process. There is no time limit for completion of the requirements.
Certificate Prerequisites
For TAs: Complete the Graduate Teacher Certificate. For Other Instructors: Complete the teaching, observation, student feedback, and workshop requirements described in the Teacher Scholar Certificate Application.
Certificate Requirements
- Teach at least three semesters at the University of Illinois.
- Submit an example of your original work that has been assessed by students or peers.
- Explore discipline-based pedagogy through readings, a course, or a seminar series and reflect on what you learned.
- Perform and reflect on discipline-based service.
- Write a teaching philosophy statement.
Document formal teaching for a minimum of three semesters at the University of Illinois. Formal teaching is defined as having regularly scheduled teaching duties with students in a classroom, studio, lab, or online. You must achieve a minimum of 4.0 on ICES item #1 in at least one class.
2. Original Work and Its Assessment
Submit an example of your original work (lesson, activity, major assignment, project, or lab) that has been assessed by your students or peers. Write a reflective essay about this work and its assessment.
3. Exploration of Pedagogy
Complete one of the following:
- Write a review of pedagogical literature in your discipline that is based on 5 to 6 articles, or
- Take a college teaching course, or
- Participate in a regularly scheduled reading group or seminar series on teaching.
4. Discipline-Based Service
Engage in a minimum of five hours of service. Options include teaching other instructors, performing committee work on campus or in a professional society, and engaging in discipline-based community or professional service. Write a reflective essay on what you learned from this experience.
5. Teaching Philosophy Statement
Write or revise your teaching philosophy statement. It should be based on your teaching experiences in the discipline and connect to what you learned from participating in CTE’s Certificate Program.
Certificate Application
To begin the Teacher Scholar Certificate, or to learn more about it, please contact us.
Center for Teaching Excellence
249 Armory Building, MC-528
(217) 333-3370
To receive announcements, register for CTE’s email list.
All certificate requirements must be documented in the Teacher Scholar Certificate Application in consultation with your CTE consultant and/or a faculty member. The application contains more details for completing the certificate.
The completed application must be submitted to CTE for review by your consultant. The submission deadline is April 15.
CTE Celebration of College Teaching
Through CTE’s certificate program, participants develop teaching skills,
reflect on teaching and learning, and are motivated to strive for excellence
in teaching. To celebrate these achievements, CTE hosts an annual event
in the spring to recognize individuals who successfully complete the
Teacher Scholar Certificate and other CTE certificates.