The Center for Faculty Excellence and the Division for Continuing and Extended Education Partner to Develop the Higher Education Teaching Academy Certificate at Cleveland State University.

The Higher Education Teaching Academy Certificate at Cleveland State University is committed to excellence in higher education teaching—providing both theoretical and practical tools that professionals need to design and teach compelling and challenging higher education courses that engage learners.

“CSU’s Teaching Academy is designed to help junior faculty and teaching assistants to refine their pedagogical strategies and increase their instructional effectiveness. Our motto is, ‘Discover yourself through the passion to teach,’” explains Dr. Marius Boboc, a founding Teaching Academy faculty member.

In their mission to contribute to advancing professional teaching standards, the Center for Faculty Excellence and the Division of Continuing and Extended Education created a Teaching Academy Certificate program, which launches in January of 2023.

“When we started looking into this as a program in 2018, I was just winding up my own Ph.D. experience,” said Nancy M. Pratt, Ph.D., executive director of the Division of Continuing and Extended Education.

“I did not receive training in classroom teaching as a part of my Ph.D., but wished I had. I knew that I couldn’t be the only recent doctoral grad missing out on classroom training. That got me to thinking a certificate program in higher education teaching like ours, would be something of value—something I would want to take,” she added.

Dr. Pratt, working with CSU colleagues Marius Boboc, Ed.D. (Vice-Provost of Academic Planning), Joanne Goodell, Ph.D. (Director, Center for Faculty Excellence), Wendy Green, Ph.D., and Catherine Hansman, Ed.D. (both faculty members in adult learning), developed the higher education teaching academy certificate. Additional faculty were also assembled to build-out content.

Teaching Academy Certificate FAQ

The program consists of four core modules and two elective modules. Each core module takes one week to complete and consists of 10-contact hours of instruction—including faculty-led, 90-minute group discussion of material after each module.

To receive a CSU certificate in higher education teaching, participants must complete work for all core modules, attend the four faculty-led discussion sessions, complete two elective modules, and then submit a learning portfolio at the conclusion of the program, which completes in six weeks.

The student portfolio is a collection of work associated with standards participants learn throughout the six weeks. This collection of work reflects what has been taught and what the student has learned. Each piece in the portfolio is selected because it is an authentic representation of the student learning experience and demonstrates knowledge and skills.

Forging Future Faculty

Dr. Pratt said that the certificate is not limited to Ph.D. students by any means; early career faculty and researchers, faculty who want to refresh their classroom practices, current graduate students who want to teach in higher education and career transitioning adults looking for a new career pathway would all benefit from the certificate.

A separate advanced higher education teaching certificate and an option for experiential learning in the classroom, is planned for the second phase of the teaching academy certificates to launch next year.

How to Apply

Individuals will be asked to submit a copy of their CV/resume during the registration process. Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree and at least five years of work experience in areas of teaching interest as prerequisites. Ideal candidates will have a graduate degree or are enrolled graduate students—at CSU or another university. For more information and registration,

Registration for The Teaching Academy Certificate program at CSU opened on August 12, 2022. Early bird discount registration runs through November 15, 2022. Registration closes on December 26, 2022.