College Teaching, Graduate Certificate
This is the first version of the 2026–27 General Catalog. Please check back regularly for changes. The final edition and the historical PDF will be published during the fall semester.
The graduate Certificate in College Teaching requires a minimum of 12 s.h. of graduate credit. The certificate offers subprograms in biological/life sciences, fine arts and humanities, nursing education, physical and mathematical sciences, and social sciences. Previous teaching experience does not count toward certificate requirements.
The sciences and humanities certificate subprograms are available to all University of Iowa doctoral and master's degree-seeking students and to non-degree seeking students. The Nursing Education subprogram is only available to Nursing PhD and DNP students.
Students apply to the certificate program on the Office of Graduate Teaching Excellence (OGTE) website.
Sciences and Humanities Subprograms
The Certificate in College Teaching with subprograms in biological/life sciences, fine arts and humanities, physical and mathematical sciences, and social sciences requires the following coursework. Courses selected from the following categories can be completed in any order at any time.
Category 1
Category 1 coursework provides an overview of basic instructional issues and methods in college teaching. The work requires students to engage in discipline-specific thinking as they consider their own teaching situations.
Students choose two courses (minimum of 6 s.h. required) from the following.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| At least one of these: | ||
| EPID:7200 | Teaching in Epidemiology | 3 |
| GRAD:6217/PSQF:6217 | Seminar in College Teaching | 3 |
| GRAD:7385/CSED:7385/EDTL:7385/EPLS:7385/PSQF:7385 | Teaching and Learning in Higher Education | 3 |
| PSQF:6205 | Design of Instruction | 3 |
| PSQF:6417 | Introduction to Postsecondary STEM Teaching (taken once for 3 s.h.) | 3 |
| RHET:5352 | Seminar: Topics in Teaching and Professional Development | 3 |
| SOC:7010 | Teaching Sociology | 3 |
| May take one of these: | ||
| JMC:5600 | Teaching Media Writing, Production, and Design (must complete the series of three, 5-week, 1 s.h. sections) | 3 |
| MUS:6215 | Music Theory Pedagogy (music students only) | 3 |
| PSQF:6203 | Tools and External Representations in Individual and Social Learning | 3 |
| PSQF:6211 | Universal Design and Accessibility for Online Instruction | 3 |
| PSQF:6214 | Design of Learning Environments: Theory, Practice, and Method | 3 |
| PSQF:6215 | Online Instruction: Design and Facilitation | 3 |
| PSQF:6216 | Tools and Utilities for Online Teaching | 3 |
| RHET:7940 | Public Speaking for Academics | 3 |
Category 2
Category 2 requires students to complete two practicum courses under the guidance of two different professors. Prior or current experience as a teaching assistant does not count toward this requirement.
Students enroll in one of the following courses twice or two courses from the following list, with each enrollment supervised by a different faculty member. Students earn a total of 3 s.h. for the two enrollments. They can enroll in two practicums with two different professors in the same semester or they can complete practicum experiences in separate semesters.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CLAS:5100/RHET:5100 | Practicum: College Teaching and Professional Development for Teaching Assistants | arr. |
| CSED:7380 | Internship in Teaching (counseling students only) | 1-3 |
| CSED:7470 | Counselor Education and Supervision Doctoral Integrated Professional Internships (counseling students only) | 3 |
| EDTL:7380 | Practicum in College Teaching | 1-3 |
| EPLS:7380 | Practicum in College Teaching | 1-3 |
| GRAD:7400 | Practicum in College Teaching (faculty member must be outside the College of Education) | 1-3 |
| PSQF:7380 | Practicum in College Teaching | 1-3 |
Category 3
For Category 3, students develop a full portfolio that demonstrates their skills and competencies in teaching, research, and service. The portfolio requires sample syllabi, a statement of teaching philosophy, samples of assignments and student work, and reflective essays on critical issues in teaching in higher education. The portfolio artifacts are reviewed and evaluated by the course instructor.
Category 3 requires the following course.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| EALL:7475 | ePortfolio in College Teaching | 3 |
Nursing Education Subprogram
The College of Nursing seeks to provide PhD and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) students with specialized academic and practical training to prepare them for careers as nurse educators. Students must maintain a Graduate College major program grade-point average of at least 2.75 in order to earn the certificate.
The program of study for this certificate is designed to be completed concurrently with coursework for the PhD in Nursing or the DNP by the expected time of degree completion. Students complete 9 s.h. of required academic, pedagogical, and practicum coursework and a 3 s.h. elective course.
The Certificate in College Teaching with a nursing education subprogram requires the following coursework.
Core Requirements
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| All of these: | ||
| NURS:6045 | Fundamental Principles of Nursing Education for Academic and Practice Settings | 3 |
| NURS:6046 | Advanced Principles of Nursing Education for Academic and Practice Settings | 3 |
| NURS:6047 | Nursing Education Practicum (taken twice for a minimum of 3 s.h.) | 1-3 |
Elective Course
Students may complete PSQF:6205 Design of Instruction (3 s.h.) or apply 3 s.h. of graduate credit from the Nursing Education Xchange (NEXus) program with program approval.
Graduate education prepares students with advanced knowledge and skills in specialized fields. At the University of Iowa, the Graduate College advocates for student-centered graduate education and supports equitable application of rules and policies across graduate programs.
Academics
University of Iowa graduate credentials are regulated by policies and requirements found in the Graduate College Manual of Rules and Regulations. This includes minimum grade-point average (GPA) requirements for academic standing and degree conferral. The Graduate College sets the minimum requirement. Individual graduate programs may establish higher GPA requirements.
Admissions
Graduate student applicants must meet admission requirements for both the Graduate College and the program to which they have applied. University of Iowa graduate admission requirements are published by the Graduate College and on the Graduate Admissions website.
Financial Support
Graduate students might be eligible for financial support. Several contingencies apply, including degree program and award type, satisfactory progress toward degree, satisfactory completion of all duties related to an appointment, and availability of funding. Graduate students should inquire directly with their program for more information about funding availability. The Graduate Student Employment Standards govern the employment relationship between the University of Iowa and all graduate teaching and research assistants in all matters except wages, which are covered by an existing collective bargaining agreement or the conditions of an applicable federal grant.