|
Overview
Admissions
Application
Support
Teaching Minor
FAQ
Past Graduates
GSO
The PhD Dollar
Grad Guide
Graduate Courses
Departmental Retreat
Update form
MCDB Program
Overview
Timeline
Mentors
Requirements
- Courses
- Syllabus
- Graduate Ethics
- Rotations
- Teaching
- TA Policy
- Exams
- Comp FAQ
EE Program
Overview
Mentors
Requirements
- Courses
- Graduate Ethics
- Teaching
- Exams
- Comp FAQ
- OTS
- OTS Courses
MD/PhD Program
Overview
Awards
Crawford
McManus
Pisum
|
|
The Department of Biological Sciences Teaching Minor Program was established to provide graduate students with the option for a more complete teaching experience, exposure to diverse methodologies and teaching philosophies, and to prepare them for various academic employment opportunities. Students typically join the Teaching Minor Program in their second to third year of graduate school (see suggested Timeline below). The Teaching Minor courses and experiences provide the opportunity to develop both a strong foundation in teaching and the teaching statement/portfolio required when applying for most academic positions.
Enrollment
Students wishing to enroll in the Teaching Minor Program can do so by submitting a petition to the Director of Graduate Studies. Petition for entry into the Teaching Minor Program can be made at any time. However, before enrolling in the Teaching Minor students are strongly encouraged to have successfully completed their Comprehensive Exam, yet anticipate the time to completing their degree to be more than two years. The following items should be included in the Petition:
- A letter from your Faculty Advisor giving his/her approval for the student's participation in the Teaching Minor Program
- The names of 2 Faculty members in the Department of Biological Sciences (professors, instructors, or research assistant professors) who have agreed to act as Teaching Mentors for the student in the Teaching Minor Program. At least one of these Teaching Mentors should be a regular participant in the Teaching Club (described below).
Requirements
The requirements for the Minor are as follows:
- Two or more semesters of Teaching (as a Teaching Assistant in a University course or in SEPA) with satisfactory performance
- Registration, participation and regular attendance in the Department of Biological Science's Teaching Club (BioSci 2972) for at least 4 semesters. The Teaching Club currently meets monthly during the academic year.
- Coordination of and presentation at a minimum of one meeting of the Departmental Teaching Club
- Enrollment for 3 credits and receipt of a "B" or better in the University Teaching Practicum Course, FacDev2200.
- Maintenance of a Teaching Dossier that will include a Teaching Philosophy statement, samples of teaching materials, student and Faculty comments (both solicited and unsolicited), and documentation, including an annual written assessment of the Teaching Dossier the student's Teaching Mentors, to indicate that each of the requirements for the Teaching Minor have been satisfied. Maintenance of the Teaching Dossier is the responsibility of the student. Students should submit their Teaching Dossier to their Teaching Mentors by the first Monday in May each year. Teaching Mentors will provide their written evaluation of the Teaching Dossier to the student and GPOC by the first Monday in June.
- Completion of 10 course credits, which will be derived from enrollment in FacDev2200 (3 credits), and credits awarded for participation in the Teaching Club and completion of the Teaching Dossier (7 credits total)
Continuation in the Teaching Minor Program
Students enrolled in the Program must remain in good academic standing, and continuation in the Minor Program requires annual approval from GPOC. The Teaching Mentors will serve as liaisons between the student and GPOC to ensure that the requirements for the minor are being met, and will be required to attend at least one class instructed by the student and to compose an in-depth analysis of their teaching skills that will be included in the Teaching Dossier. The student's Teaching Mentors will annually review the student's teaching dossier and performance in meeting the requirements of the Minor Program. The Teaching Mentors will submit a written report providing an annual assessment to the student and GPOC.
Completion of the Teaching Minor Requirements
Upon completion of the requirements listed above, the student must submit the Dossier to GPOC at or before the time that the dissertation or thesis is submitted to the student's Thesis Committee. GPOC will review the Dossier and if all requirements have been met will nominate the student to the Chair of the Department for award of the Teaching Minor.
Receipt of the Teaching Minor can occur only upon completion of a M.S. or Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh, and implementation of this Program does not change any existing Departmental requirements for the granting of graduate degrees.
Suggested Timeline for Teaching Minor
- Petitioning for enrollment: typically at the end of spring term of the second year or the end of the fall term of the third year, after completion of the Comprehensive Exam.
- Selection of Teaching Mentors: before the time of petitioning for enrollment.
- Enrollment in Teaching Club (BioSci 2972): typically the first fall or spring semester after acceptance into the Teaching Minor Program and the three following academic year (fall and spring) semesters.
-
- Presentation at the Teaching Club: any time during the four semesters of BioSci 2972.
- Enrollment in the University Teaching Practicum Course, FacDev2200: typically in the fall or spring term when the student first teaches; it is strongly suggested that the student enroll in FacDev 2200 as soon as possible and during a semester when the student is teaching.
- Two terms as a Teaching Assistant: for the first term, preferably when the student is enrolled in FacDev 2200; for the second term, any term after enrollment in FacDev 2200.
- Yearly submission of the Teaching Dossier to the Teaching Mentors: first Monday of May of each year after acceptance into the Teaching Minor Program.
- Submission of the Teaching Dossier to GPOC: typically during the semester of thesis defense, before the thesis is submitted to the student's Thesis Committee.
- Completion of the Teaching Minor: upon graduation.
|
