Start Earlier: Advice from Certificate in College Teaching Graduates

One of my favorite parts of directing the Certificate in College Teaching (CCT) is hearing from students after they finish the program. Sometimes it's a note after graduation. Sometimes it's feedback in a survey or a conversation years later. Over time, certain themes appear again and again.

Recently, I reviewed comments from CCT participants spanning more than a decade. I expected many of them to focus on the academic job market, and some certainly did. But what stood out most was something else: graduates consistently described the CCT as a place where they learned to become educators.

Learning to Become Educators

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For Michael Lee, who completed a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering and materials science and is now a research aerospace engineer with NASA Langley Research Center, the value of the program extended well beyond earning a credential.

"This program was a very valuable addition to my doctoral education at Duke. It motivated me to develop material which makes me more competitive as I pursue faculty positions; the guidance and expertise that I had access to along the way was extremely helpful. The teaching triangles experience was also very much worthwhile."

The emphasis on Teaching Triangles appeared frequently in graduate feedback. Students repeatedly described the experience of observing peers, being observed themselves, and discussing teaching with colleagues as one of the most valuable components of the program.

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For Hannah Brown, who completed her Ph.D. in molecular genetics and microbiology and is now a postdoctoral fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, the CCT filled a gap that many students in laboratory-based disciplines experience.

"The CCT program has been extremely useful for me over the years. As a biomedical Ph.D. student, I don't have as much access to teaching as the other graduate programs and so participating in these classes, especially the teaching triangles program, was immensely helpful."

Start Earlier

As I read through years of graduate feedback, one piece of advice appeared more consistently than any other: start earlier.

The CCT is intentionally self-paced. Many students begin with GS 750, Fundamentals of College Teaching, then participate in additional coursework, teaching experiences, observations, and portfolio development as their interests and schedules evolve. Looking back, many graduates wished they had joined sooner.

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Dana Hogan, who completed a Ph.D. in art, art history, and visual studies and joined Middlebury College as an assistant professor of art and architecture, put it simply:

"I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in CCT—it's been such a positive experience for me and I recommend it to every incoming graduate student I meet."

The job-market benefits are real, but graduates often describe them as the result of years spent developing their teaching practice rather than as the primary reason for joining.

Today, the CCT includes almost 500 participants across all academic divisions of The Graduate School, and about 1000 graduate students have completed the certificate since its inception. Annual program evaluations consistently show that participants value the program both for their development as instructors and for the teaching materials they create along the way.

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Perhaps the most succinct summary came from Paul McKee, who completed his Ph.D. in psychology and neuroscience this year and will be continuing at Duke for his MBA:

"CCT was seriously one of the best parts of my time at Duke. You guys put together an awesome program."

If you are interested in teaching, curious about teaching, or simply want to become more intentional about how you support learning, my advice is the same advice I hear from graduates year after year: start early. Join the program, become part of the conversation, and give yourself time to develop as an educator alongside your development as a researcher.

Author

Hugh Crumley, Ph.D. 

Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs

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Hugh Crumley is Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs and Director of College Teaching Programs in Duke University’s Graduate School. He founded and directs the Certificate in College Teaching and leads the Preparing Future Faculty program. Hugh is a recently minted Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA) and works with doctoral students and postdocs across disciplines to develop reflective, evidence-based approaches to teaching in higher education.