Do you want to become inclusive, evidence-based educators within your classrooms, communities, and research spaces – and become even stronger candidates for faculty careers and other academic roles?
The Graduate/Professional Certificate in Higher Education Teaching and Learning from the Delta Program in the Graduate School will equip you with the pedagogical tools to become more effective and inclusive educators in the college classroom, in undergraduate research mentoring, in the community, and beyond.
How do I get started?
Add the certificate in your Graduate Student Portal (MyGradPortal), and enroll in any of the certificate courses below.
Courses Available
The following Delta courses are currently enrolling and count toward certificate core or elective requirements.
Core Courses
Designing Courses
Explore basic concepts and frameworks in teaching and learning, and apply to developing a course syllabus, learning activities, and an assessment plan. This course is designed for graduate students in History, and students in other disciplines should contact the instructor for permission to enroll. Meets Wednesdays 3:30-5:25pm.
College Science Teaching
Covers the fundamentals of learning theory and practical strategies for teaching science courses, while also developing community around this shared experience. The cohort will work together to learn the core themes of scientific teaching (active learning, assessment, and diversity) in theory so that they can make informed decisions about their teaching in the future. Two sections available in Spring 2026.
Capstone Seminar in Teaching and Learning
Synthesize and leverage your previous teaching professional development and experiences to prepare for the academic job market. Reflect on what you have learned, practice articulating your teaching and/or mentoring approaches in written and verbal contexts, and build community with peers. This hybrid course is mostly asynchronous online, with two online synchronous class meetings scheduled on Thursdays 11-11:55am.
Expeditions in Evidence-Based Teaching and Learning
Use experiential learning to explore evidence-based and inclusive teaching approaches within different higher education learning contexts. Learn effective approaches to course design and instruction through foundational concepts and observed practice. Wednesdays 1:20-3:15pm, starting January 21.
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Elective Courses
Informal Science Education
Develop your skills in communicating science to a broad array of audiences. Learn how to design and evaluate informal education experiences that make complex ideas accessible and meaningful beyond academic settings. Tuesdays 1-2:30pm, starting January 20
Scientific Teaching for TAs
The goal of this course is to arm Teaching Assistants with survival skills in scientific teaching through theory, practice, and learning community. We will work together to learn the core themes of scientific teaching (active learning, assessment, and diversity) and apply them, in real time, to the courses in which the TAs are concurrently teaching. This course is open to graduate students only. Meets Wednesdays 2:30-3:45pm.
Research Mentor Learning Communities, Spring 2026
Delta’s Research Mentor Learning Communities are for graduate students and postdocs who are mentoring and for whom mentoring may be an important part of their future career. Several sections available, online or in-person.
Quantitative Inquiry in Chemistry Education Research
Have you read education research, and you'd like to better understand the quantitative methods that are used to answer questions about student learning? This course offers an introduction to quantitative chemistry education research and the theories that underpin it as we explore the evidence put forward for a particular claim. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8:50-9:40am.
Using Writing to Teach in Any Discipline
Research has shown that when students write more in a course, they learn course content more effectively and engage more deeply with the material. Learn how to use writing to promote students’ active learning and create a more inclusive learning experience in any disciplinary or course context. Mondays 4-5:30pm, starting January 26.
Improv to Improve Science Communication and Teaching
Use the principles of improv theater to improve your communication in multiple contexts and audiences, including talking with colleagues, presenting your research, and teaching in the classroom. Wednesdays 1-3pm, starting January 21.
Active Learning Laboratory
Join us to explore how to effectively use active learning in a variety of teaching and learning contexts. This course will take a "learning by doing" approach, with opportunities to examine, experience, and try out various active learning instructional methods in the college classroom. Mondays 1:20-3:15pm, starting January 26.
- More Certificate Elective Course posts