The non-credit Summer Institute is a professional development opportunity for those pursuing an academic career who seek to deepen their knowledge and prepare to teach in higher education. The 2026 Institute runs from June 8 to July 31, 2026 and is offered asynchronously online. Registration is $1,775. UMN graduate students enrolled in GRAD 8444 should complete the interest form by April 15, 2026 to determine eligibility for the registration cost to be covered.
Who is the Summer Institute for?
Because the curriculum is applicable to all higher education institutions, a wide range of learners are welcome to enroll in the summer institute both from the University of Minnesota and beyond:
- Graduate students from colleges and universities other than the University of Minnesota
- UMN graduate students enrolled in GRAD 8444 who have not yet taken the Preparing Future Faculty courses GRAD 8101 or GRAD 8200
- Postdoctoral researchers in any discipline who are interested in pursuing a career that includes teaching
- Early career academics who have had little formal preparation to teach
The flexible nature of asynchronous learning makes the Summer Institute a good fit for those who want to learn from anywhere and have the time to do so in June and July.
Course Description
The transition from student to instructor requires a new set of tools. Join a cohort of advanced graduate students, postdocs, and early career higher education professionals for a focused summer intensive institute designed to expand your skills as a learning-centered instructor in higher education.
Through curated readings and collegial discussion, you’ll acquire the ability to:
- Craft and implement engaging instructional activities
- Design assessments that align with learning outcomes
- Structure courses that are both inclusive and rigorous
This flexible and non-credit institute is designed to fit into your busy summer through an asynchronous and engaging format. Learners should expect to spend approximately five hours per week engaged in the Institute, including reading, participating in discussion and completing assignments.
Course Objectives
As a result of participating in this institute, participants will be able to:
- Align principles of how students learn with instructional decisions
- Apply active learning theory and practice to their disciplinary contexts
- Design formative and summative assessments that measure both student learning and teaching effectiveness
- Evaluate the implications of Generative AI (GenAI) in course policies and assessment design decisions.
- Structure course interactions and learning activities to foster student belonging
- Construct a professional teaching portfolio incorporating a teaching philosophy and a syllabus centered on principles of course design.
Sample Syllabus
Sample syllabus for PFF X8000 Preparing Future Faculty: Teaching for Learning Summer Institute.
Why the University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota’s Preparing Future Faculty (PFF) program stands as a robust and highly effective framework for transforming doctoral students and postdocs into versatile, high-impact instructors. Modeled after a vision developed nationally in the early 1990s, Minnesota’s PFF program prepares students for the realities of faculty work through a focus on teaching and faculty roles in different institutional contexts. For more on our program, see “Preparing Future Faculty: Pedagogical Practice in Graduate School” in the Fall 2020 edition of New Directions for Teaching and Learning and watch this video to hear students talk about the difference Preparing Future Faculty makes.
Questions?
Contact liz thomson and Jessie Dockter Tierney with any questions.