The Harriet W. Sheridan Center for Teaching and Learning

Certificates

The Sheridan Center offers intensive certificate programs in which participants develop and reflect on their teaching practice in order to support diverse learners. These cross-disciplinary programs provide participants with the opportunity to interact extensively with peers and colleagues across the disciplines and regularly give and receive peer feedback. 

Sheridan certificate programs are open to Brown graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, faculty and staff. Enrollment for all programs is limited and registration is required. Completion of The Sheridan Teaching Seminar (Certificate I) is a prerequisite for all other certificate programs.

In the Sheridan Teaching Seminar (formerly called Certificate I), participants engage in an interdisciplinary community of teachers at Brown with the goal of improving their skills as instructors and their students’ learning.
During this semester-long seminar, participants are guided through an integrated course design process to develop a syllabus and signature assignments for two courses. As participants move through the five modules of the seminar, they engage with colleagues from a variety of disciplines workshopping their course plans with one another.
The TC Program is a semester-long learning community for graduate students and postdocs where participants deepen their knowledge of evidence-based inclusive teaching practices and develop skills in workshop facilitation, online teaching, and providing feedback.

Why Earn a Sheridan Certificate?

Spending time developing and reflecting on your teaching practice makes you more confident and competent as a teacher and effectively prepares you for an academic career.

For graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, a Sheridan Certificate demonstrates a tangible commitment to teaching. This can be of great benefit in today's increasingly competitive academic job market, where colleges and universities routinely ask applicants to provide evidence of teaching effectiveness.

For faculty, a Sheridan Certificate provides an opportunity for ongoing professional development which empowers instructors to better meet the needs of their learners.

Sheridan Certificate Programs

 

David Blanding and Kristen Webster reflect on the value of participating in the Sheridan Center's teaching certificate programs.

Frequently Asked Questions