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.
The Harriet W. Sheridan Center for Teaching and Learning
Certificates
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, signature assignments, and teaching strategies for a semester-long course. 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.
The CIRTL Network is a consortium of research universities dedicated to advancing inclusive education by preparing future faculty and promoting the use of evidence-based teaching practices.
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.
https://player.vimeo.com/video/113605222
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
We suggest that graduate students enroll in the Sheridan Teaching Seminar (Certificate I) in their second year.
You must complete the Sheridan Teaching Seminar (Certificate I) before enrolling in any other programs.
You may take any other Certificate programs in any order after completing the Sheridan Teaching Seminar.
We suggest that you participate in no more than one or two programs in any given year.
No. All programs are designed to be completed within either a semester or one academic year.
In addition to the individual sessions, the programs each have assignments and other requirements. Please see the relevant web pages for each program.
No. Sheridan programs are intended to complement departmental initiatives.
A Sheridan Teaching Certificate does not represent any kind of certification; it is not a teaching license or credential for K-12 instruction from the State of Rhode Island. Completion of a Sheridan Teaching Certificate documents professional development as college-level instructors.
Yes.