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Preparing future faculty
& CIRTL

Professional Development for Graduate Students & Postdocs

Preparing Future Faculty

Open to graduate students and postdoctoral scholars from all departments at the University of Florida, the Preparing Future Faculty (PFF) program helps participants explore academic career paths across a wide range of institutional contexts. Offered in person in the Fall and online in the Spring, the program provides structured opportunities to learn about faculty life at different types of institutions, develop evidence-based teaching skills, and expand a supportive mentoring network. Starting Fall 2026, upon successful completion of the course participants earn a CIRTL Associate Certificate from the CIRTL Network, issued through the UF Center for Teaching Excellence. Additionally, beginning Fall 2026, by completing an additional module after earning the CIRTL Associate Certificate, participants earn a Preparing Future Faculty Microcredential (Knowledge Level) from the UF Center for Teaching Excellence.  

Expected Time Commitment 

PFF is a semester-long program that meets weekly for 13 weeks. Participants should expect to commit approximately 40–50 hours over the course of the semester to successfully complete the program.  Selection for the program is competitive, and submission of an application does not guarantee selection. Selected applicants are required to obtain advisor approval prior to participation. Participants are expected to attend each meeting. Participants who have missed more than three sessions are ineligible to receive the certificate at the end of the program. 

Registration 

Visit the Graduate School website to learn more and register for this activity 

CIRTL

Through the Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning (CIRTL) network. The CIRTL network was founded in 2003 to help develop faculty committed to implementing and advancing evidence-based teaching practices that benefit all learners. Program participants may earn three levels of CIRTL certification: Associate, Practitioner, and Scholar. 

Certificates

Overview

Through the Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (CIRTL) Associate Certificate, graduate students will have a strong foundation in evidence-based teaching and learning practices, be able to describe these practices, and recognize their value for improving undergraduate learning.

  1. Preparing Future Faculty 

Overview

The goal of the CIRTL Practitioner Certificate is to receive advanced pedagogical instruction and complete a teaching-as-research project. As part of a cohort you will develop and execute a teaching-as-research project that contributes novel insights to one of the following areas: Evidence-Based Teaching, Learning Communities, Learning-through-Diversity.

Prerequisites

1 out of the 3 prerequisites are required.

  1. Preparing Future Faculty 
  2. CIRTL Associate Certificate
    • Complete the requirements for the CIRTL Associate Certificate.

3. Teaching Excellence Academy Badge

Requirements

Choose 1 out of the 2 following activities:

  1. Apply for the CIRTL Practitioner cohort, see RiTL FLC.
  2. Register for the Teaching as Research self-paced course.

To complete the CIRTL Scholar certificate, you must publish or present your CIRTL Practitioner project in a regional, national, or international journal or conference. The Center for Teaching Excellence at UF offers opportunities to share your findings in a session or as a poster at its annual Interface Teaching Conference.

To stay up-to-date on CIRTL news, subscribe to the CIRTL newsletter.

    To stay up-to-date on CTE news, subscribe to the CTE listserv.