Skip to main content.

Preparing Future Faculty


Preparing Future Faculty (PFF), a program in its infancy stages at USC, is designed to help graduate students who want to teach at the college level in their professional development. PFF certification, currently in place at several institutions, including Duke University, Howard University, Northwestern University and the University of Washington, have laid the groundwork for the initiative here at USC. Requirements for PFF certification are determined by the individual schools, and once approved, the National PFF Office will grant recognition to all graduate students who complete these criteria. The most recent initiative by PFF, under a grant funded by the National Science Foundation (also sponsored by the Association of American Colleges and Universities and the Council of Graduate Schools) is to improve higher education in Science and Mathematics. Pending the revision and approval of the requirements, PFF certification will be available to USC graduate students in Biology and Marine Science... 

The benefits of becoming a PFF student include much more than gaining valuable teaching experience. PFF students will get a chance to learn methods of teaching (beyond what is presented at the TA workshop), develop a teaching portfolio and CV, learn how to write a grant, prepare for interviews, and gain experience as both a mentor and a mentee. Students will also have the benefit of working with mentors and undergraduates from partner institutions (Benedict College, USC-Salkehatchie, Midlands Technical College…. the list is growing) to gain experience in higher education at institutions other than “Research One” universities. 

Interested graduate students should contact either Dr. Thomas Reeves, or Jody Tucker for more information. 

Please include your name, area of study, research lab location and phone number and a brief description of the activities you are interested in completing for your PFF experience. 

Activities List and Requirements for obtaining A Certificate 
In College Teaching from the College of Science and Mathematics 

Requirements for Certification 

1. Attend three of the four Teaching seminars. 

2. Any combination of other activities equaling a minimum of 10 points. At least 3 pts. must come from teaching experience and 1 pt. must come from each of the other 4 categories. 

3. Each PFF student must have at least one mentored teaching experience with someone that is not his/her advisor at USC. 

List of Possible Activities and Point Value Toward Certification 

I. Seminar Series: Must attend three, of the four. 
A. Teaching and Learning Styles 
B. Examination/Assessment Methods 
C. Classroom Technology 
D. Faculty life at 2 year, 4 year, and research I universities 

II. Professional Development Workshops: 1 pt. each 
A. Grant Writing 
B. CV and Interview Preparation 
C. Dissertation Writing 

III. Teaching
A. Give one or more lectures in a course at USC or a Partner school - 1 pt. per lecture 
B. Teaching a Lab at Partner School – 3 pts. 
C. Teaching an introductory level course for a semester – 5 pts. 
D. Informal teaching of K-12 children – 1 pt. each with a maximum of 2. 

All Teaching activities must be mentored experiences with the mentor providing constructive feedback to the student instructor. At least one teaching experience must be mentored by someone other than the students research advisor. 

IV. Student Mentoring 
A. Tutor students from USC or Partner Schools for a semester - 2 pts. 
B. Meet with students interested in graduate school – 1 pt. 
C. Help with/ observe student advisement - 1 pt. 
D. Be shadowed by an undergraduate for a day – 1 pt. 
E. Mentor a student for South Carolina Junior Academy of Science – 1 pt. 

V. Research 
A. Give a seminar at a Partner School about your research – 1 pt. per seminar. 
B. Mentor students on a research project in your lab – 1 pt. for training alone, 3 pts. if the mentoring includes data analysis and preparation of a written or oral presentation of the work. 
C. Write and submit a grant proposal – 2 pt. 

VI. Faculty Life/ Service 
A. Attend one or more faculty meetings – 1 pt. 
B. Shadow professors at a minimum of two colleges (USC or Partner Schools) – 1 pt. 
C. Participate on a search committee at USC or Partner Schools – 2 pts. 
D. Serve on PFF Planning Committee – 1 pt. 
E. Judge a science fair – 1 pt.