Challenge yourself to learn and grow while challenging your students to do the same! High school instructors who would like to teach University of Minnesota Twin Cities (U of M) courses through College in the Schools (CIS) are invited to apply to become U of M teaching specialists. 

In addition to receiving access to U of M resources, CIS instructors advance their discipline-specific knowledge by partnering with U of M faculty and engaging in professional development workshops alongside their instructor peers. 

386
Instructors
131
High school partners
96
Professional development workshops/year

Application Deadlines & Overview

Deadlines

The deadline for instructors who wish to teach a course in the next academic year is March 30. For schools seeking to replace a current CIS instructor, applications are accepted year-round.


Overview

The entire application process takes approximately 4–6 weeks.

  • Applications are submitted using MyCIS 
  • Applications are reviewed by CIS staff and U of M faculty
  • Interview invitations are extended to qualifying candidates
  • Candidate interviews
  • Candidate notifications 
  • Newly accepted instructors begin participation in professional development workshops the summer prior to teaching their courses

Qualifications & Key Responsibilities 

Qualifications

  • Demonstrated subject matter expertise as specified by the U of M department offering the course. Visit the individual course page to learn about the instructor qualifications for a particular course
  • Three or more years teaching experience; some disciplines require more or specific types of teaching experience
  • Commitment to staying current in the field
  • Graduate-level credits in some disciplines may be needed in order to meet instructor qualifications. These resources can help you identify which institutions are offering graduate-level coursework in your field: Graduate Credit Quest and Pathway to 18. 
     

Key Responsibilities

  • Teach the course to U of M department standards, provide a detailed syllabus, and develop independent learners who meet University student outcomes for the course
  • Advise students with regard to academic concerns 
  • Facilitate U of M course logistics (registration, grading, evaluation, policies, etc.)
  • Contribute to the U of M academic community and continue professional growth, including through U of M discipline-specific professional development workshops

Professional Development

CIS instructors stay current in their respective fields by engaging in U of M discipline-specific professional development activities each year they teach a course, including the summer prior to the academic year the course begins. 

Some academic disciplines (African American Studies, Applied Economics, Family Social Science, History, and Literature) require instructors who teach every other year or on an irregular schedule to attend professional development activities during non-teaching years. Other disciplines strongly encourage this practice.

Application Steps

Courses

Whether your high school is considering CIS or is currently offering U of M courses and would like to add more, you may select from the following list of courses. 

Applicant Help

Koleen Knudson photo

Koleen Knudson

Program Manager
[email protected]