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.
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.
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Accelerated Beginning Modern Chinese
CHN 1015, 5 credits, 22 class limit
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Accelerated Intermediate Modern Chinese
CHN 3016, 5 credits, 22 class limit
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American Democracy in a Changing World
POL 1001, 3 credits, 30 class limit
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An Interdisciplinary Look at the Family in Multicultural America
FSOS 1211, 4 credits, 24 class limit
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Authority and Rebellion: American History to 1865
HIST 1307, 3 credits, 30 class limit
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Basic and Applied Statistics
EPSY 3264, 3 credits, 30 class limit
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Beginning Classical Greek I
GRK 1001, 5 credits, 22 class limit
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Beginning Classical Greek II
GRK 1002, 5 credits, 22 class limit
Applicant Help
Koleen Knudson
Program Manager
[email protected]