Specialization in Teaching and Advanced Research (STAR)

Position Yourself for Success in Academia

The Specialization in Teaching and Advanced Research (STAR) program was created in direct response to student requests for career preparation for roles in higher education. Postsecondary teaching positions in academia often require evidence of teaching experience and a record of research and scholarly publication beyond dissertations—the STAR program helps you build a scholarly portfolio for exactly this purpose.

Shape Your Learning

Rooted in humanistic principles, the STAR program’s learner-centered approach empowers you to take ownership of your growth. You will choose three core courses aligned with your professional goals in teaching, curriculum design, grant writing, or scholarly publication, developing concrete portfolio pieces along the way that showcase your growth and readiness for leadership roles in higher education.

Receive One-On-One Mentorship

After completing the core courses, you will work closely with a faculty research mentor to apply your scholarly portfolio to your academic career goals. Mentors will guide you in refining your skills, advancing publication plans, building professional networks, and engaging in other academic opportunities to help you strategically position your coursework to your professional goals.

Prepare and Present Advanced Research

The program culminates in the STAR Learner Research Symposium, where you will present original research, receive peer feedback, and showcase your work to a broad academic audience. This experience sharpens your presentation skills and adds professional-quality work to your portfolio.

Through STAR, you will graduate with the experience, publications, and scholarly portfolio other candidates lack, giving you a competitive edge in securing teaching and research positions.

Components of Your Scholarly Portfolio

The STAR program is designed to help you build a scholarly portfolio that demonstrates your professional readiness upon completing the specialization. Choosing three of the following four core courses, you will develop tangible materials that showcase your teaching, research, and leadership abilities.

These core courses include:

• Grant Writing: Craft grant proposals and build a professional toolkit that highlights your ability to secure funding for research or program development.
• Teaching and Instruction for Higher Education: Create a written teaching philosophy, design instructional materials, and gain classroom practice to demonstrate your teaching competence.
• Curriculum Development and Instructional Design: Produce a curriculum map and course syllabi that exemplify your capacity to design engaging and effective learning experiences.
• Scholarly Publication and Presentation: Transform your research into a manuscript or conference presentation, developing both the content and presentation skills that strengthen your academic portfolio.

Following completion of your selected courses, you will work closely with a faculty mentor to refine your portfolio, connect it to your professional goals, and develop strategies to advance your research and career opportunities in higher education.