Preparing Future Faculty (PFF)
The Preparing Future Faculty Program (PFF) is a national initiative that transforms the way doctoral programs prepare aspiring faculty members for their careers. It emphasizes an education that is informed by the kinds of responsibilities faculty members actually have at a variety of institutions.
Join us for our Preparing Future Faculty Luncheons. Check out the most current listing on our events page and then register online! You can also use the online registration form to request that you be added to our PFF/PFP Blackboard Organization and Email Group.
For more information see the PFF/PFP Spring 2012 Flyer.
Contact Us
University of New Hampshire
Graduate School
Preparing Future Faculty Program
Thompson Hall 105 Main Street
Durham, NH 03824-3547
Phone: (603) 862-3009
Email: grad.deansoffice@unh.edu
While doctoral students receive training in the demands of original research, many are under prepared for the teaching and service requirements they will face as new faculty members. Evidence shows that, during the tenure process, research productivity may fail to meet expectations due to the time demands of service and course preparation placed on new faculty members. Thus, it is advantageous for doctoral students to gain experience in graduate school balancing research, teaching, and service demands.
Academic Model & Programs
The Preparing Future Faculty Program (PFF) at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) is designed to provide graduate students the necessary tools for becoming successful faculty members. Central to the UNH model are its academic programs in college teaching. The academic programs are offered through the UNH Graduate School in conjunction with The Center for Teaching Excellence and prepare doctoral students for academic teaching positions. Students learn about strategies for teaching and evaluating performance, about the academic environment and about the role of academic citizenship. All courses emphasize the transfer and relationship of theory and research into instructional practice.
UNH is committed to creating a more diverse faculty in the future. The PFF program at UNH encourages graduate students of color to actively participate in PFF and offers a unique opportunity for exchanges and collaboration at other institutions that represent diverse cultural and ethnic communities.
- Formal Academic Programs
- UNH doctoral students have the opportunity to add the 12-credit Cognate in College Teaching to their graduate degree program. It emphasizes the development of classroom teaching skills in a specific field or discipline.
- UNH doctoral students may earn a Master of Science for Teachers (MST) in College Teaching as a dual degree with their Ph.D. It builds upon the basic foundation of college teaching and includes advanced studies in specific content related to teaching and learning. Note: The MST and Certificate programs in College Teaching have been suspended as of Spring 2012.
- The Summer Institute on College Teaching offers courses that can apply towards the Cognate, the M.S.T., or a Certificate in College Teaching. Faculty and doctoral students from a wide variety of institutions regularly participate in this annual institute. Note: The MST and Certificate programs in College Teaching have been suspended as of Spring 2012.
- PFF Program Components
- Seminars and workshops for Ph.D. students
- Monthly PFF luncheon roundtables
- Campus visits to partner institutions
PFF College Teaching Application Instructions and Form. Note: The MST and Certificate programs in College Teaching have been suspended as of Spring 2012.
The Preparing Future Faculty College Teaching Application, for either the Cognate or MST in College Teaching, needs to be completed and then submitted to the UNH Graduate School (contact information). Please attach a letter of application, your curriculum vitae, and a statment of support from your Advisor, Graduate ProgramCoordinator or Department Chair.
If you are interested in our College Teaching Certificate program visit our certificate page for more details as that program has a different application form and process.
National PFF Program
The national PFF Program was inaugurated in 1993 as a cooperative effort of the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) and the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) with support from The Pew Charitable Trusts. It began with the broad goal of improving graduate and undergraduate education. Seventeen clusters of institutions received financial support from AAC&U and CGS for the purpose of developing specific programs based on the strengths and interests of particular universities.
In phase two of this project, ten of the original institutions and five additional universities (including the University of New Hampshire), received Financial support. These programs were chosen to take PFF from a pilot project to a more national and institutionalized approach. In addition to this goal, all of the participating universities are encouraged to share their PFF knowledge with other institutions that would benefit from the enhancement of graduate and undergraduate education.
"A teaching praxis opportunity allowed me to develop and teach a new course at St. Anselm. Thanks to the PFF program I will become a professor and continue teaching." --Therese Ann Thompson, Ph.D. Plant Biology.
"Participation in the PFF has been inspirational, The people I've met at the events, in courses, and on campus visits have consistently helped me to generate fresh enthusiasm for my future in higher education." --Tara Tayyabkhan Ph.D. Psychology.
"Without a doubt, all of the interview invitations and the job offers I received while searching for an academic position are a direct result of the excellent PFF program at UNH." --Mihaela Sabin, Ph.D. Computer Science.
"The campus visits helped me to decide that I wanted to be at a small teaching college. I would not have clearly known that without the opportunity to visit such a college." --Wendy Walsh, Ph.D. Sociology.
