College in the Schools - Teacher Qualifications and Application Process

Teacher Qualifications
Application Process
When to Apply
Application Steps
Workshops after Acceptance into CIS

Teacher Qualifications

College in the Schools teachers are typically lifelong learners and experienced teachers committed to staying current with both pedagogy and content through reading, research, and ongoing professional development. They are energetic and committed to challenging themselves and their students. CIS teachers value participation in a vibrant community of learners.    

College in the Schools teachers must meet qualifications that the relevant University academic department uses for hiring community faculty. Departmental requirements vary. Generally speaking, successful CIS teachers have:

• a bachelor’s degree
• advanced or significant academic coursework in the relevant subject
• three years of teaching experience in the relevant subject
• experience teaching advanced courses and students
• experience with current pedagogy

A master’s degree is not required, but is highly desirable. 

See the specific teacher qualifications by clicking on the discipline below.

Agricultural Education

• Agronomy
• Animal Science

English Language Arts

• Basic Writing (primarily for ELL students)
• English Composition
• English Literature

Mathematics

• Calculus

Social Sciences

• American History
• Applied Economics
• Political Science
• Psychology (07-08 pilot course)

World and Classical Languages

• Chinese
• French
• German
• Hebrew
• Japanese
• Latin (Call 612-624-9898 for details)
• Spanish

Application Process

High school teachers who wish to teach College in the Schools courses go through an application process to demonstrate that they meet the qualifications set by the U of M academic department in which they wish to teach. Prospective CIS teachers submit an application and supporting documents and are interviewed by the CIS associate director and the CIS faculty coordinator from the relevant department.  Once accepted, teachers are appointed as teaching specialists in the University of Minnesota’s College of Continuing Education.

 
When to Apply:  Planning and Mentoring

Although teacher applications are accepted year round, the deadline for consideration for the following school year is April 15. The optimal time to apply to the CIS program for consideration in the following school year is between October and February.

Note about exceptions: CIS understands that schools already participating in the program may learn after April 15 that they need to replace a CIS teacher. Should this occur, please alert CIS as soon as possible so that accommodations can be made for late applicants.

A generous lead time allows teachers and schools to consider the curricular, financial, and staffing factors inherent in deciding to partner with CIS. Adequate lead time also allows teachers and schools to meet their desired start-up timeline, even if CIS requires the teacher to complete some supplemental preparation before beginning to teach for the University’s CIS program.

Application Steps

Step One:  Submit an application to CIS. A complete application includes:

• Application form
• Resume
• Letter of intent explaining your reasons for wanting to teach through CIS
• Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate study, both degree and non-degree. Have these mailed directly from the institution to the CIS office.  (We suggest that applicants also have a complete set of official transcripts sent to themselves for use in completing the credentials questionnaire required of all accepted CIS teachers.)
• Letter of recommendation from your high school principal
• School Partnership Agreement, signed by your principal (principals may wish to consult the roles and responsibilities of all CIS partners)

Submit these materials by e-mail to CIS@umn.edu or by US mail to CIS Office, 107 Armory, 15 Church Street SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455.

All applications are reviewed holistically and individually.

Step Two:  Interview. Upon receipt of a complete application and following its review by the appropriate CIS faculty coordinator and the CIS associate director, CIS schedules an interview with the high school teacher, faculty coordinator, and the CIS associate director. This interview focuses on the applicant’s background and qualifications, teaching experience, technology skills, professional and academic motivation, and school context and readiness to support University of Minnesota courses. The interview is also a time for teachers to ask questions about the course they wish to teach or about the CIS program.

Step Three:  Teachers Notified of Decision. CIS notifies teachers of its decision by mail shortly after the interview is completed. Teachers’ applications may be accepted, accepted provisionally, or denied. 

Provisional acceptance is granted when a teacher is almost, but not completely, qualified to teach for the University through CIS. A provisionally accepted teacher is required to complete additional preparation (e.g., enroll in and complete a specific course or workshop) and may not be allowed to teach until the supplemental preparation is completed.

Workshops after Acceptance into CIS

New teachers are required to attend three different workshops the summer before they begin teaching for the University: a discipline-specific workshop for new teachers, a discipline-specific workshop for continuing and new teachers, and a new teacher orientation workshop for teachers of all disciplines. The summer workshop schedule is announced as soon as all dates are confirmed by the CIS faculty coordinators.

Read the CIS Administrative Handbook

Consult the CIS Administrative Handbook for information regarding professional development, tuition-free graduate credit, faculty coordinator site visits to teachers’ classrooms—and much more!