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Teaching in Higher Education (THE500)

Main façade of Woodsworth College

In THE500, senior PhD candidates and post-doctoral fellows improve their teaching practice by becoming more knowledgeable about the ways in which students learn and about different teaching theories and styles.

Course participants experience and take part in a variety of teaching situations, from small group work to more formal lecture sessions. Ample opportunity is given to participants to reflect on the course as it progresses and on their own teaching and learning experiences.

The success of THE500 depends on the participants’ willingness to share their experiences, successes and frustrations with in-class and online instruction. Each THE500 session also acts as a “laboratory” in which participants work cooperatively -- sometimes in a teaching role, sometimes in a learner's role. Therefore, enrolment in THE500 is restricted to senior PhD students and post-doctoral fellows who have already had classroom experience (e.g., as a teaching assistant or as a course instructor). Priority is also given to students who have participated in Teaching Assistant Training Program (TATP) workshops through CTSI, the Centre for Teaching Support and Innovation, as these are considered recommended preparation for THE500.

THE500 is provided free of charge to graduate U of T students. Students receive an official letter from the university confirming their completion of THE500, with a brief description of its content. The course itself will not appear on your School of Graduate Studies transcript.

THE500 counts as four credits toward the requirements of the Graduate Professional Skills (GPS) transcript notation within MyGPD. To learn more about the notation and The Centre for Graduate Professional Development, please visit the centre's website

Course Offerings

THE500H1F Section L0301

Fall 2023 (September to December)

Eligibility: Open to post-doctoral fellows and PhD candidates at the University of Toronto. 

Wednesdays, 4:00 - 6:00 pm 

Course delivery: In-person on St George Campus. 

From September 13 to December 06, 2023

    Prof. Anne Urbancic
    THE500H1S Section L0201

    Winter 2023 (Jan to April)

    Eligibility: Open to post-doctoral fellows and PhD candidates who are affiliated with the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids).  

    Woodsworth College offered a separate offering (Section L0201) of THE500 Teaching in Higher Education to SickKids fellows and students. This section was funded by the SickKids Research Training Centre, Hospital for Sick Children.

    If you have any questions about THE500 offered through this initiative, please contact Beth Munro at beth.munro@sickkids.ca

    Prof. Colleen Dockstader

    How To Apply

    Application timeline for the Fall 2023 semester (Section L0301)

    • Application is closed for 2023 Fall.
      • Monday, August 14  - Applications close at 9:00am EST 
      • Week of August 21 - Applicants notified
      • Monday, August 28 - Offers sent out to waitlisted applicants if spaces become available (on-going through first week of September) 

    Please note: The THE500 program is currently under review and is not accepting new applications. The information on this page is for reference only.