GPS 982: Mentored Teaching is a non-credit graduate course for Ph.D. students who have received a Teacher Scholar Doctoral Fellowship.  This fellowship seeks to combine coursework (GPS 982) with the opportunity for PhD students to teach an undergraduate course in their discipline under the guidance of a faculty mentor.

Course overview

As part of the Teacher Doctoral Fellowship, students are expected to register for and complete GPS 982 in Term 1.  The purpose of the course is to help prepare students who have received a Fellowship to teach an undergraduate course in their discipline in Term 2, under the guidance of their faculty mentor.  For new teachers, GPS 982 provides an opportunity to learn about course design as well as best practices for teaching and assessment in higher education. For more experienced teachers, the course provides an opportunity to engage in dialogue with peers while reflecting upon past teaching experiences, successes, and challenges. The culminating assignment of the course is an inquiry-based teaching portfolio, which will be used during the course to document your classroom activities and may be used after the course to apply for teaching positions.

In Term 1, students practice and apply the principles of course design by preparing and/or revising course materials for Term 2 such as syllabi, assignments, lesson plans, and exams, in consultation with their faculty mentor.  During this time, it is expected that students will be meeting on a weekly basis with their faculty mentor.

In Term 2, GPS 982 usually meets every 2 weeks so that students can continue to support each other as instructors while they are teaching.  In these class meetings students will be able to ask questions and seek advice from the teaching team, clarify information on academic policies, or simply support and learn from their peers as they experience the real-life ups and downs of teaching.  During this time, it is expected that students will be checking in regularly with their faculty mentor.

Learning approach and outcomes

The purpose of the GPS 982: Mentored Teaching course is for students to refine and assess their teaching style and approach by learning about and applying innovative course design principles, teaching strategies, and assessment and evaluation approaches that are based upon best practices in higher education.  The Fellowship provides opportunities for students to:

GPS 982 is a non-credit (Pass/Fail) course. If students successfully complete the course based on the following requirements, they receive a certificate and note on their transcript indicating a “Pass” in the course.  If a Fellowship is terminated or revoked for any reason students must drop the course according to the University’s official processes, dates, and deadlines, or else their transcript will indicate a “Fail.”

 A “Pass” in the GPS 982 course is based upon:

• Regular attendance and participation in all GPS 982 classes in Terms 1 and 2 as per the University's Attendance policy.
• Satisfactory completion of all course assignments, culminating in the reflective teaching portfolio at the end of Term 2.
• Regular attendance and participation in progress meetings with the faculty mentor throughout Terms 1 and 2, as outlined in the Helpful Guide for Faculty Mentors, including the completion of two faculty mentor classroom visits in Term 2.
• Satisfactory completion of teaching responsibilities and duties in Term 2 as assigned by the faculty mentor and/or College, Department, or School.

Fellowships may be revoked by the College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies at any time if any of the requirements are failed to be met as outlined above.

Teacher-Scholar Doctoral Fellowship

This course is only open to PhD students who have received a Teacher-Scholar Doctoral Fellowship. If you have received a Teacher Scholar Doctoral Fellowship please contact gmctl@usask.ca for details on how to register.

Nominations for Teacher-Scholar Doctoral Fellowship

PhD students with an interest in enhancing and/or developing their teaching skills should contact a faculty mentor and/or their Department, College, or School to discuss the possibility of being nominated for a Fellowship. Faculty and/or Department Heads may also consider the possibility of nominating graduate students for this award. 

Deadline:  Nominations may submitted to the College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.  See more information here:

• Teacher Scholar Doctoral Fellowship nomination information