Ph.D. Student Handbook

Pedagogical Training

Participation of graduate students in the teaching mission of the department develops their teaching, presentation, leadership, and interpersonal skills while assisting the department in discharging its teaching responsibilities. Typically students lead tutorials, supervise undergraduate laboratory experiments, develop instructional laboratories, develop instructional materials, and/or grade homework, laboratory reports, and exams.

All interested graduate students are encouraged to participate under faculty guidance in the teaching mission of the department, but a teaching experience is not mandatory. Students interested in participating in teaching should contact the Graduate Program Coordinator at least one month prior to the start of the semester. In addition, BE 895 (Methods in Bioengineering Education) which is offered periodically, provides doctoral students a formal course in the practical and philosophical aspects of university teaching. Finally, Penn’s Center for Teaching and Learning offers teaching workshops.