Preparing Future Faculty

The Preparing Future Faculty program prepares students to enter the nation's professoriate.

In 1994 the Graduate School at Howard University joined with institutional partners throughout the American higher education community to transform doctoral education into a fully professional program of training. Organized initially by the Council of Graduate Schools and the Association of American Colleges and Universities, with funding from the Pew Charitable Trusts, the program that became known as “Preparing Future Faculty” (PFF) found its purpose in the recognition that doctoral education remained incomplete. 

The Howard University PFF program prepares students to enter the nation's professoriate. The program presents an integrated view of the roles of a professional academic through such activities as the following:

• Workshops on development of professional credentials, seeking employment, and long range career plans    
• Seminars on designing courses, teaching techniques, and solving instructional problems 
• Case studies of ethical issues in academic life 
• Hands-on instruction in the uses of new technology for teaching and research
• Presentations on the governance and functions of academic departments and institutions
• Campus visits to different types of institutions (liberal arts colleges, comprehensive universities, community colleges, etc.)

How to Apply

Applications to PFF are collected on a rolling basis each semester. Applying students should either email or submit hard copies of the following information:

• Completed Application Form (PDF)
• Current Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  • Please do not send a resume. For notes on compiling a CV please see this presentation. (PDF)
• Statement of Goals and Interests
  • This statement should include the student's career goals (i.e. Where do you see yourself immediately after graduation and beyond?) as well as a statement of the teaching interests that the student might have (i.e. Do you know at what type of institution or what kind of classes/students you would like to teach?).
• Current Transcript
  • If you are currently a Howard student, a BisonWeb transcript is acceptable.
  • If you are a new student to Howard, you will need to submit an official transcript from your previous graduate institution.
  • If you are in a program or have a fellowship that requires mandatory participation in PFF you are not required to submit a transcript.
• Letter(s) of Recommendation
  • One letter of recommendation should come from your graduate advisor testifying to the fact that you are maintaining satisfactory academic progress in your program and that they are prepared to offer you support through the PFF program.
  • If your advisor is NOT acting as your mentor, you will also need to submit a second letter of recommendation from your faculty mentor. This letter should express your current preparation for becoming a faculty member and what areas they believe that you will need to work on during your next two years in the PFF program.

Certificate Program

Although it is not a requirement of the Preparing Future Faculty (PFF) program, many students who are in PFF and interested in teaching after graduation choose to complete the Graduate Certificate in College and University Faculty Preparation. This certificate program helps student to gain experience with and knowledge of teaching in the post-secondary environment.  

For more information about this program please visit The Graduate Certificate in College and University Faculty Preparation Website.

Previous Workshops

Using Blackboard as a Tool for Interactive Learning

Date: February 10, 2017
Speaker: Elizabeth Ricks, PhD
PFFProgram Blackboard Learn.pdf [link broken]