Peer Teaching - FAQ's

Peer teaching provides upper level-students with...

• An experiential learning opportunity to design and teach their own course
• A unique learning experience of stepping into the role of the teacher in a classroom of actual students
• Practice refining their organizational, analytical, and interpersonal skills
• A chance to have an impact on Tufts students

In addition, Explorations provides entering students with...

• Unique, interactive courses for full credit
• An introduction to critical thinking
• Instant community & solid peer advising
• An experience proven to improve their academic experience at Tufts

Selected applicants will be juniors or seniors in the semester that they teach.

Yes, you may apply via the online application. If you have any questions or want to meet virtually with the ExCollege staff, email excollege@tufts.edu.

No, Peer Teaching courses are designed to provide in-person experiences for students. 

All applications are submitted through Qualtrics. While there are some differences in the Explorations and Peer Teaching applications, in both cases you will be asked for a course title, description, and outline for your course, personal essay questions about why you want to teach and what you will bring to the program, and information on faculty recommenders. There are a limited number of proposals chosen for each program, and the written application materials are reviewed closely. You may need to meet with the ExCollege staff either virtually or in-person to talk more about your application.

You will receive a total of 4 credits with Pass/Fail grading for teaching your course and for taking a teaching practicum led by the ExCollege administrators. You will teach your course once a week in the evening for 2.5 hours on a selected day Monday through Thursday. You will attend the teaching practicum on Mondays at open block from 12:00-1:15pm.

We recommend taking no more than 11 additional credits.

We recommend that you design and teach the course with a partner, but we will also accept applications to teach solo. For Explorations, leaders also serve as peer advisors to the group of first-year students, and having two co-teachers can make that aspect of the program more manageable. 

If you are accepted in the Explorations program, a faculty advisor will be assigned to your students.

If you apply to be a Peer Teacher in the Spring, you should find a faculty sponsor to discuss your application with. The sponsor's role is solely to be a resource for you as you plan and teach your course. They play no part in the teaching of the class. More information on this will be provided in the application. 

• You will need to prepare a syllabus and course materials, with guidance from the ExCollege
• You will need to attend some virtual training sessions, either over the summer or in the Fall semester, and attend in-person practice teaching shortly before your semester beings. The exact dates will be provided.

Applications to teach Explorations are due in March for the following fall semester, while applications for Peer Teaching are due in September for the following spring semester.