Frequently Asked Questions

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For faculty mentors of UTeach students

For students interested in enrolling in a UTeach seminar

For students interested in becoming UTeach instructors

Who is eligible to apply to the UTeach program?

A student must be of sophomore or junior standing at the time of applying (by unit count at UCI) with a 3.0 GPA minimum. No prior teaching experience is necessary. Each prospective applicant is highly encouraged to attend one of the UTeach informational sessions on Zoom. For information regarding upcoming Information Sessions, please see How to Apply.

When is the application due?

 Applications typically are due during week 10 of the spring quarter.

What criteria will the UTeach selection committee use when reviewing applications?

The UTeach selection committee will look for the following:

  1. The applicant must meet the eligibility requirements.
  2. The applicant must have his or her proposed seminar endorsed by a faculty mentor.
  3. The proposed seminar must be unique; in other words, it must not already be a class offered at UCI.
  4. The application must be well written, lucid, and convince the committee that the student is passionate about his or her proposed topic and committed to meeting the time and other demands of the program.
On what basis does UTeach reject proposals?

The UTeach selection committee rejects proposals on one or more of the following criteria:

  1. The applicant did not meet the eligibility requirements (e.g., applied as a freshman or fell below the GPA minimum)
  2. The applicant proposed a seminar similar or the same to a class already taught at UCI.
  3. The application was vaguely written, the topic or teaching approach seems inappropriate, or the applicant appears to be using the seminar to espouse his or her particular agenda.
  4. The proposed faculty mentor expresses doubt over his or her mentee’s ability to carry out the seminar successfully.

There are also constraints on the number of new UTeach seminars that can be offered each year and a desire to offer a diverse portfolio of seminar topics.

I am studying abroad during the school year I propose to teach my class. Can I still apply to UTeach?
Students in UTeach are required to attend seminars during Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters, however, exceptions can be made for students who agree with their faculty mentor to do the majority of their work during the summer before the student departs for their study abroad program.
What is the time frame of the program if my proposal is accepted?

The broad program schedule is as follows:

  • Summer: Conduct research under the supervision and consultation of your faculty mentor. Update student coordinator periodically.
  • Fall Quarter: Conduct research under the supervision and consultation of your faculty mentor. Enroll in University Studies 197A with your mentor.  Write and complete your seminar’s course plan and syllabus by the Sunday of Week 8.
  • Winter Quarter: Sign up and attend University Studies 197B. Polish your course plan and syllabus.
  • Spring Quarter:  Teach your seminar. Attend weekly meetings of University Studies 197C to address issues that come up as you teach.  Participate in UTeach information sessions to recruit UTeachers for next year.
Why should I propose teaching a UTeach seminar?

UTeach provides great opportunities to:

    • gain experience for if you’re contemplating a teaching career, particularly at the college level.
    • learn your topic area in greater depth—it’s often said that you never really learn a subject until you teach it.
    • work closely with a faculty mentor.
    • share your interest and enthusiasm for your topic with other students.
How do I find a faculty mentor?

Search on the  UC Irvine Faculty Profile or contact a mentor that you already know. Contacting past professors is a great way to start.

  • The faculty mentor has to be a part of the UC Irvine Academic Senate.
  • Your faculty mentor does not need to specialize in the subject that you desire to teach, although it can be helpful in terms of course planning.
How do UTeach seminars differ from other courses?
Most courses are 4 units with a letter grade or Pass/No Pass option. UTeach seminars are 1 unit, Pass/No Pass only. UTeach courses count 1 unit towards the 180 required for graduation, but they do not satisfy any other university, GE, school, major, or minor requirements.
How many UTeach seminars may a student enroll in per quarter?
A student may enroll in a maximum of two UTeach seminars in his or her entire career at UCI. Please note that the registrar’s current system does not enforce this restriction in advance; if you lose track and enroll in a third UTeach seminar, it will show up on your transcript as an “unauthorized repeat.”
Why should I take a UTeach seminar?
The topics are interesting; they span a wide range of fields that aren’t covered by existing courses at UCI. The instructors are enthusiastic about their topics and it’s fun to learn from someone generationally close to you. The seminars give you a chance to explore some topic without imposing a large academic workload.
How does the faculty mentor apply to UTeach?
The main application comes from the student proposing a UTeach seminar.  Once the faculty member agrees to serve as the student’s mentor, there is a separate form for the faculty member to indicate his or her willingness to serve.
What is the role of the faculty mentor?

First and foremost, the faculty mentor is the UTeach instructor’s primary resource on his or her seminar topic and how to teach it.  The mentor’s responsibilities include: 

  • In Fall Quarter, advise the UTeacher on developing his or her seminar.  Assign the UTeacher a grade for this work via the mentor’s individual section of University Studies 197A, a two-unit graded independent study course.  Presumably, this will include having
  • Ensure that the student’s UTeach seminar is in compliance with Academic Senate policy and regulations and has a clear and fair policy for assigning P/NP grades.
  • In Spring Quarter, visit the UTeacher’s seminar at least once to provide continuing support and feedback.
  • Serve as the instructor of record for the student’s UTeach seminar in the spring and officially submit final grades for the seminar students at the end of Spring Quarter.
Are there other commitments?
In Winter Quarter, we invite each faculty mentor to attend the 30-minute presentation his or her UTeacher will give during the US 197B seminar. At the end of Spring Quarter, we invite faculty mentors to our end-of-quarter celebration. Participation in both of these events is optional.