difference between cover letter and teaching philosophy

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Teaching philosophies for faculty job applications

The purpose of a teaching philosophy.

The main goal of a teaching philosophy is to show search committees that you are ready and able to teach the students at their institution. There may be few formal opportunities to get on-the-job training to be an effective teacher once you start in your new role as a faculty member, and it is expected that you will be able to teach with minimal supervision once you start. This means that you should certainly seek out opportunities to gain meaningful teaching experiences as you are working on your PhD or as a postdoc. There are plenty of opportunities to do this as an adjunct, a teaching assistant, a mentor, a journal club coordinator, and in any situation where you are imparting knowledge to others, whether in groups or one-on-one.

A teaching philosophy is a document that describes your general approach to teaching. Can you summarize for the search committee what your goals are when you teach? If you can articulate this, and do so in a way that aligns with that institution’s own teaching philosophy or mission, then you will have done a good job at showing that you understand the role and responsibility that may take up a fair proportion of your life as a new faculty member. Search committees will be interested in seeing how you have improved over time, how you have incorporated new approaches, and even how you have learned from approaches that did not work.

To a certain extent, your teaching philosophy can focus on broad concepts of learning, and it can be philosophical at heart. However, it is helpful to show how your teaching philosophy has developed over time so that any broad concepts can become more tangible and real. For example, where did you get your ideas or inspiration? What has cemented the approaches you take? Was it your experience as a student, as a teacher, or based on research you may have done on teaching theory? Philosophies should not just spring out of nowhere, they develop and evolve as you put them into action and test them. One of the purposes of the teaching philosophy is to show search committees that you have a firm foundation on which you can develop as a faculty member. If your philosophy comes without context or explanation, you are not going to be as convincing.

Really good teaching philosophies quickly turn from general concepts to specific illustrations of teaching in action (whether you are doing the teaching or you are being taught). As search committees are looking for someone who will be able to teach existing curricula, develop new and interesting courses, and who can connect effectively with students (and other faculty), they will be looking for some evidence that you have done something similar already. If you are potentially going to be teaching both graduate and undergraduate students at the institution you are applying to, can you describe experiences where you have interacted with both of these groups that is in some way relevant to teaching approaches? What are the differences between these groups that you have observed, and how have you adjusted your approach? What about teaching students from diverse backgrounds or international students, what evidence can you provide within your philosophy that might show that you have the ability to do this, try to tailor your teaching statement to indicate you can work effectively with the population of students that attend the institutions that interest you.

Ultimately, your teaching philosophy should complement your cover letter, CV, and research statement to illustrate what makes you an ideal candidate for the job. The more specific the illustrations that you provide, the more meaningful your philosophy will become, and the more interesting it will be to read.

Timeline: Getting Started with your Teaching Philosophy

Developing and teaching your own class is not a necessary prerequisite to having your own interesting and informative teaching philosophy (but it can certainly help!). There are many aspects of your academic experience that you can draw upon when thinking about and developing your own philosophy.

As a student, you have seen a range of good, bad, and indifferent teaching styles and approaches. The teaching philosophy is not the place to complain about the negative ones, but it is an opportunity to discuss what you learned from these experiences as a student, how you can integrate what you learned into your own teaching approaches, and why this will make you an ideal candidate. You should mention those approaches you saw to be very effective at achieving teaching goals, and be clear as to what you see these goals to be. As stated above, do not be afraid to give specific illustrations of particular situations where you saw teaching being truly effective. These specific examples will help your teaching philosophy standout from the rest of the philosophies in the application pile.

If you are interested in gaining additional teaching experiences while you are studying at Penn, then consider visiting the Center for Teaching and Learning, which works with graduate students to help them improve their teaching at Penn and to help prepare them to become faculty in the future. It is important to think about teaching as more than just standing in a classroom giving a lecture. Mentoring students, overseeing aspects of your lab, coordinating practical or lab components of courses, participating in journal clubs, all involve teaching to a certain degree, depending on how you choose to define the term. You can certainly use these experiences as the foundation for your teaching philosophy, and expand on how these experiences will translate to more formal lecture-based situations.

It is easy enough for anyone to say that they have a “student-centered teaching style” where they focus on the different learning styles of the students. However, it is much more effective to back-up broad statements like this with specific illustrations of your teaching in action, especially when the examples you choose have some great outcomes you can highlight (e.g., high student evaluation of the course, student retention throughout the class, individuals choosing your subject as a major). Do not spend too much time trying to drop in teaching buzzwords if this takes away from actual examples of you using or experiencing effective teaching approaches. And remember, your teaching philosophy is always going to be subject to change as you continue to have new and different teaching experiences that inform you. There are always new learning theories, new technologies, and new ways of assessing teaching effectiveness, which you can integrate into your philosophy over time. Keep your philosophy statement updated with your new perspectives and new illustrations.

Follow these general steps to begin developing an effective teaching philosophy:

Step 1: Think about your experiences as a student, and any experiences you have had as a teacher, and describe what you see as your teaching goals and what you believe are effective outcomes of learning. Do not be tempted just to make up a philosophy that sounds good, really give some thought as to what you believe teaching actually represents. Additionally, you can try to envision how you would like to be described by your (future) students if they were asked about what kind of teacher you are. Specifically show how effective teaching approaches are tied to outcomes and results as you are describing your experiences. It is OK to talk about learning experiences that you have had or seen that you have improved (in other words, that were not as effective as you had hoped), especially if you describe how you used student or faculty feedback or your own evaluations to do so.

Step 2: Ask faculty in your department if they are willing to share their own teaching philosophies with you. To a certain extent, there will be some subject-specific differences in what is expected from a teaching philosophy, and so it is always a good idea to see how others in your field have done it. You should try to draft your own teaching philosophy first before you review any philosophies shared with you. Your goal is to create a unique philosophy tailored to your experiences and perspectives, not to echo the philosophies of your advisors.

Step 3: Look at the website of the academic institution(s) to which you are applying, and try to find out about their institutional teaching philosophy. You can usually find this in their mission statement, or on departmental homepages. If you can describe your own philosophy in a language that is similar to the way they describe theirs, then you will help them to see how you will fit in as a faculty member. It is advisable to tailor your teaching philosophy for each application, however, more time should be devoted to tailoring your cover letter and CV.

Step 4: Integrate all of this information together in 1-2 pages, remembering to make your philosophy rich with actual examples and illustrations of your teaching experiences and ideas. Schedule an appointment with a career advisor to get feedback on your draft. You should also try to get faculty in your department to review your philosophy if they are willing to do so.  In particular, faculty who have seen you teach or your student evaluations are important resources for feedback (and can serve as references).

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Center for Teaching and Learning

• Documenting Your Teaching

Writing a Teaching Philosophy or a Teaching Statement

Strictly speaking, your teaching philosophy is a written description of your values, goals, and beliefs regarding both teaching and learning. By contrast, your teaching statement develops from your teaching philosophy and uses evidence from your teaching to make the case that you have excelled as a teacher. (In practice, of course, these terms are often used interchangeably.) As a general expression of your beliefs and practices, your teaching philosophy can shape your syllabi or  introduce your course website. As an argument for excellence, your teaching statement is more appropriate for your dossier or a job application. Regardless of whether you are on the market or preparing your dossier for promotion, or whether you simply want to help your students better understand who you are as a teacher, the following resources will help get you started on the process of articulating your beliefs about and goals for teaching. Consult our companion bibliography Resources for Teaching Portfolios for additional readings.

Identify what is important to you as an instructor

Before you begin writing, or even if you are in the process of editing, it is a good idea to find out what you value and believe as an educator and how you demonstrate those values and beliefs while you teach. Utilize the following tools to help you accomplish this admittedly daunting task.

• Complete the Teaching Perspectives Inventory . This tools will help you identify your ideas about learning and about teaching.
• Complete the Teaching Goals Inventory . This tool will help you identify the goals you have for your students.
• Answer these Questions to Consider . Your responses will ultimately form the basis of your teaching statement.

Write a general teaching philosophy

Review what you have learned about yourself using the above tools and write an explanation of your beliefs as an instructor. Do not worry about length at this point. The purpose here is to articulate your ideas about teaching and learning and to describe how these ideas inform your actual teaching. Focus on your beliefs, and avoid writing a narrative about how or why you became a college instructor. The multiple resources listed below or in the sidebar will help you with this stage of the process.

Adapt your general philosophy to the intended purpose and audience (i.e., create a teaching statement)

Much like your curriculum vitae, teaching philosophies are designed to be adapted and developed for various purposes, including but not limited to promotion and tenure dossiers, job applications, and your course website. Study the sample teaching statements in the links provided in the sidebar to generate ideas and help refine your own text.

• Statements for promotion and tenure dossiers often have to follow a particular format, so it is wise to review institutional guidelines and published sample dossiers. You can find examples from IUPUI faculty at the Office of Academic Affairs website.
• Statements for job applications may not only be limited in terms of word count or page number, but should be tailored according to the job description. For example, if you are applying for a job that involves working with a specific student population, be sure to address your experience with that sort of population in your statement. Similarly, if you will be expected to teach a certain course or set of courses, your statement should reflect your beliefs regarding learning in those courses or types of courses.
• Your teaching philosophy itself is appropriate for course websites; however, it should not only be tailored to the course in question, but also to the audience--i.e., the prospective and current students for that course. The philosophy should convey not only your general beliefs and practices, but your personality as well. Consider creating a bullet-list of the most important aspects of your philosophy and what your beliefs mean for students (i.e., what should students expect from you as a result of your beliefs?). You may even want to record a video of yourself explaining your philosophy.

Evaluate your statement

Ask colleagues, both inside and outside of your discipline, to review your statement. If you are using the statement for a job application, be sure to provide your colleague a copy of the job description. You can also utilize one of the following rubrics to evaluate what you have written. Note that depending on the purposes of your statement, some of these items may not apply.

• Rubric for scoring statements of teaching philosophy
• Rubric for composing and evaluating a statement of teaching philosophy  

A Word about Structure

Following a clear rhetorical structure can make the task of composing and revising your teaching statement much less difficult. Consider using, for instance, Nancy Chism's Key Components model to organize your thoughts on a macro level and then create a topic sentence outline as you revise to focus your ideas on the paragraph level. The Chism model, the topic sentence outline, and some other helpful tips are explained below.

The Key Components Model

Developed by Nancy Chism, this model structures a teaching philosophy or teaching statement around five key component areas. These component areas consist of the answers to a number of important questions related to learning, teaching, goals, assessment, and professional development. The component areas and the questions related to them are all listed below. For more information, you can also read Dr. Chism's paper on the Key Components model . For another, different model for teaching philosophies and teaching statements, see Goodyear & Allchin (1998).

• How does learning take place?
• Based on my observation and experience, what do I think happens during a learning episode
• How do I facilitate learning?
• What are my assumptions about teaching?
• Why do I teach the way I do?
• How do I motivate, challenge, or support students?
• How do I deal with students who struggle?
• How do I vary my approach?
• As a result of learning, what do I expect my students to know, do, or value (in their careers and future lives)? Why?
• What does my teaching philosophy mean for my students?
• How are my conceptions of teaching and learning transformed into instructional strategies?
• What are the consequences of my instructional strategies?
• How do I know my teaching is effective?
• What data do I use to gauge my effectiveness?
• What goals have I set for myself as teacher?
• How will I accomplish these goals?
• What are some present challenges to overcome in order to achieve my goals?
• How have I developed?
• What evidence do I have that can demonstrate my development?
• What has changed over time in my assumptions and actions?
• How have I met goals that I set in the past?

The Topic Sentence Outline

After you have drafted your philosophy or statement, use the following steps to sharpen the focus of your paragraphs, which in turn will improve the coherence (i.e., flow) of your entire document. This approach can work for any sort of scholarly writing, and you can read more about it in this article by George Gopen and Judith Swan . For other writing and revision techniques, see Tara Gray's book, Publish & Flourish: Become a Prolific Scholar (2005).

• Cut and paste your thesis statement and the first sentence of each paragraph (i.e., your topic or key sentences) into a new document. Read through the outline you've created.
• The outline should convey your main point and highlight your subordinate points in a logical, if brief, manner. Ideally the outline should also hint at your evidence and highlight your concluding thought.
• If your outline does not clearly convey your main point, or if the flow of your subordinate points seems too disjointed, then revisit and revise your paragraphs. Begin by trying to locate the sentences that do contain each paragraph's central message (i.e., your subordinate points). As you then revise your paragraphs, move those sentences to the top of each paragraph (i.e., the topic sentence position). Next, make a new outline to see if the flow of your subordinate points has become clearer or more cogent.

Irrespective of the model you use, the following general tips can improve the focus, clarity, and coherence of your teaching philosophy or statement:

• Know your audiences and their needs or interests.
• Use specific, personal examples.
• Avoid buzzwords and jargon.
• Avoid statements of absolute fact, e.g., “Small group activities are the only way to build community in a freshman class.”
• Write in the first-person and the active voice, e.g., “I engage students with active learning techniques.” NOT “Students are engaged with active learning techniques.”
• Write more than you need and revise down. Be concise!

Resources and References

• Angelo, T. A. & Cross, K. P. (1993). The teaching goals inventory. Classroom assessment techniques: A handbook for college teachers . (2 nd Ed.). (pp. 13-24). San Francisco, Jossey-Bass. 
• Chism, N.V.N. (1997-98). Developing a philosophy of teaching statement. Essays on teaching excellence: Toward the best in the academy 9 (3). 
• Faculty Focus. (2009). Philosophy of teaching statements: Examples and tips on how to write a teaching philosophy statement.  
• Goodyear, G. E. & Allchin, D. (1998) Statement of teaching philosophy. To Improve the Academy 17 , 103-22. Stillwater, OK: New Forums Press.
• Gopen, G. and J. Swan. (1990). The science of scientific writing. American scientist  78, 550-558. 
• Gray, Tara. (2005). Publish & flourish: Become a prolific scholar . Las Cruces, NM: Teaching Academy.
• Kearns, K. D., Subino Sullivan, C., O'Loughlin, V. D., & Braun, M. (2010). A scoring rubric for teaching statements: a tool for inquiry into graduate student writing about teaching and learning. Journal for Excellence in College Teaching, 21, 73-96. 
• O’Neal, C., Meizlish, D., & Kaplan, M. (2007). Writing a statement of teaching philosophy for the academic job search . CRLT Occasional Papers No. 23.  
• Pratt, D. D. & Collins, J. B. (2001). Teaching Perspectives Inventory . 
• The McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning at Princeton University. (n.d.). Statement of teaching philosophy: Questions to consider.  

Video: Workshop on Teaching Philosophy

Watch this recorded workshop  video by Dr. Brian Coppola on effective strategies to formulate and write your teaching philosophy. Dr. Coppola is the Arthur F. Thurnau Professor and Professor of Chemistry at the University of Michigan.

Workshop Abstract: A statement of teaching philosophy is a discipline-centered argument about one’s instructional practices. As with any other professional argumentation, the essay ought to have a thesis (or claim), and a coherent text that focuses on providing evidence that warrants the claim. In this workshop, participants will prepare an outline for their personal teaching statement. In preparation, participants should think about one sentence: a global statement about student learning that represents your most significant instructional goal.

Resources and Samples from Other Universities 

• Information on teaching portfolios and sample teaching portfolios (Vanderbilt University)
• Teaching philosophy and statement resources (University of Michigan)
• Process of writing a teaching philosophy and samples (University of Minnesota)

Philosophy of Teaching Articles from Faculty Focus 

Your concept of teaching, including a description of how you teach and the justifications for your strategies, constitute your personal philosophy of teaching. Faculty Focus is a free newsletter that publishes articles on effective teaching strategies for the online and college classroom. Articles published in the section of Philosophy of Teaching focus broadly on teaching philosophy in higher education and can provide new information that could help expand and enhance your philosophy of teaching. Some useful examples include:

Nine Characteristics of a Great Teacher

Strategies for Writing Better Teaching Philosophy Statements

Helping Students with Disabilities Reach Their Educational Goals: Reflections and Lessons Learned

Enhancing Out-of-Class Communication: Students’ Top 10 Suggestions

What Students Want: Characteristics of Effective Teachers from the Students’ Perspective

Revised by Anusha S. Rao (April 2020) Revised by James Gregory (November, 2016) Revised by James Gregory (October, 2015) Authored by Sarah Lang (April, 2012)

Center for Teaching and Learning resources and social media channels

Teaching Philosophy Statements

Why should you write a teaching philosophy statement?

A teaching philosophy statement is a brief document that summarizes your approach to teaching with both statements of general beliefs and descriptions of specific examples of how you teach. You may wish to write one for personal development, use in self-promotion, or to include in a job application. Here, we focus specifically on how to write a teaching philosophy statement that you include in an application for a faculty or other instructional position at a college or university. The following will be most useful if you are a graduate student or postdoc seeking this kind of position.

By including your teaching philosophy in an application package, you can:

• Communicate your beliefs about teaching and learning and your goals for students, showing how your philosophy aligns with that of the institution to which you are applying.
• Demonstrate your awareness of and commitment to reflecting on your teaching practice. 
• Provide a window into what your classes look like.

A common concern is that you may not have enough teaching experience to write an effective teaching philosophy statement: “How can I state my philosophy when I haven’t taught enough to really have one?”

There are many activities beyond what is commonly considered “teaching” that can inform your teaching philosophy, including:

• Teaching assistantships
• Mentoring undergraduate or junior researchers
• Conducting workshops or other training sessions
• Guest lecturing

We have compiled a list of on- and off-campus teaching opportunities that you might use to augment your current experience.

Moreover, you can also describe how you plan to teach. A thoughtful plan embedded in a broader, reflective philosophy can be just as compelling as a description of a class that has already happened.

In the “Get Started” section below, we provide exercises to identify how these diverse experiences have informed your teaching.

What to include

Your statement should be grounded in the following questions:

• How do I teach?
• Why do I teach the way that I do?
• What goals do I have for students?
• How do I know if students are achieving those goals?
• What is my teaching experience? What courses do I teach?

In answering these questions, you should foreground the impact and effect that your teaching has on students. Instead of describing why you enjoy teaching, describe why the way that you teach is effective for your students and how you know that it is effective.

Make your statement personal and authentic. Only include ideas or commitments in your teaching philosophy statement if you are committed to them. It is obvious when an author has included a teaching concept or buzzword because they think they are meant to and not because it is something they actually believe in or practice.

In addition to authenticity, you can let your personality shine through on a teaching philosophy statement. Unlike a cover letter or CV with relatively prescribed formats, the relative freedom of the teaching philosophy statement may be the only opportunity to show the search committee your personality: what you value and who you will be as a colleague.

Your statement may summarize your teaching experience, but you should not merely include a list of the classes you have taught (this information will be on your C.V.) or only a list of the classes you could teach. While references to your past and future plans can help to ground your philosophy, you should also explain what you learned from the classes you have taught or detail how you plan to teach courses in the future.

Tailor your teaching philosophy statement to each institution. If you refer to a class or department that the institution does not have—or does have, but by a different name—this will signal to the committee that you are not taking the application seriously.

Review any mission statements on the institution’s or department’s website. If available, look at the curriculum descriptions in their course catalog or department website. Identify places where your teaching philosophy overlaps and highlight this common ground in your statement.

If you are applying for many jobs in a cycle, it may help to write your statement modularly: standard sections that stay the same and custom sections that you tailor to each institution.

As you write, imagine your audience: the search committee for the job you are applying for. This group may be diverse, including faculty from outside your specialty or even outside of your discipline. You will want to write about your teaching so that it is accessible to a wide range of audiences.

It is also likely that your audience will be reading possibly hundreds of similar documents. Making your statement personal and unique will help catch the committee’s attention.

Structure and format guidelines

There are no official formatting rules for teaching philosophy statements. Still, we recommend that you adhere to the following writing guidelines:

• Limit your statemen to 1.5–2 pages (single-spaced) . Shorter is better. Remember that the faculty reviewing your statement may be reviewing hundreds of applicants.
• Write in the first person (“I” and “me” pronouns). This is a statement of personal philosophy, not an academic article.
• Use an opening “hook.” This could be an anecdote from an experience as a teacher or student, a story about how you became interested in teaching, or even an inspiring quote that motivates your teaching philosophy.
• Balance your ideals with specific descriptions. Your statement should be neither only examples nor only abstract ideals, but rather a mutually-supportive balance.
• Cite your sources. You do not necessarily need to cite pedagogical research in your teaching philosophy statement, although you may if it genuinely influences your teaching. If there are particular teachers who inspire you, mention this inspiration. The function of “citation” here is as much to show who and what motivates you as it is to accord credit.

Get started

Personal philosophy statements can be difficult to start from nothing. We recommend that you begin with some guided reflection questions to help identify your values and relevant experiences. This brainstorm template can help you gather the data you will in drafting your document. It has questions aimed at helping you reflect in more detail on the following questions:

• How do I know that my teaching is effective?

Don’t try to include all of your responses to the questions on the brainstorming document in the actual statement. Instead, review the document once it is complete and ask yourself:

• What stands out as particularly important or impressive?
• What themes or common threads are there that connect different areas of my teaching philosophy?

These can then be the central thesis of your teaching philosophy statement.

After you have drafted your teaching philosophy statement, return to it a few days later to edit. You may find it useful to use a rubric, like this one , as you review your statement. 

Get feedback on your statement

Peer feedback is an invaluable resource in revising and refining a teaching philosophy statement. Convene graduate students both inside and outside of your department to share teaching philosophy statements and provide feedback to one another. You will likely find that you gain as much from giving feedback as you do from receiving it.

We also host regular TPS peer review sessions. See our event calendar for the next scheduled session.

In addition to peer feedback, you can arrange for a consultation with the Teaching Development Fellow in your department or with our staff. It is expected that you have already participated in a peer-review session before signing up for a consultation with TLL staff.

Additional resources

The University of Minnesota Center for Educational Innovation included additional, self-paced exercises that guide you through the drafting process.

Kaplan, et. al. Have devised this rubric based based on a survey of 457 search chair committees in six disciplines. 

Related MIT offices

MIT School of Engineering Communication Lab : The Communication Lab is a discipline-specific peer-coaching program for MIT’s School of Engineering that helps graduate students with their scientific writing, speaking, and visual design.

MIT Writing and Communication Center : The Writing and Communication Center offers free one-on-one professional advice from communication experts. The WCC is staffed completely by MIT lecturers who are experienced college classroom teachers of communication as well as published writers. The WCC works with undergraduates, graduate students, post-doctoral scholars, faculty, and staff.

Kaplan, M., Meizlish, D. S., O’Neal, C., Wright, M. C. (2008). A Research-Based Rubric for Developing Statements of Teaching Philosophy. To Improve the academy (26). [https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2334-4822.2008.tb00512.x]  

Goodyear, G. E., & Allchin, D. (1998). Statement of teaching philosophy. To Improve the Academy (17). 103-22. 

Internship and Career Center

Preparing cover letters for teaching positions in academia.

Cover letters for teaching positions in academia should be tailored to the position and mission of the institution. For 4-year universities, the emphasis is first on research, then secondly teaching and thirdly service. For Liberal Arts colleges and state universities, the emphasis is on a balance of research and teaching, with the research informing your engagement of students, and service. For community colleges, the emphasis is solely on teaching and service, with research noted as a means to stay informed about the field and engage the diverse student population.

General Tips and Suggestions

• Understanding the expectations of the position and the unique characteristics of the institution are essential to writing an effective cover letter. Research the campus and department.
• In some cases and, only with permission of the department, you can use departmental letterhead for your cover letter. Otherwise, creating a header you can use for all of the application materials you are submitting (e.g., CV, Teaching Philosophy Statement, Research Statement) can help create a unified packet.
• Use the same font and margins as your CV and other materials.
• Review your materials for typos and grammar. Error free is best!

Cover Letter Content

Below describes the general content for each paragraph of your cover letter. Before getting started, review the academic cover letter template and samples .

First Paragraph

State the specific position for which you are applying and where you learned about it. If there is not an advertised position, explain who suggested you write and why you are writing. Let the reader know who you are, what your field is and where you are attending school. Indicate any a special interest or background you have that may be of interest to their department or institution. If your research involves collaboration with a well-known person in your field, or if you come recommended by someone in their department, be sure to highlight that relationship up front .

Middle Paragraphs

These paragraphs will vary according to your field and possibly the types of positions you will be applying for (teaching emphasis vs. research emphasis). If you are applying to research universities, discuss your dissertation or thesis (or most recent search), what it accomplishes, your methodology, conclusions, and the implications of your work. This may take more than one paragraph, but you should write to a general audience as opposed to specialists in your field. Discuss future plans for research or research interest as well. You should also point out supporting fields in which you have expertise or enumerate the variety of classes you could teach. If the position requires teaching, be enthusiastic about your experience and discuss the courses you have developed or your teaching style. If it is solely a teaching position, your middle paragraphs should focus on your teaching experience, philosophy, pedagogical approach and teaching interests. You will also want to describe how your research informs your teaching.

Concluding Paragraph

Deal with logistics, namely, are you having a reference file sent, attaching writing samples or chapter of your dissertation? Mention that you look forward to meeting with the committee and to their inviting you for an interview.

Additional Resources

• The Basics of Cover Letter Writing - for academic positions, Chronicle of Higher Education
• Academic Cover Letters - Purdue Online Writing Lab
• Understanding Cover Letters - for academic jobs, Inside Higher Ed

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Writing a Teaching Philosophy

A teaching philosophy is a reflection of your beliefs, values, and goals regarding teaching.  It should also provide concrete examples of how you achieve these goals or endorse your beliefs in the classroom.  In essence, its contents should represent who you are as a person and teacher. 

Tips for Writing Your Teaching Philosophy Statement

Your teaching statement should:

• explain what you want to accomplish and how your teaching is intended to bring that about, addressing both short and long-term goals for your teaching
• illustrate how you design your course content to meet University, departmental, and personal goals while facilitating student learning
• establish a connection between teaching and learning and your classroom practices
• suggest criteria for evaluating your work as a teacher
• demonstrate your engagement with central issues of teaching
• show your commitment to the improvement of your teaching

Questions to ask yourself when writing your statement of teaching philosophy:

• Where do you find your inspiration and/or motivation for teaching?
• What is your view of the teacher’s role in the classroom and with students?
• How do your teaching methods reflect your view?
• Has someone specific influenced your teaching style or approach to teaching – a mentor or past teacher? Why and how?
• How do you feel learning occurs?
• How do you build an intentional classroom culture?
• How do your personal characteristics and teaching style impact your students’ learning?
• How do you help students learn and develop as individuals?
• How do you provide different types of learning opportunities for different types of learners?
• What obstacles do you think students face and how do you help them overcome difficulties?
• How have you modified your methods in response to changes in students, course materials, your situation, changes in curriculum, or other mitigating factors?
• What do you feel you need to change in how you teach? What difference will this make? Express this plan for growth in terms of desired outcomes/underlying values.

General Criteria & Format of Teaching Philosophies

There is no required format for a teaching philosophy.  Many different styles and approaches are considered acceptable.  However, there are some general guidelines related to the content and formatting of your teaching statement.

• Statements of teaching philosophy are generally 1 to 2 pages in length, and rarely longer than 3 pages double spaced.
• Avoid using technical terms when writing your philosophy – while these terms may be understood by individuals within your own field, many times your teaching philosophy is reviewed by individuals from a variety of disciplines and backgrounds if you are being considered for a teaching award.
• Write your teaching philosophy in the present tense.
• Most teaching philosophies are written in a narrative format.
• Provide a few specific examples related to the approaches you use in your teaching.
• Remember to revise this regularly! Your teaching philosophy will – and should – evolve over time.

Tools and Resources

• Teaching Style Inventory –  http://longleaf.net/teachingstyle.html
• Teaching Perspectives Inventory –  http://www.teachingperspectives.com/tpi/
• Teaching Goals Inventory –  https://tgi.its.uiowa.edu/teachinggoals/
• Examples from ECU Faculty
• External Resources for Writing a Teaching Philosophy

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Writing a Statement of Teaching Philosophy 

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Many academic and educational jobs require applicants to submit a statement of teaching philosophy (also sometimes referred to as a teaching statement). This document outlines a teacher's beliefs about teaching and how they put those beliefs into practice in their pedagogy. 

A good teaching statement demonstrates what a teacher brings to the classroom—not only their qualifications and personality, but also specific examples of how they make their teaching align with their values.   In addition to presenting a picture of what someone’s teaching looks like to a reader who’s never seen it, teaching statements also offer an opportunity for teachers to reflect and critically engage with their own pedagogy .  

So, what does a statement of teaching philosophy entail?   T eaching statements should be between one to two pages in length, written in the present tense using language that gestures to a teacher’s specific discipline but avoids jargon. The more specificity, the better—good teaching statements avoid empty, generalized statements about what teachers should or shouldn’t do. Instead, they present examples of individual teachers’ practices, and how those align with that teacher’s values and beliefs about educational best practices. And in making connections between theory and practice—in other words, in giving   the what , how, and why of teaching—good teaching statements also avoid simply rehashing the contents of a CV.  

In terms of content, teaching statements should outline:  

• What beliefs and values a teacher holds regarding education, learning, and teaching  
• W hat goals that teacher has for their students    
• H ow that teacher implements readings, activities, discussions, assignments,  etc.  to help students meet those goal s  
• H ow that teacher evaluates and  asse sses  student work  
• H ow that teacher creates an inclusive teaching environment  

Remember that the goal of a teaching statement is to explain a teacher’s overall vision using specific examples. The document should explain what a teacher believes, what a teacher does, as well as why their actions reflect what they believe.

In other words, a statement of teaching philosophy should ground pedagogical action in values—and explain how values contribute to pedagogy. For example, a teacher should explain how their goals for students, activities, and assessment methods reflect their values and contribute to an inclusive classroom. Making these connections will justify a teacher’s beliefs and practices to their colleagues and potential employers—and writing a statement of teaching philosophy can help teachers better understand those beliefs and practices themselves.   

Looking for more on teaching statements? For a  detailed breakdown of how to address these and other points, including examples of Dos and Don’ts and tips for making your teaching statement stand out, check out our Statement of Teaching Philosophy presentation . 

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Your teaching philosophy is a self-reflective statement of your beliefs about teaching and learning. It's a one to two page narrative that conveys your core ideas about being an effective teacher in the context of your discipline. It develops these ideas with specific, concrete examples of what the teacher and learners will do to achieve those goals. Importantly, your teaching philosophy statement also explains why you choose these options.

+ Getting Started

Your reasons for writing a teaching philosophy may vary. You might be writing it as an exercise in concisely documenting your beliefs so that you can easily articulate them to your students, peers, or a search committee. It might serve as the introduction to your teaching portfolio. Or, it can serve as a means of professional growth as it requires you to give examples of how you enact your philosophy, thus requiring you to consider the degree to which your teaching is congruent with your beliefs.

Generating ideas

Teaching philosophies express your values and beliefs about teaching. They are personal statements that introduce you, as a teacher, to your reader. As such, they are written in the first person and convey a confident, professional tone. When writing a teaching philosophy, use specific examples to illustrate your points. You should also discuss how your values and beliefs about teaching fit into the context of your discipline.

Below are categories you might address with prompts to help you begin generating ideas. Work through each category, spending time thinking about the prompts and writing your ideas down. These notes will comprise the material you’ll use to write the first draft of your teaching philosophy statement. It will help if you include both general ideas (‘I endeavor to create lifelong learners’) as well as specifics about how you will enact those goals. A teaching philosophy template is also available to help you get started.

Questions to prompt your thinking

Your concept of learning.

What do you mean by learning? What happens in a successful learning situation? Note what constitutes "learning" or "mastery" in your discipline.

Your concept of teaching

What are your values, beliefs, and aspirations as a teacher? Do you wish to encourage mastery, competency, transformational learning, lifelong learning, general transference of skills, critical thinking? What does a perfect teaching situation look like to you and why? How are the values and beliefs realized in classroom activities? You may discuss course materials, lesson plans, activities, assignments, and assessment instruments.

Your goals for students

What skills should students obtain as a result of your teaching? Think about your ideal student and what the outcomes of your teaching would be in terms of this student's knowledge or behavior. Address the goals you have for specific classes or curricula and that rational behind them (i.e., critical thinking, writing, or problem solving).

Your teaching methods

What methods will you consider to reach these goals and objectives? What are your beliefs regarding learning theory and specific strategies you would use, such as case studies, group work, simulations, interactive lectures? You might also want to include any new ideas or strategies you want to try.

Your interaction with students

What are you attitudes towards advising and mentoring students? How would an observer see you interact with students? Why do you want to work with students?

Assessing learning

How will you assess student growth and learning? What are your beliefs about grading? Do you grade students on a percentage scale (criterion referenced) or on a curve (norm referenced)? What different types of assessment will you use (i.e. traditional tests, projects, portfolios,  presentations) and why?

Professional growth

How will you continue growing as a teacher? What goals do you have for yourself and how will you reach them? How have your attitudes towards teaching and learning changed over time? How will you use student evaluations to improve your teaching? How might you learn new skills? How do you know when you've taught effectively?

+ Creating a Draft

Two ways of organizing your draft.

Now that you've written down your values, attitudes, and beliefs about teaching and learning, it's time to organize those thoughts into a coherent form. Perhaps the easiest way of organizing this material would be to write a paragraph covering each of the seven prompts you answered in the Getting Started section. These would then become the seven major sections of your teaching philosophy.

Another way of knitting your reflections together—and one that is more personal—is to read through your notes and underscore ideas or observations that come up more than once. Think of these as "themes" that might point you toward an organizational structure for the essay. For example, you read through your notes and realize that you spend a good deal of time writing about your interest in mentoring students. This might become one of the three or four major foci of your teaching philosophy. You should then discuss what it says about your attitudes toward teaching, learning, and what's important in your discipline.

No matter which style you choose, make sure to keep your writing succinct. Aim for two double-spaced pages. And don't forget to start with a "hook." Your job is to make your readers want to read more; their level of engagement is highest when they read your opening line. Hook your readers by beginning with a question, a statement, or even an event from your past.

Using specific examples

Remember to provide concrete examples from your teaching practice to illustrate the general claims you make in your teaching philosophy. The following general statements about teaching are intended as prompts to help you come up with examples to illustrate your claims about teaching. For each statement, how would you describe what happens in your classroom? Is your description specific enough to bring the scene to life in a teaching philosophy?

"I value helping my students understand difficult information. I am an expert, and my role is to model for them complex ways of thinking so that they can develop the same habits of mind as professionals in the medical field."

"I enjoy lecturing, and I'm good at it. I always make an effort to engage and motivate my students when I lecture."

"It is crucial for students of geology to learn the techniques of field research. An important part of my job as a professor of geology is to provide these opportunities."

"I believe that beginning physics students should be introduced to the principles of hypothesis generation, experimentation, data collection, and analysis. By learning the scientific method, they develop critical thinking skills they can apply to other areas of their lives. Small group work is a crucial tool for teaching the scientific method."

"As a teacher of writing, I am committed to using peer review in my classes. By reading and commenting on other students' work in small cooperative groups, my students learn to find their voice, to understand the important connection between writer and audience, and to hone their editing skills. Small group work is indispensible in the writing classroom."

Go back to the notes you made when getting started and underline the general statements you’ve made about teaching and learning. As you start drafting, make sure to note the specific approaches, methods, or products you use to realize those goals.

+ Assessing Your Draft

Assessing your draft teaching philosophy.

According to a survey of search committee chairs by the University of Michigan Center for Research on Learning and Teaching, there are five elements that are shared by strong teaching philosophy statements:

• They offer evidence of practice (specific examples)
• They are student-centered
• They demonstrate reflectiveness
• They demonstrate that the writer values teaching
• They are well written, clear, and readable

Now that you’ve completed an initial draft, ask whether your statement captures these elements and how well you articulate them.

You might find it useful to compare your draft to other teaching philosophies in your discipline. It can also be useful to have a colleague review your draft and offer recommendations for revision. Consider printing out a teaching philosophy rubric from our “Rubrics and Samples” tab to provide your reviewer with guidelines to assess your draft. These exercises will give you the critical distance necessary to see your teaching philosophy objectively and revise it accordingly.

+ Rubrics and Samples

Rubrics and sample teaching philosophies.

Here are links to three teaching philosophy rubrics to help you assess your statement. We have included four different rubrics for you to choose from. These rubrics cover similar elements, and one is not necessarily better than the other. Your choice of which to use should be guided by how comfortable you feel with the particular instrument and how usable you find it. 

• Teaching Philosophy Rubric 1   This rubric allows a reader to rate several elements of persuasiveness and format on a scale of 1 to 5.
• Teaching Philosophy Rubric 2   This rubric contains prompts for assessing purpose and audience, voice, beliefs and support, and conventions.
• Teaching Philosophy Rubric 3   This rubric contains prompts for assessing content, format, and writing quality.
• Rubric for Statements of Teaching Philosophy  This rubric was developed by Kaplan et. al. from the University of Michigan.
• Marisol Brito – philosophy 
• Benjamin Harrison – biology  
• Jamie Peterson – psychology
• The University of Michigan has a wide variety of  samples  organized by field of study.
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Writers Workshop

Teaching Philosophy Statements

A statement of teaching philosophy is an argument-driven document that conveys your understanding of teaching and learning and your goals for teaching. It should also provide some evidence of your teaching practices by including concrete, specific examples of your in-class methods, assignments, and evaluation methods. Your statement of teaching philosophy should allow readers to “see” you in the classroom—to visualize the way you interact with students and structure learning experiences.

The core components of a teaching philosophy statement are:

• What are your learning goals for your students and your courses?
• Make sure to provide specific, concrete examples to give readers a clear vision of your teaching, as well as evidence of your effectiveness as a teacher.
• Here, you might discuss how you respond to student writing, your evaluation methods, or specific assignments from classes you’ve taught.

General Suggestions

Keeping in mind that prompts might provide more insight, or ask for less or more, and that different disciplines might have different expectations, here are a few general suggestions for writing your statement. Your statement should generally be:

• 1-2 pages long
• Single spaced, 12-point font
• 1 st person and present tense: “In my teaching, I focus on XYZ.”
• Tailored to audience. Try to avoid really discipline specific jargon—remember that your application materials will be read by a variety of audiences.
• Different from your other materials. Materials such as your cover letter, CV, research or diversity statements all have their own generic conventions and goals. Some overlap is okay, but you don’t want to be really repetitive across these materials.
• Balanced between buzzwords and concrete examples/ applications. While you want to be careful of overused terms related to teaching, such as “student-centered teaching,” if you choose to use such terms, balance them with concrete examples of how you do this in your classroom with your students.

Tips for Getting Started

• Your statement will be stronger if you not only state a philosophy of teaching but also provide specific examples of how that philosophy translates to practice. Are there activities you do that help you achieve your teaching goals? What assignments do you use that show us that your teaching is “student centered” or “collaborative”? What classroom strategies do you use to create an “inclusive learning environment”?
• Researching the institution and disciplinary trends can help you learn what approaches to teaching the institution (or maybe even department) values. You may need to write different teaching statements for different types of institutions—for example, religiously-affiliated institutions, liberal-arts colleges, and research universities.
• If possible, building connections across your teaching, research, and service can make your statement stronger and continue to show that you’re a well-rounded applicant.
• Sometimes schools will ask for a teaching portfolio in addition to a teaching philosophy statement. If that’s the case, you’re often asked to include other materials such as sample syllabi, assignments, and teaching evaluations. You should make connections to these materials in your statement. For example: “My teaching evaluations show that students in my courses appreciate XYZ.”

Developing Your Own Philosophy

• What are your goals for teaching your classes?
• How do you help students achieve those goals?
• Where do you fall on this spectrum?
• Why do you feel this way?
• How does this translate to your practice? Be specific.

Related Links:

• Academic Cover Letters
• Curriculum Vitae
• Diversity Statements

You can find additional information and sample statements through the Graduate College Career Development Office , University of Michigan’s Center for Research on Learning and Teaching , and The Professor is In .

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Academic Cover Letters

What is this handout about.

The long list of application materials required for many academic teaching jobs can be daunting. This handout will help you tackle one of the most important components: the cover letter or letter of interest. Here you will learn about writing and revising cover letters for academic teaching jobs in the United States of America.

What is an academic cover letter?

An academic cover letter describes your experiences and interest as a candidate for a specific position. It introduces you to the hiring committee and demonstrates how your academic background fits with the description of the position.

What do cover letters for academic teaching jobs typically contain?

At their most basic level, academic cover letters accomplish three things: one, they express your interest in the job; two, they provide a brief synopsis of your research and teaching; and three, they summarize your past experiences and achievements to illustrate your competence for the job. For early-career scholars, cover letters are typically no more than two pages (up to four pages for senior scholars). Occasionally, a third page may make sense for an early-career scholar if the application does not require a separate teaching statement and/or research statement. Digital versions of cover letters often contain hyperlinks to your CV or portfolio page. For some fields, cover letters may also include examples of your work, including music, popular articles, and other multimedia related to your research, service, or teaching available online. Typically, letters appear on departmental or university letterhead and include your signature. Above all, a strong cover letter presents your accomplishments and your familiarity with the institution and with the position.

How should I prepare to write my academic cover letter?

Like all writing, composing a cover letter is a process. The process may be as short as a few hours or as long as several weeks, but at the end the letter should present you as a strong candidate for the job. The following section has tips and questions for thinking through each stage of this writing process. You don’t need to answer all of these questions to write the letter; they are meant to help you brainstorm ideas.

Before you begin writing your cover letter, consider researching the institution, the department, and the student population. Incorporating all three aspects in your letter will help convey your interest in the position.

Get to know the institution. When crafting your cover letter, be aware of the type of institution to which you are applying. Knowing how the institution presents itself can help you tailor your letter and make it more specific.

• Where is the institution located?
• Is it on a quarter-system or semester-system?
• What type of institution is it? Is it an R1? Is it an R2? Is it a liberal arts college? Is it an HBCU? Is it a community college? A private high school?
• What is the institution’s culture? Is it teaching-focused or research-focused? Does it privilege experiential learning? Does it value faculty involvement outside the classroom? Is it affiliated with a specific religious tradition?
• Does it have any specific institutional commitments?
• How does the institution advocate for involvement in its local community?
• What are the professional development opportunities for new and junior faculty?

Learn about the department. Knowing the specific culture and needs of the department can help you reach your audience: the department members who will be reading your documents and vetting you as a candidate.

• Who is on the search committee? Who is the search committee chair?
• What is the official name of the department?
• Which different subfields make up the department?
• Is it a dual appointment or a position in a dual department?
• How does the department participate in specific types of student outreach?
• Does the department have graduate students? Does it offer a terminal Master’s degree, Ph.D., or both? How large are the cohorts? How are they funded?
• Does the department encourage or engage in interdisciplinary work?
• Does the majority of the department favor certain theoretical or methodological approaches?
• Does the department have partnerships with local institutions? If so, which ones?
• Is the department attempting to fill a specific vacancy, or is it an entirely new position?
• What are the typical course offerings in the department? Which courses might you be expected to teach? What courses might you be able to provide that are not currently available?

Consider the students. The search committee will often consider how you approach instructing and mentoring the student body. Sometimes committees will even reserve a position for a student or solicit student feedback on a candidate:

• What populations constitute the majority of the undergraduate population?
• Have there been any shifts in the student population recently?
• Do students largely come from in-state or out-of-state?
• Is there an international student population? If so, from which countries?
• Is the university recruiting students from traditionally underrepresented populations?
• Are students particularly active on campus? If so, how?

Many answers to these questions can be found both in the job description and on the institution’s website. If possible, consider contacting someone you know at the institution to ask about the culture directly. You can also use the institution’s course catalog, recruitment materials, alumni magazine, and other materials to get answers to these questions. The key is to understand the sort of institution to which you are applying, its immediate needs, and its future trajectory.

Remember, there is a resource that can help you with all three aspects—people. Reach out to your advisor, committee members, faculty mentors, and other contacts for insight into the prospective department’s culture and faculty. They might even help you revise your letter based on their expertise. Think of your job search as an opportunity to cultivate these relationships.

After you have done some initial research, think about how your experiences have prepared you for the job and identify the ones that seem the most relevant. Consider your previous research, internships, graduate teaching, and summer experiences. Here are some topics and questions to get you started thinking about what you might include.

Research Experiences. Consider how your research has prepared you for an academic career. Since the letter is a relatively short document, select examples of your research that really highlight who you are as a scholar, the direction you see your work going, and how your scholarship will contribute to the institution’s research community.

• What are your current research interests?
• What topics would you like to examine in the future?
• How have you pursued those research interests?
• Have you traveled for your research?
• Have you published any of your research? Have you presented it at a conference, symposium, or elsewhere?
• Have you worked or collaborated with scholars at different institutions on projects? If so, what did these collaborations produce?
• Have you made your research accessible to your local community?
• Have you received funding or merit-based fellowships for your research?
• What other research contributions have you made? This may include opinion articles, book chapters, or participating as a journal reviewer.
• How do your research interests relate to those of other faculty in the department or fill a gap?

Teaching Experience. Think about any teaching experience you may have. Perhaps you led recitations as a teaching assistant, taught your own course, or guest lectured. Pick a few experiences to discuss in your letter that demonstrate something about your teaching style or your interest in teaching.

• What courses are you interested in teaching for the department? What courses have you taught that discussed similar topics or themes?
• What new courses can you imagine offering the department that align with their aim and mission?
• Have you used specific strategies that were helpful in your instruction?
• What sort of resources do you typically use in the classroom?
• Do you have anecdotes that demonstrate your teaching style?
• What is your teaching philosophy?
• When have you successfully navigated a difficult concept or topic in the classroom, and what did you learn?
• What other opportunities could you provide to students?

Internships/Summer/Other Experiences. Brainstorm a list of any conferences, colloquiums, and workshops you have attended, as well as any ways you have served your department, university, or local community. This section will highlight how you participate in your university and scholarly community. Here are some examples of things you might discuss:

• Professional development opportunities you may have pursued over the summer or during your studies
• International travel for research or presentations
• Any research you’ve done in a non-academic setting
• Presentations at conferences
• Participation in symposia, reading groups, working groups, etc.
• Internships in which you may have implemented your research or practical skills related to your discipline
• Participation in community engagement projects
• Participation in or leadership of any scholarly and/or university organizations

In answering these questions, create a list of the experiences that you think best reflect you as a scholar and teacher. In choosing which experiences to highlight, consider your audience and what they would find valuable or relevant. Taking the time to really think about your reader will help you present yourself as an applicant well-qualified for the position.

Writing a draft

Remember that the job letter is an opportunity to introduce yourself and your accomplishments and to communicate why you would be a good fit for the position. Typically, search committees will want to know whether you are a capable job candidate, familiar with the institution, and a great future addition to the department’s faculty. As such, be aware of how the letter’s structure and content reflect your preparedness for the position.

The structure of your cover letter should reflect the typical standards for letter writing in the country in which the position is located (the list below reflects the standards for US letter writing). This usually includes a salutation, body, and closing, as well as proper contact information. If you are affiliated with a department, institution, or organization, the letter should be on letterhead.

• Use a simple, readable font in a standard size, such as 10-12pt. Some examples of fonts that may be conventional in your field include Arial, Garamond, Times New Roman, and Verdana, among other similar fonts.
• Do not indent paragraphs.
• Separate all paragraphs by a line and justify them to the left.
• Make sure that any included hyperlinks work.
• Include your signature in the closing.

Before you send in your letter, make sure you proofread and look for formatting mistakes. You’ll read more about proofreading and revising later in this handout!

The second most important aspect of your letter is its content. Since the letter is the first chance to provide an in-depth introduction, it should expand on who you are as a scholar and possible faculty member. Below are some elements to consider including when composing your letter.

Identify the position you are applying to and introduce yourself. Traditionally, the first sentence of a job letter includes the full name of the position and where you discovered the job posting. This is also the place to introduce yourself and describe why you are applying for this position. Since the goal of a job letter is to persuade the search committee to include you on the list of candidates for further review, you may want to include an initial claim as to why you are a strong candidate for the position. Some questions you might consider:

• What is your current status (ABD, assistant professor, post-doc, etc.)?
• If you are ABD, have you defended your dissertation? If not, when will you defend?
• Why are you interested in this position?
• Why are you a strong candidate for this position?

Describe your research experience and interests. For research-centered positions, such as positions at R1 or other types of research-centered universities, include information about your research experience and current work early in the letter. For many applicants, current work will be the dissertation project. If this is the case, some suggest calling your “dissertation research” your “current project” or “work,” as this may help you present yourself as an emerging scholar rather than a graduate student. Some questions about your research that you might consider:

• What research experiences have you had?
• What does your current project investigate?
• What are some of the important methods you applied?
• Have you collaborated with others in your research?
• Have you acquired specific skills that will be useful for the future?
• Have you received special funding? If so, what kind?
• Has your research received any accolades or rewards?
• What does your current project contribute to the field?
• Where have you presented your research?
• Have you published your research? If so, where? Or are you working on publishing your work?
• How does your current project fit the job description?

Present your plans for future research. This section presents your research agenda and usually includes a description of your plans for future projects and research publications. Detailing your future research demonstrates to the search committee that you’ve thought about a research trajectory and can work independently. If you are applying to a teaching-intensive position, you may want to minimize this section and/or consider including a sentence or two on how this research connects to undergraduate and/or graduate research opportunities. Some questions to get you started:

• What is your next research project/s?
• How does this connect to your current and past work?
• What major theories/methods will you use?
• How will this project contribute to the field?
• Where do you see your specialty area or subfield going in the next ten years and how does your research contribute to or reflect this?
• Will you be collaborating with anyone? If so, with whom?
• How will this future project encourage academic discourse?
• Do you already have funding? If so, from whom? If not, what plans do you have for obtaining funding?
• How does your future research expand upon the department’s strengths while simultaneously diversifying the university’s research portfolio? (For example, does your future research involve emerging research fields, state-of-the-art technologies, or novel applications?)

Describe your teaching experience and highlight teaching strategies. This section allows you to describe your teaching philosophy and how you apply this philosophy in your classroom. Start by briefly addressing your teaching goals and values. Here, you can provide specific examples of your teaching methods by describing activities and projects you assign students. Try to link your teaching and research together. For example, if you research the rise of feminism in the 19th century, consider how you bring either the methodology or the content of your research into the classroom. For a teaching-centered institution, such as a small liberal arts college or community college, you may want to emphasize your teaching more than your research. If you do not have any teaching experience, you could describe a training, mentoring, or coaching situation that was similar to teaching and how you would apply what you learned in a classroom.

• What is your teaching philosophy? How is your philosophy a good fit for the department in which you are applying to work?
• What sort of teaching strategies do you use in the classroom?
• What is your teaching style? Do you lecture? Do you emphasize discussion? Do you use specific forms of interactive learning?
• What courses have you taught?
• What departmental courses are you prepared to teach?
• Will you be able to fill in any gaps in the departmental course offerings?
• What important teaching and/or mentoring experiences have you had?
• How would you describe yourself in the classroom?
• What type of feedback have you gotten from students?
• Have you received any awards or recognition for your teaching?

Talk about your service work. Service is often an important component of an academic job description. This can include things like serving on committees or funding panels, providing reviews, and doing community outreach. The cover letter gives you an opportunity to explain how you have involved yourself in university life outside the classroom. For instance, you could include descriptions of volunteer work, participation in initiatives, or your role in professional organizations. This section should demonstrate ways in which you have served your department, university, and/or scholarly community. Here are some additional examples you could discuss:

• Participating in graduate student or junior faculty governance
• Sitting on committees, departmental or university-wide
• Partnerships with other university offices or departments
• Participating in community-partnerships
• Participating in public scholarship initiatives
• Founding or participating in any university initiatives or programs
• Creating extra-curricular resources or presentations

Present yourself as a future faculty member. This section demonstrates who you will be as a colleague. It gives you the opportunity to explain how you will collaborate with faculty members with similar interests; take part in departmental and/or institution wide initiatives or centers; and participate in departmental service. This shows your familiarity with the role of faculty outside the classroom and your ability to add to the departmental and/or institutional strengths or fill in any gaps.

• What excites you about this job?
• What faculty would you like to collaborate with and why? (This answer may be slightly tricky. See the section on name dropping below.)
• Are there any partnerships in the university or outside of it that you wish to participate in?
• Are there any centers associated with the university or in the community that you want to be involved in?
• Are there faculty initiatives that you are passionate about?
• Do you have experience collaborating across various departments or within your own department?
• In what areas will you be able to contribute?
• Why would you make an excellent addition to the faculty at this institution?

Compose a strong closing. This short section should acknowledge that you have sent in all other application documents and include a brief thank you for the reader’s time and/or consideration. It should also state your willingness to forward additional materials and indicate what you would like to see as next steps (e.g., a statement that you look forward to speaking with the search committee). End with a professional closing such as “Sincerely” or “Kind Regards” followed by your full name.

If you are finding it difficult to write the different sections of your cover letter, consider composing the other academic job application documents (the research statement, teaching philosophy, and diversity statement) first and then summarizing them in your job letter.

Different kinds of letters may be required for different types of jobs. For example, some jobs may focus on research. In this case, emphasize your research experiences and current project/s. Other jobs may be more focused on teaching. In this case, highlight your teaching background and skills. Below are two models for how you could change your letter’s organization based on the job description and the institution. The models offer a guide for you to consider how changing the order of information and the amount of space dedicated to a particular topic changes the emphasis of the letter.

Research-Based Position Job Letter Example:

Teaching-based position job letter example:.

Remember your first draft does not have to be your last. Try to get feedback from different readers, especially if it is one of your first applications. It is not uncommon to go through several stages of revisions. Check out the Writing Center’s handout on editing and proofreading and video on proofreading to help with this last stage of writing.

Potential pitfalls

Using the word dissertation. Some search committee members may see the word “dissertation” as a red flag that an applicant is too focused on their role as a graduate student rather than as a prospective faculty member. It may be advantageous, then, to describe your dissertation as current research, a current research project, current work, or some other phrase that demonstrates you are aware that your dissertation is the beginning of a larger scholarly career.

Too much jargon. While you may be writing to a specific department, people on the search committee might be unfamiliar with the details of your subfield. In fact, many committees have at least one member from outside their department. Use terminology that can easily be understood by non-experts. If you want to use a specific term that is crucial to your research, then you should define it. Aim for clarity for your reader, which may mean simplification in lieu of complete precision.

Overselling yourself. While your job letter should sell you as a great candidate, saying so (e.g., “I’m the ideal candidate”) in your letter may come off to some search committee members as presumptuous. Remember that although you have an idea about the type of colleague a department is searching for, ultimately you do not know exactly what they want. Try to avoid phrases or sentences where you state you are the ideal or the only candidate right for the position.

Paying too much attention to the job description. Job descriptions are the result of a lot of debate and compromise. If you have skills or research interests outside the job description, consider including them in your letter. It may be that your extra research interests; your outside skills; and/or your extracurricular involvements make you an attractive candidate. For example, if you are a Latin Americanist who also happens to be well-versed in the Spanish Revolution, it could be worth mentioning the expanse of your research interests because a department might find you could fill in other gaps in the curriculum or add an additional or complementary perspective to the department.

Improper sendoff. The closing of your letter is just as important as the beginning. The end of the letter should reflect the professionalism of the document. There should be a thank-you and the word sincerely or a formal equivalent. Remember, it is the very last place in your letter where you present yourself as a capable future colleague.

Small oversights. Make sure to proofread your letter not just for grammar but also for content. For example, if you use material from another letter, make sure you do not include the names of another school, department, or unassociated faculty! Or, if the school is in Chicago, make sure you do not accidentally reference it as located in the Twin Cities.

Name dropping. You rarely know the internal politics of the department or institution to which you are applying. So be cautious about the names you insert in your cover letters. You do not want to unintentionally insert yourself into a departmental squabble or add fire to an interdepartmental conflict. Instead, focus on the actions you will undertake and the initiatives you are passionate about.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Ball, Cheryl E. 2013. “Understanding Cover Letters.” Inside Higher Ed , November 3, 2013. https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2013/11/04/essay-cover-letter-academic-jobs .

Borchardt, John. 2014. “Writing a Winning Cover Letter.” Science Magazine , August 6, 2014. https://www.sciencemag.org/careers/2014/08/writing-winning-cover-letter# .

Helmreich, William. 2013. “Your First Academic Job.” Inside Higher Ed , June 17, 2013. https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2013/06/17/essay-how-land-first-academic-job .

Kelsky, Karen. 2013. “How To Write a Journal Article Submission Cover Letter.” The Professor Is In (blog), April 26, 2013. https://theprofessorisin.com/2013/04/26/how-to-write-a-journal-article-submission-cover-letter/ .

Tomaska, Lubomir, and Josef Nosek. 2008. “Ten Simple Rules for Writing a Cover Letter to Accompany a Job Application for an Academic Position.” PLoS Computational Biology 14(5). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1006132 .

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Philosophy Professor Cover Letter Examples & Writing Tips

Use these Philosophy Professor cover letter examples and writing tips to help you write a powerful cover letter that will separate you from the competition.

Table Of Contents

• Philosophy Professor Example 1
• Philosophy Professor Example 2
• Philosophy Professor Example 3
• Cover Letter Writing Tips

Philosophy professors teach students about the history of philosophy, ethics, and the nature of knowledge. They also help students develop their own philosophical arguments.

In order to be a successful philosophy professor, you need to be able to think critically and communicate complex ideas in a clear and concise manner.

Use these examples and tips to write a philosophy professor cover letter that shows hiring managers that you’re the perfect candidate for the job.

Philosophy Professor Cover Letter Example 1

I am excited to be applying for the Philosophy Professor position at St. Helena University. I believe that my experience and education would be an excellent fit for the philosophy and resources offered by your institution.

I have been a professor of philosophy for the past 10 years in various capacities and at various institutions. I have also been a visiting professor at several universities, including Oxford and Cambridge. In each class that I have taught, 100% of my students have passed their exams and improved their scores comparatively. I have also received the Teacher of the Year award twice and been highly rated by parents and students alike.

What I enjoy most about teaching philosophy is the challenge of helping students to think critically and to develop their own philosophical arguments. I also enjoy working with students one-on-one to help them to grow as individuals. As a team player, I have joined and participated in committees and school improvement projects to help build a better environment for students and staff alike.

Thank you for considering me for this position. I look forward to meeting you in person and sharing with you my teaching philosophy while learning more about this job opportunity. I am a committed lifelong learner and I will continue to grow as a philosopher and in my knowledge of subject matter throughout my time at your school.

Philosophy Professor Cover Letter Example 2

I am writing to apply for the Philosophy Professor position that was recently advertised on your website. I am confident that I have the skills and qualifications that you are looking for, and I am eager to put my experience to work in this role.

I have been a Philosophy Professor for the past three years, and during that time I have developed a strong reputation for myself as an effective and engaging teacher. I utilize a variety of teaching methods, including visual aids, projects, online resources, and technology, to engage my students and help them learn. I am also well-versed in using various educational software programs.

In addition to my teaching experience, I have a doctorate in philosophy from Boston University. This degree has given me the academic background and research skills necessary to be an effective professor. I am also well-versed in the latest research in the field of philosophy, and I am always up-to-date on the latest trends and developments.

I believe that I would be an excellent addition to your team, and I look forward to the opportunity to discuss this position with you in further detail. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Philosophy Professor Cover Letter Example 3

I am writing to express my interest in the philosophy professor position at your university. I have been a philosophy professor for the past five years, and I have taught at several different universities. My students have always given me positive feedback on my teaching style, and I have received excellent reviews from my superiors.

I believe that philosophy is an important subject that should be taught to all students. It teaches them how to think critically about the world around them, and it helps them develop their own opinions on important issues. Philosophy also teaches students how to communicate their thoughts effectively, which is an essential skill in today’s business world.

My experience as a philosophy professor has given me the opportunity to work with many different types of students. Some of them are very interested in the subject, while others are only taking the class because they need it for their major. I enjoy working with all kinds of students, and I find that it makes me a better teacher. I can tailor my lessons to meet the needs of each student.

I would love the opportunity to discuss my qualifications with you in person. I am available at your convenience during the week or on weekends. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Philosophy Professor Cover Letter Writing Tips

1. show your teaching experience.

When applying for a job as a philosophy professor, you need to show how well you communicate with people from all walks of life. You’ll be communicating with clients, opposing counsel, expert witnesses and your team on a regular basis. So it’s important that you show your strong communication skills to the hiring manager in the cover letter.

To do this, talk about how effective you are at verbal and written communication. The more examples of each type of communication (written and verbal) that you can provide in your cover letter the better!

2. Customize your cover letter

Law firms are used to receiving cover letters—so many of them in fact, that they’re often just skimmed over and not given the attention they deserve. To get noticed, you need a killer opening line and customized content outlining why you want to work for their firm.

To write an effective opening line for a law firm cover letter:

• Reach out to people working at the agency through LinkedIn and ask for advice or help in crafting your resume/cover letter.
• Use specific examples from past work experiences that highlight how you can contribute to this particular company’s goals.
• Ask someone who works there what aspect of the job they found most interesting/challenging. Use this information as inspiration when writing about why you want this position.

3. Highlight intellectual curiosity and motivation

Lawyers are always looking for candidates who have a strong track record of success, but they also want to make sure they’re hiring individuals with the drive to keep learning.

To show that you have what it takes to be successful as an attorney, highlight your intellectual curiosity and motivation in your cover letter. For example, explain how you prepared for exams by reading recent case precedent or how you regularly attend networking events hosted at local law firms.

4. Proofread your cover letter

When applying for a position as an attorney, it is crucial to have a strong understanding of grammar and proper sentence structure. In your cover letter, you’ll want to avoid any mistakes in spelling or grammar. Remember that employers will look at your writing style and see if you have the necessary skills needed for the job before inviting you for an interview.

Environmental Lawyer Cover Letter Examples & Writing Tips

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ChatGPT for Teachers

Trauma-informed practices in schools, teacher well-being, cultivating diversity, equity, & inclusion, integrating technology in the classroom, social-emotional development, covid-19 resources, invest in resilience: summer toolkit, civics & resilience, all toolkits, degree programs, trauma-informed professional development, teacher licensure & certification, how to become - career information, classroom management, instructional design, lifestyle & self-care, online higher ed teaching, current events, tips for writing an effective teaching and research statement.

A compelling teaching and research statement can make the difference between getting the academic job desired and having the profile ignored with dozens of other job seekers. One may not actually be asked to present a teaching statement during the job application process, but the action of writing one will help to clarify one’s goals and how to talk about them. If asked for a statement of teaching and research, then it will be a useful resource to have completed.

Writing a teaching and research statement

Take the time to write your statement correctly, for it is not something that can come “off the top of your head.” Teaching and research statements are a summary of work and teaching philosophy, both of which can be very complicated statements.

The research statement discusses a person’s work in a way that helps people understand one’s interests and focus in his or her work. It should address several points clearly and concisely:

• What impact has it had or is expected to have?
• How does it line up (if it does) with other work being done in the field?
• What changes might there be in a person’s life as a result of this work?
• How might someone be challenged to make use of this work?
• What additional questions have come up as a result of the work?
• What is the timeline and what resources are required to make this happen?

The research statement could be several pages, but be prepared to create a one to two-page summary that can be presented on demand. One can speak with the facility to which they are applying and get an idea of the length and format of the research statement they wish to see.

The teaching statement presents one’s philosophy on teaching. This should not only talk about the techniques used, but the motivation behind choosing those particular methods. Some of the points that a teaching statement might cover are:

• What are one’s goals for teaching and the reasoning behind the particular methods used?
• How have they been adapted to one’s own style?
• How effective are these techniques compared to other techniques in the field?
• How has one’s implementation of a particular tool been influenced by his or her teaching style?
• How does one’s method of teaching take into account the various ways in which people learn?

The teaching statement should communicate a person’s vision for teaching and describe how and why the methods selected improve the teaching experience for people. This is a presentation of how the teaching methods of one person have influenced the teaching profession.

Both the teaching and research statements are created for the employer to determine what kind of teacher or researcher a person is and how he or she will fit into the organization. Especially in the academic role, one must be able to work within the policies of the institution and with the various philosophies of his or her co-workers. Tenure often depends on this.

When creating these statements, there are some guidelines applicable to both:

Focus on the how, not the what

This is not a laundry list of the research work or teaching that’s been done. It may be helpful to present a short list of topics to emphasize the focus or diversity. But the real purpose of these statements is to discuss why those classes were taught, or why that piece of research was done.

Back up statements with evidence

There is often the tendency to make positive, but very open-ended statements in teaching and research statements and CVs. Those get glossed over unless there is a statement of proof accompanying them. One might say “I create a safe learning environment for students,” but the real question is how is this done? Make sure to reword those statements as “I create a safe learning environment for students by…” which covers the obvious question.

Create good writing examples

These statements will give some insight into how well a person can write. They should serve not only as the tool for communicating teaching philosophy and work accomplishments, but as a piece of writing that demonstrates how one communicates through the written word. Do not ignore spelling and grammar checking. Even when making simple revisions, recheck spelling and grammar when done.

Express confidence, not omniscience

Do not let these statements sound as if one knows all there is to know about teaching and research. The tone should not present that mistakes never happened. It is more useful to talk about successes mixed in with some failures and how one learned from those times. Show how one continues to become a better professional by learning from mistakes.

Keep the focus external

These statements should express how the teaching and research efforts were done for the benefit of the students or other researchers. A tone of humility is preferred over a selfish one. This helps to emphasize the motivation for which these tasks were done. Both of these statements give insight into what drives the person and helps the employer see how he or she will work with the existing staff and in the organization.

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