Apply for 2025-26 courses here

Apply to join an ACUE course

MSU Denver offers the 4 ACUE courses that lead to a nationally recognized Certificate in Effective College Instruction endorsed by the American Council of Education (ACE). Since 2019, over 130 MSU Denver faculty have received the full certification, and over 70 have completed individual courses.

One course will be offered each semester. Participants can sign up for courses individually, putting together the 4 courses over 2 years or just taking one course of interest.

The university has invested in these opportunities for all faculty (all ranks, all types). The program has been valuable to new and veteran faculty looking to deepen their practice, try out new ideas, and discuss teaching with colleagues.

Upcoming Courses

 

Creating an Inclusive and Supportive Learning Environment (Fall 2025)

Create an optimal environment that supports learning, increases engagement, embraces diversity, and helps students persist in meeting academic challenges. This course contains 7 modules that take approximately 8 weeks to complete. Modules include:

  • Leading the First Day of Class
  • Promoting a Civil Learning Environment
  • Ensuring Equitable Access to Learning
  • Helping Students Persist in Their Studies
  • Embracing Diversity in Your Classroom
  • Checking for Student Understanding
  • Providing Useful Feedback

Course dates: Sept 8 – Nov 9, 2025

Application deadline: August 22, 2025

 

Designing Learner-Centered and Equitable Courses (Spring 2026)

Design more learner-centered courses with aligned assessments, assignments, and learning experiences that offer students clarity around what they are learning and how they will be assessed. This course contains 6 modules that take approximately 8 weeks to complete. Modules include:

  • Ensuring Learner-Centered Course Outcomes
  • Designing Aligned Assessments and Assignments
  • Aligning Learning Experiences with Course Outcomes
  • Creating Equity with Checklists and Rubrics
  • Developing Equitable Grading Practices
  • Preparing an Inclusive Syllabus

Course dates: Feb 2 – March 29, 2026

Application deadline: January 16, 2026

What is ACUE?

Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) courses prepare and support faculty to teach with research-based best practices, improving student achievement and closing equity gaps. Completion of ACUE courses leads to a nationally recognized Certificate in Effective College Instruction endorsed by the American Council of Education (ACE).

What can you expect when taking ACUE courses?

  • Starting in 2024, one (micro)course is offered each semester. Each course consists of 6-7 modules that are completed asynchronously, with one module delivered per week (with occasional break weeks).
  • Each module includes research-based strategies to try out in your course immediately, teaching simulations and scenarios to discuss, and examples and methods for both in-person and online teaching.
  • The average time commitment to complete a course is 2-3 hours per week over 7-8 weeks.
  • ACUE courses are offered at no cost to you or your department, thanks to contributions from grants and funds.
  • Completion of the four main ACUE courses results in a nationally recognized Certificate in Effective College Instruction endorsed by ACE.

Course Schedule

Fall 2025

Creating an Inclusive and Support Learning Environment (Sept 8 – Nov 9, 2025)

Spring 2026

Designing Learner-Centered and Equitable Courses (Feb 2 – March 29, 2026)

"You Make the Difference" - ACUE

MSU Denver began partnering with ACUE in 2019 and we have offered 7 year-long faculty learning cohorts. Over 130 faculty have become fully certified in the Effective Teaching Practices program, including special interest areas such as:

  • Effective Teaching Practices
  • Effective Online Teaching Practices
  • Effective Teaching Practices + Career Prep
  • Effective Online Teaching Practices + Antiracism

What past MSU Denver participants said about this course: 

  • “This course has enabled me to gain confidence in areas I’ve struggled with, confirm areas of strength and fine-tune several areas of my courses, ultimately enabling me and my students to be more successful in the classroom.” 
  • “I love all the information and practical applications of this ACUE course. I feel energized to integrate so many aspects.” 
  • “I have thoroughly enjoyed this program — I have learned so much that I will be continuing to implement in my ensuing courses. … It helped me feel confident about what I have done for the past five years — but also I have so many new ideas and ways to build on my foundation as a strong instructor. This was immensely valuable!” 
  • “I am incredibly grateful for for the opportunity to take this course. It has helped me do a much better job, especially in this virtual environment. I’m teaching this semester and it is going so much better than in prior years.”

Effective Teaching Practices

Apply for future courses here

Apply to join an ACUE course

ACUE's Effective Practice Framework

ACUE’s Effective Practice Framework centers research-based instructional skills and knowledge that every college educator should possess, regardless of discipline or type of institution.

The core of every ACUE course is the already extensive Effective Teaching Practices Framework program.  This program addresses the essential pedagogical skills and knowledge in five units of study, including examples and methods for both in-person and online courses:

ACUE Graduates

Over 130 MSU Denver faculty have received the nationally recognized Certificate in Effective College Instruction!

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