The Teaching Towards Inclusive Excellence (TTIE) certificate program is an initiative of The Center for Teaching Excellence and the Division of Access, Title IX, and Community Engagement. The TTIE program is designed to provide an opportunity for faculty, instructors and teaching graduate students to support USC’s commitment to inclusive excellence both within and outside their classroom.
Program Description
Teaching Towards Inclusive Excellence addresses teaching philosophies and practices by integrating pedagogical principles aligned with inclusive excellence into the classroom environment, course design and assignments that increase awareness of the importance of cultural competence, civic engagement and civil discourse. Key outcomes for participants include obtaining a deeper understanding of the people, practices and initiatives that support and foster a sense of community at USC, as well as obtaining ideas, strategies and resources that instructors can use to both build their cultural competencies and identify community partnerships across the institution.
Program Requirements
Faculty, instructors and teaching graduate assistants who participate in eight or more Teaching Towards Inclusive Excellence approved Center for Teaching Excellence workshops will receive a certificate of completion and a letter of commendation. Participants will be required to attend the Inclusive Excellence at USC workshop and seven (7) electives. Participants will have 3 academic semesters (not including summer semesters) to complete the certificate.
Elective Workshops Fall 2025
In-Person 
Webinar 
Wednesday, September 10, 10:00am - 11:15am - Webinar
Bias can surface in a classroom through a quick comment, an assignment example, or even an unintended tone. This interactive session moves beyond abstract cultural awareness into the practical work of recognizing and interrupting bias as it unfolds. We will begin with a short, guided reflection that helps each of us notice how personal cultural lenses may shape our teaching choices. Next, we examine research-based classroom vignettes where bias shows up in discussion, group work, and feedback. Together, we will practice two evidence-informed response moves:
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Call in: inviting a student or colleague into a private, reflective dialogue
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Call out: naming an exclusionary remark or action publicly while maintaining a climate of respect
We will wrap up by creating concise bias interruption guidelines and restorative prompts that can be woven into syllabi or lesson plans to rebuild trust and reaffirm shared expectations. Register
Monday, September 22, 10:50am - 11:40am - Webinar
How do we view our students? How can you harness their strengths and abilities to succeed? In this session, we will recognize how the lenses that we view students through form a hidden curriculum of expectations and how we can shift to leveraging the strengths of all students. We will apply strategies for creating more equitable teaching to enhance our teaching practices and empower students. Register
Thursday, October 2, 1:15pm - 2:30pm - In-Person
Are you equipped to provide accessible content that meets the needs of all your students? Come prepared to gain hands-on experience of applying digital accessibility best practices during this session.
This workshop will provide guidance for applying accessibility practices to your documents appropriately and how to prevent potential barriers people experience due to disabilities. An overview of disabilities and the challenges they cause will be provided including types of assistive technologies (AT) that help alleviate those challenges.
Artificial intelligence (AI) will be touched on related to its part in developing accessible content. Integrated automated accessibility checkers of Microsoft and Blackboard platforms will also be covered. These automated tools can identify accessibility issues and provide guidance to resolve them.
Attend with curiosity to help lead toward innovative and inclusive content design strategies. Leave with a strong sense of applying accessibility best practices that opens the path of better experiences for all your students.Learning Outcomes
- Gain insight into challenges people with disabilities can experience with digital content.
- Increase awareness of assistive technologies that students may utilize.
- Expand your understanding of digital accessibility, why it matters, and how it relates to your content. Register
Thursday, November 13, 2:50pm - 4:05pm - In-Person
Are you unsure how to create a learning environment suitable for having challenging conversations? Do you want to encourage and support your students to be more comfortable with discomfort? In this session, we will discuss how your learning space can emphasize personal and academic growth through challenge and discomfort while maintaining respect. You will learn about the concept of brave spaces, reflect on your own biases, comfort levels, and practices around supportive discussion facilitation, and develop actionable strategies to create or maintain brave spaces. Register
How to Earn a Certificate of Completion
- Select a certificate you want to earn.
- Review the required workshops.
- Register for and attend all required workshops within the time frame specified.
- Look for an email from cte@sc.edu with your digital certificate.
How to Check Your Progress
Participants can check their progress online by following the steps below.
- Log into Registration and Tracking System for Workshops and Events using your CTE Training Account credentials.
- Click on the specific learning plan for the certificate of completion program you would like to view. The learning plan button is located on the left-hand side in the menu screen.
- Click “View” to generate a personalized learning plan status report. The report will show the workshops you have taken, and remaining workshop requirements.
The learning plans also provide a status progress update.
- Partial means you have met some of the requirements for a specific certificate of completion program.
- Complete means you have met all the requirements for a specific certificate of completion program.
- Not Started means you have not completed any of the requirements for a specific certificate of completion program.
Completed your certificate?
At the conclusion of each semester, reports are run to determine who has completed each certificate. Digital Certificates will be emailed. If you do not receive your certificate by the middle of the following semester, kindly contact cte@sc.edu for assistance.