Professional Development

The Institute offers a wide range of professional development opportunities in American history, from customized in-person training at your school with scholars and master teachers, to rigorous summer teacher seminars and online courses for CEUs and graduate credits.

MA in American History

The Gettysburg College–Gilder Lehrman MA in American History offers the opportunity to learn from leading scholars of US history in a virtual classroom with other students from across the country. MA applications and registration for Fall 2023 course are now open. Learn more

PD Programs for Schools and Districts (On-site or Online)

Teaching Literacy through History (TLTH) is an interdisciplinary professional development program that uses primary sources to improve K–12 education. TLTH workshops are beneficial for elementary, middle, and high school teachers who teach American history, social studies, civics, and English language arts. Learn more

Teaching Civics through History (TCTH) is a curriculum developed for middle school and high school teachers which will provide students with a foundational knowledge centered on the historic roots of current civic and social issues facing the nation and their community. The program also strengthens student literacy, research, and critical thinking skills. TCTH does this by connecting the past with current events.

  • Emphasizes understanding through the analysis of primary sources
  • Enables students to understand that history is made up of individuals who took action
  • Empowers students to develop their civic voices
  • Encourages them to be civically engaged

Both programs can be delivered entirely digitally and modified to fit your school or district curriculum. Email pd@gilderlehrman.org for more information. 

Self-Paced Courses

Our Self-Paced Courses are on-demand, graduate-level online courses in American history, taught by eminent scholars. Self-Paced Courses can be used to obtain professional development credit, and can be completed at your own time and pace, with no deadlines or expiration dates. Learn more

Summer Professional Development

Next summer the Gilder Lehrman Institute will offer numerous professional development opportunities for educators. These programs present a diverse group of scholars, topics, and learning formats, and teachers are welcome to take part in some or all of these programs. Learn more