The University of Central Arkansas’ College of Education will employ qualified faculty to teach credit-bearing courses. The University and College places primary importance on academic credentials, which must be awarded from accredited institutions. In addition to academic credentials, other competencies may be identified, as appropriate, when establishing qualifications. Faculty qualifications will be linked to the course(s) a faculty member is assigned to teach and will be initially determined by the department.
The College recognizes that the initial determination of appropriate qualifications rests at the department level. In making this determination, departments must examine all relevant documentation and must provide a cogent justification when qualifications may appear to be outside the policy’s guidelines. Subsequent to the departmental recommendation, faculty qualifications are subject to review and approval by the dean, graduate dean and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Faculty Teaching Undergraduate Degree Courses: Faculty teaching undergraduate courses must hold a doctoral/terminal or master’s degree in the teaching discipline or in a related field or master’s degree with a concentration in the teaching discipline (minimum of 18 graduate semester hours in the teaching discipline). For faculty teaching clinical, practicum, or internship courses must hold at least a master’s degree in the teaching discipline and must have certification/licensure or demonstrated clinical/practice leadership in a specialization relevant to the course content.
Faculty Teaching Graduate Degree Courses: Faculty teaching graduate and post-baccalaureate courses must hold a doctoral/terminal degree in the teaching or related discipline—or—faculty teaching graduate or post-baccalaureate clinical, practicum, or internship courses must hold at least a master’s degree in the teaching discipline and must have certification/licensure or demonstrated clinical/practice leadership in a specialization relevant to the course content.
Faculty Teaching Ph.D. Courses: Faculty teaching Ph.D. courses must hold a doctoral/terminal degree in the teaching or related discipline. Furthermore the faculty member should have an ongoing record of active research/scholarship in the discipline.
Justifications for Faculty Not Meeting Minimum Qualifications
Under exceptional circumstances, the College may desire to employ faculty members who do not meet minimum qualifications. Justifications may be made for faculty teaching developmental or undergraduate courses who do not meet minimum qualifications but who may have other documented competencies. All such justifications must be approved by the College Dean prior to the faculty member teaching relevant courses. For faculty teaching graduate courses, justifications may be made for non-terminally qualified faculty who demonstrate external validation of qualifications in the teaching field, such as regional or national recognitions, refereed publications, or leadership activities. All such graduate faculty justifications must be approved by the College Dean and the Graduate Dean prior to the faculty member teaching relevant courses. The handling of emergency vacancies will be on a case by case basis and in consultation with the Dean.
Adopted by CAC 2016