Instructor Qualifications
For an instructor to teach a course as instructor-of-record, they must meet minimum requirements for either or both of these:
- A masters degree or graduate credits in the field of the course (to teach an undergraduate course, at least 18 graduate credit hours)
- Significant professional experience in that field (minimum amount of experience must be established by the department and validated)
Why?
IU Indianapolis as an institution is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. It has a set of “assumed practices” which must be met by all institutions. One of these concerns faculty qualifications under B2 ofTeaching and Learning: Quality, Resources, and Support.
- Faculty Roles and Qualifications
- Qualified faculty members are identified primarily by credentials, but other factors, including but not limited to equivalent experience, may be considered by the institution in determining whether a faculty member is qualified. Instructors (excluding for this requirement teaching assistants enrolled in a graduate program and supervised by faculty) possess an academic degree relevant to what they are teaching and at least one level above the level at which they teach, except in programs for terminal degrees or when equivalent experience is established. In terminal degree programs, faculty members possess the same level of degree. When faculty members are employed based on equivalent experience, the institution defines a minimum threshold of experience and an evaluation process that is used in the appointment process. Faculty teaching general education courses, or other non-occupational courses, hold a master’s degree or higher in the discipline or subfield. If a faculty member holds a master’s degree or higher in a discipline or subfield other than that in which he or she is teaching, that faculty member should have completed a minimum of 18 graduate credit hours in the discipline or subfield in which they teach.
- Instructors teaching in graduate programs should hold the terminal degree determined by the discipline and have a record of research, scholarship or achievement appropriate for the graduate program.
- Instructors teaching at the doctoral level have a record of recognized scholarship, creative endeavor, or achievement in practice commensurate with doctoral expectations.
Please note there are several fields for which the terminal degree for practice differs from the terminal degree for a tenure-track academic. Some examples of graduate programs with differing credentials include, but are not limited to librarianship and social work: an MLS or MSW is the terminal practice degree (and typical for adjuncts), and a Ph.D. for tenure track faculty.
Hiring someone whose highest academic degree is at the bachelors' level requires specific scrutiny and documentation of significant professional experience. Another option is to have someone with traditional academic qualifications as the instrucvtor of record, co-teaching with the other person.
For questions about instructor qualifications, contact the specific program director or the Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs.
Reviewed and revised: 6/2025.