Minimum Qualifications for

Adjunct Faculty and Graduate Teaching Assistants

 

Minimum Academic Qualifications for Adjunct Faculty

 

Undergraduate

 

Full-time and part-time/adjunct faculty members teaching credit courses must have completed at least 18 graduate semester hours in the teaching discipline and hold at least a master's degree, or hold the minimum of a master's degree with a major in the teaching discipline. In exceptional cases, outstanding professional experience and demonstrated contributions to the teaching discipline may be presented in lieu of formal academic preparation in the above areas. Such cases must be justified by the department on an individual basis.

 

Graduate

 

Each faculty member teaching courses at the master's degree level must hold the terminal degree, usually the earned doctorate, in the teaching discipline or a related discipline. In exceptional cases, outstanding professional experience and demonstrated contributions to the teaching discipline may be presented in lieu of formal academic preparation in the above areas. All adjunct faculty offering graduate-level courses must have graduate faculty status (http://finad.boisestate.edu/images/nomfrm.pdf). All faculty members teaching courses at the doctoral degree level must hold the earned doctorate in the teaching discipline or a related discipline. 

 

Minimum Academic Qualifications for Graduate Teaching Assistants

 

The College discourages the practice of allowing graduate teaching assistants having primary responsibility for assigning final grades (instructor of record) in credit courses.

 

In some circumstances, graduate teaching assistants who have primary responsibility for teaching a course for credit and/or for assigning final grades for such a course must fulfill each of the following criteria:

 

·       be under the direct supervision of a faculty member experienced in the teaching discipline

·       receive mandatory in-service training. Such training may consist of monthly seminars conducted by full-time faculty or teaching methods credit courses taught by full-time faculty

·       be evaluated regularly by full-time faculty and by students enrolled in courses taught by the graduate assistant

 

 

These requirements do not apply to graduate teaching assistants engaged in assignments such as assisting in laboratory sessions, attending or helping prepare lectures, grading papers, keeping class records, and conducting discussion groups. Graduate teaching assistants may not have the responsibility for assigning grades in graduate courses.