Minimum Qualifications for Instructional Staff

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Policy Number:
UW-1010
Responsible Office:
Data, Academic Planning & Institutional Research

University Policy

Rationale/​Purpose:

This policy establishes a university-wide standard for the appointment of instructional staff in courses taught for academic credit at UW–Madison, and as such complies with the Higher Learning Commission’s Criteria for Accreditation.

Definitions:
Academic Unit
The academic and administrative home for an academic program or subject listing, also known as an academic department, housed within an academic division (school/college). The academic unit originates all program and curricular changes through academic governance; ensures the curriculum is appropriate and that courses are offered regularly; provides student support services such as advising; prepares all content for the Guide and assures the program and subject listing is represented accurately at all times; oversees the course evaluation process; coordinates assessment and program review; and receives allocation for program enrollment, degrees, certificates and credits in the information systems.
Instructional Staff
An employee of UW-Madison who teaches with an appointment as faculty or instructional academic staff, including limited-term appointments.
Terminal Degree
The highest attainable degree in a field of study or professional discipline.
Scope:

All instructional staff.

This policy does not apply to graduate students who receive appointments as teaching assistants or as lecturers-SA (student assistant) and work under the direct supervision of a member of the faculty or instructional academic staff.

Policy:
  1. Individuals who teach courses offered for UW-Madison credit must have instructional appointments consistent with that role during the term of instruction.
  2. The qualifications of instructional staff are evaluated primarily on the basis of earned degrees in a field or subject area relevant to the courses taught, obtained from academic institutions that are accredited by regional higher education associations and/or professional accrediting organizations, or the equivalent quality of university or college in countries outside the U.S.
  3. All instructional staff must have a terminal degree, or a degree at least one level higher than the degree for which the course is taught, i.e., a master’s degree or greater is required of instructional staff to teach a course that counts toward the bachelor’s degree and a Ph.D. or terminal degree is required for a course that counts towards a master’s or higher level degree. There are cases where the norm in the discipline otherwise includes instructional staff with specialized degrees, e.g., J.D. holders teaching Ph.D. students in law, or an M.F.A. holder teaching Ph.D. students in the arts; or when the accreditation standards of the profession require otherwise.
  4. Instructional staff teaching in graduate programs must hold a terminal degree determined by the faculty to be appropriate to the discipline and must have a record of research, scholarship, or achievement appropriate for the graduate program.
  5. In some cases, instructional staff who do not possess the academic credentials described above can be appointed to teach courses if they hold at least a bachelor’s degree and are determined by the hiring authority to be otherwise qualified, e.g., significant contributions in the field, substantial experience. Permission to employ instructors in this category is the purview of the academic unit and is subject to approval of the school or college in which the course(s) is taught.
    1. Academic units, in consultation with the school/college, must define the minimum threshold of experience for alternative qualification, and establish alternative processes for documenting alternative qualifications, evaluating, and supervising these instructors.
    2. Other factors that may be considered relevant to being “otherwise qualified” may include, but are not limited to:
      1. Substantial graduate-level academic coursework and/or methodological training in the discipline.
      2. Related research experience in the industry and/or the private sector.
      3. Practical experience in the art, business, legal, or political sector.
      4. Relevant clinical experience.
      5. Demonstrated competence or fluency in a language other than English and demonstrated ability to teach that language.

The university expects academic units and the schools/colleges to rarely use this provision. The decision to hire an instructor under this provision must be made with the best interests of the students and the university in mind and must preserve the integrity of the educational experience at UW-Madison.

External References:

Policy Administration

Approval Authority:
Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Policy Manager:
Vice Provost for Data, Academic Planning & Institutional Research
Contact:
Associate Director, Data, Academic Planning & Institutional Research -- Michelle Young, MEYOUNG@WISC.EDU, (608) 262-2143
Effective Date:
03-17-2016
Revised Dates:

07-31-2023

Retrieved:
06-17-2025 00:31:22