Faculty Qualifications

Overview

Texas Woman's University hires highly qualified faculty for all teaching positions and maintains records documenting these qualifications. Before hiring new faculty or any changing courses taught by existing faculty, the appointing department completes a Faculty Credential and Qualifications Form[PDF] to document qualifications of faculty for their teaching assignments. Signatures from the department chair, respective college dean, and the Associate Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness and Research attest to compliance with requirements of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).

SACS requires written justification and documentation of all faculty qualifications. Primary consideration is given to the highest degree earned. 

Licensure in a field, other credentials, honors and awards, professional field experience, continuous documented excellence in teaching, and other factors may qualify a faculty member to teach a specific course even if that faculty member does not have the specific degree requirements normally expected. Examples of where the "other" qualification applies are:

• Clinical or applied courses where practitioner experience is valuable or
• Performing arts where artistic success outside academia enhances the learning experience for students.

Resources

Further information about SACS requirements for Faculty Qualifications can be found on pages 44 - 46 (Standard 6.2.a) of the Resource Manual entitled Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement (pdf)

Faculty Search Checklist (pdf)