At least 25 percent of the discipline course hours in each major at the baccalaureate level are taught by faculty members holding the terminal degree—usually the earned doctorate—in the discipline, or the equivalent of the terminal degree.

_X_Compliance                           ___Partial Compliance                       ___Non-Compliance

Narrative

Percentage of course hours taught by faculty with terminal degrees or the equivalent.

In Fall 2006, 72% of discipline course hours taught at the Baccalaureate level were taught by Faculty members holding a terminal degree, or the equivalent, in the discipline, significantly more than the 25% in the Comprehensive Standard.

Several of SPC’s B.A.S. degree programs are in new, unique, and emerging degree areas.  Given the nature of emerging fields, the earned doctorate is not always the appropriate terminal degree.  Anytime the terminal degree is not the earned doctorate, the accepted terminal degree is noted.  Although many of the program areas, such as Education and Nursing, do consider the doctorate as the highest degree, others such as Dental Hygiene and Orthotics & Prosthetics do not have institutions offering doctorates.  Beginning in 2003, SPC approached SACS with proposed B.A.S. programs in some of these unique, emerging discipline areas, submitting a prospectus for each new program that included the proposed approach for meeting the requirements for Faculty Terminal Degree.  From 2003 to the present, each prospectus has received approval from SACS and has been implemented according to its proposed approach.

Responsibility for ensuring compliance in all aspects of Faculty credentialing resides with each Dean, the Office of Baccalaureate Programs, as well as Human Resources.

References