Faculty Credentials
The College of Charleston employs competent faculty members qualified to accomplish the mission and goals of the institution.
When determining acceptable qualifications of its faculty, the College gives primary consideration to the highest earned degree in the discipline. The College also considers competence, effectiveness, and capacity, including, as appropriate, undergraduate and graduate degrees, related work experiences in the field, professional licensure and certifications, honors and awards, continuous documented excellence in teaching, or other demonstrated competencies and achievements that contribute to effective teaching and student learning outcomes. For all cases, the College is responsible for justifying and documenting the qualifications of its faculty.
Our faculty members fall into two categories: "Instructors of Record" and "Non-Instructors of Record." Below, we outline the responsibilities and credentialing standards for each category, along with the necessary procedures for record-keeping. We are committed to upholding the highest academic standards and value the dedication and expertise of every individual involved in instruction.
Note:
There is no separate credentialing procedure for Graduate Teaching Assistants (TAs). TAs can be Instructors of Record or Non-Instructors of Record, depending on their qualifications. Choose the appropriate procedure based on the TA's qualifications.
Credentials SharePoint SiteInstructors of Record Credentials
Academic program directors (department chairs or program directors) are responsible for ensuring that at least one Instructor of Record (IR) is assigned to each credit-bearing course section in their departments and/or programs by the start date of the academic term and that all individuals contributing to instruction for each course (whether an Instructor of Record or Non-Instructor of Record) are listed on each credit-bearing course section. Each academic unit has the responsibility to ensure that instructor of record faculty credentials satisfy the SACSCOC Standards for Faculty Credentials. Please see the Instructor of Record and Faculty Credentials Policy for details about the requirements.
Non-Instructors of Record
Non-Instructors of Record (NIRs), including roster or adjunct faculty members in limited cases, contribute to course instruction alongside our Instructors of Record. NIRs may be appointed for undergraduate and, in exceptional cases, graduate courses. Each NIR is assigned a supervising IR to ensure effective teaching coordination. It is essential that all NIRs meet the College's credentials standards, as specified in the "Instructor of Record and Faculty Credentials Policy." Guidelines for credentials packets are provided to maintain accurate records for each NIR.
Faculty with non-U.S. Degrees
For faculty holding foreign degrees, a U.S. equivalency evaluation must be provided by an agency that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or is approved by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO), such as World Education Services (WES). A general/basic "document equivalency" is typically sufficient for faculty with a terminal degree in the teaching discipline, although the College can require a course-by-course evaluation, at our sole discretion, when deemed necessary to review a faculty member’s qualifications. A course-by-course evaluation is typically necessary to credential a faculty member without a terminal degree. Additionally, any documentation that was originally issued in a foreign language must be translated by an appropriate external agency.
Guidelines for Faculty
If you have academic credentials from non-U.S. institutions, you are required to submit a foreign credentials evaluation and translated transcript (if original is not in English) to your department. The College of Charleston does not evaluate foreign academic transcripts. Listed below are a few agencies that perform foreign credentials evaluation. The College does not endorse any of these agencies; this listing is provided only for your convenience. Credentials should be evaluated by a National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) approved organization or an American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) approved organization. Before submitting your academic transcripts to one of these agencies, we recommend that review online instructions or send a letter of inquiry to the evaluation service of your choice to understand the application, process, and fee structure. Please note that not all transcript evaluation agencies provide translation if the original transcript is not in English. Please confer with your department/program if you have questions about whether to order a basic document equivalency or a course-by-course evaluation report.
Guidelines for Department/Program Heads
An official evaluation denoting the U.S. equivalency of the highest earned degree upon which the faculty member will be credentialed to teach must be submitted to the academic program director (Department Chair or Program Director). Costs of this service (and any required translation) are the responsibility of the employee. A document equivalency is typically sufficient for faculty with a terminal degree in the teaching discipline, although the College can require a course-by-course evaluation, at our sole discretion, when deemed necessary to review a faculty member’s qualifications. A course-by-course evaluation is typically necessary to credential a faculty member without a terminal degree. If you suspect that the prospective faculty member's degree is not in the teaching discipline, we recommend getting a course-by-course evaluation from the onset to avoid having the reorder this more detailed evaluation at a later date. Please contact the Office of the Provost if you have questions about these requirements. Additionally, any documentation that was originally issued in a foreign language must be translated by an appropriate external agency. English translations (that are not accompanied by an evaluation stating the U.S. equivalency of the degree) do not qualify as official credentials. Some evaluation agencies provide a translation service during the evaluation process for an additional cost. Also, please note that in cases where the degree-granting institution provides only one official copy of the document, as is sometimes the case with foreign diplomas, the faculty member may choose to use an evaluation agency that prepares the evaluation report using copies of the documents. If the evaluation is prepared using copies of the documents, the faculty must present the original(s) to the chair or program director, who may make a copy(ies) and attach a statement certifying that s/he viewed the original(s).
Please follow the credentialing instructions provided in the Instructor of Record Credentials section and submit the evaluation documentation that states the U.S. equivalency of the degree (in place of the U.S. transcript).
Commonly used evaluation agencies:
World Education Services, Inc.