Minimum Criteria for Teacher Approval

The following represents minimum credentials required of secondary school teachers in order to be evaluated by Ohio University as a college credit plus instructor. Meeting minimum credentials does not guarantee approval.

Some departments maintain additional application requirements beyond what’s normally required. Those requirements are outlined in the “additional requirements” sections below. Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of all academic departments.

African American Studies

Minimum Credential: Ph.D. (or ABD with Ph.D. dissertation research completed) and an established record of teaching effectiveness.

Additional Requirements: Syllabus for the course(s) the applicant wishes to be considered for teaching approval; recent course evaluations (quantitative and qualitative), if available; name and contact information for 2 additional references.

Biological Sciences

Minimum Credential: Master’s degree in Biology or closely related content area Preferred Credential: Ph.D. in Biology

Chemistry & Biochemistry

Minimum Credential: Ph.D. in chemistry. Those wishing to teach specialized courses (e.g. analytical chemistry, organic chemistry) need to have a Ph.D. with specialization in those areas.

Economics

Minimum Credential: Master’s degree in Economics or closely related content area Additional Requirements: Previous college level teaching experience

English

Minimum Credential: Master’s degree in English or minimally a Master’s degree and a cohesive set of 18 semester credit hours of discipline-relevant graduate course work.

Additional Requirements: Statement on teaching philosophy and experience with teaching of writing preferred.

Note: Ohio University’s Department of English will only approve high school teachers to instruct the following English and Literature courses in the high school setting: ENG 1510 and 2800.

Environmental & Plant Biology

Minimum Credential: Master’s degree in the subject area or closely related content area Preferred Credential: Ph.D. in Plant Biology or closely related field

Geography

Minimum Credential: Master’s degree in Geography or closely related content area Preferred Credential: Ph.D. in Geography

Additional Requirements: Consideration will be giving to previous student evaluations. Applicant must also present actual syllabus if course has been taught in the past or proposed syllabus if this is a new course for the instructor.

Geological Sciences

Minimum Credential: Master’s degree in Geology or closely related content area Additional Criteria: Teaching experience in Geology courses

History

Minimum Credential: Master’s degree in history or a related Humanities or Social Sciences content area, including at least 18 semester hours of graduate coursework in or related to the subject area to be taught.

Preferred Credential: PhD in history and trained in the fields applicant intends to teach (U.S., European, or world history).

Linguistics

Minimum Credential: Master’s degree in Linguistics (or in the case of a language class, a relevant master’s degree) from a reputable university, and with an established record of teaching effectiveness. Requested course(s) should fall within the applicants’ areas of expertise.

Additional Criteria: Syllabus for the course(s) the applicant wishes to be considered for teaching approval; recent course evaluations (quantitative and qualitative)

Mathematics

Minimum Credential: 1000 - 2500 Level Mathematics Courses

Master’s degree in Mathematics Above 2500 Level Mathematics Courses Ph.D. in Mathematics

Modern Languages

Minimum Credential: Master’s degree in Language

Additional Criteria: The department requires the following In addition to regular application materials:

Course evaluations for a min. of 3 classes taught in the language
Demonstrated success teaching 1000-2000 level undergraduates
1-2 additional letters of recommendation from either professors of the language or people who have observed the teaching in the language.
Portfolio or video of teaching highly recommended, though not required.
Interview in the language to check proficiency level – usually by Skype (We expect all of our instructors to have an Advanced level of the language using the ACTFL scale which we determine during the interview). If candidate can provide proof of having taken the OPI in the last year, we can use that rating.
If they can come to campus, we ask them to teach a class that we can observe.

Philosophy

Minimum Credential: Master’s degree in Philosophy

Additional Criteria: Skype or telephone conversation with the department chair

Physics & Astronomy

Minimum Credential: Master’s degree in Physics or closely related content area for:

Physical Science (PSC) courses,

Astronomy (ASTR) courses equal to or below 1400 Physics (PHYS) courses equal to or below 2002

Ph.D. in Physics or closely related content area for Astronomy (ASTR) courses greater than 1400 Physics (PHYS) courses greater than 2002

Political Science

Minimum Credential: 1000-3000 Level Political Science Courses

Master’s degree in Political Science or (in special circumstances, closely related content area or law degree) from a reputable university.

3000-4000 Level Political Science Courses

Ph.D or ABD in Political Science (or in special circumstances, a closely related field with background in Political Science) from a reputable university, and with an established record of teaching effectiveness. MA may be considered if teaching experience and credentials are excellent.

Additional Requirements: Requested course(s) should fall within the applicants’ areas of expertise. Syllabus for the course(s) the applicant wishes to be considered for teaching approval. Established record of teaching effectives at the college level and recent course evaluations (quantitative and qualitative)

Psychology

Minimum Credential: Ph.D. in Psychology or the terminal degree in a related, relevant field (e.g., counseling) Additional Requirements: Teaching evaluations for previously taught college level courses.

Sociology

Minimum Credential: 1000-2000 Level Sociology Courses

Master’s degree in Sociology (or in special circumstances a closely related field with background in Sociology) from a reputable university, and with an established record of teaching effectiveness. Requested course(s) should fall within the applicants’ areas of expertise.

3000-4000 Level Sociology Courses

Ph.D (or ABD as full-time Group IV faculty) in Sociology (or in special circumstances a closely related field with background in Sociology) from a reputable university, and with an established record of teaching effectiveness. Requested course(s) should fall within the applicants’ areas of expertise.

Additional Requirements: Recent course evaluations (quantitative and qualitative) and syllabus for the course(s) the applicant wishes to be considered for teaching approval.

Anthropology