| Policy Number: ACAD 301 | Policy Title: Faculty Academic and Professional Credentials |
| Supersedes Existing Policy? Yes | Policy Sponsor: Senior Vice-President, Academic and Vice-President, Human Resources and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion |
| Associated Procedure: Yes | Policy Owner: Senior Vice President, Academic |
| Next Review Date: 2029 | Date Last Approved by the CET: October 14, 2026 |
1. Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to establish the minimum academic and professional credential requirements for employees who perform teaching responsibilities at Loyalist College. The policy supports the college’s commitment to academic quality, student success, and regulatory compliance by ensuring that employees possess appropriate academic credentials, professional qualifications, relevant experience, and ongoing professional currency consistent with their assigned responsibilities and applicable external requirements.
2. Application
This policy applies to all employees who perform teaching responsibilities for post-secondary credit-level and apprenticeship-level courses, in all courses delivered on behalf of Loyalist College, regardless of delivery mode, including full-time, partial-load, part-time, and sessional employees.
Where legislation, regulatory bodies, accreditation requirements, collective agreements, or external quality assurance requirements establish qualifications that exceed the requirements of this policy, the higher standard shall apply.
3. Definitions
Professional Credential. A licence, designation, certification, registration, apprenticeship, or other recognized qualification awarded or recognized by a regulatory body, professional association, industry organization, or other recognized authority.
Professional Currency. The ongoing maintenance of knowledge, skills, competencies, and professional qualifications relevant to an individual’s field of instruction through professional practice, scholarship, research, continuing education, industry engagement, professional development, or other related activities.
Terminal Credential. The highest academic credential normally awarded within a field of study.
4. Policy
Employees assigned teaching responsibilities at Loyalist College shall possess the academic credentials, professional qualifications, experience, and demonstrated competencies necessary to effectively teach and assess student learning in their assigned subject area.
In determining qualifications for teaching assignments, the college shall consider academic credentials, professional credentials, relevant employment and professional experience, demonstrated expertise, professional currency, and the requirements of the applicable course, program, profession, regulatory body, accrediting body, or external quality assurance framework.
- 4.1 Non-Degree Programs
Employees teaching in certificate, diploma, advanced diploma, graduate certificate, apprenticeship, credit-level microcredential, and other non-degree programs shall normally possess an academic credential at least one level higher than the credential being delivered.
Where an academic credential one level higher is not available, common within the discipline, or appropriate to the field of study, the college may consider a combination of professional credentials, industry certifications, relevant experience, demonstrated expertise, and professional currency.
- 4.2 Degree Programs
Employees assigned teaching responsibilities in degree programs shall normally possess an academic credential at least one credential level above the program in which they teach, relevant professional experience where applicable, evidence of ongoing professional currency, and the qualifications necessary to effectively teach in the assigned course delivery mode and instructional modality.
The college shall ensure that degree programs meet applicable external quality assurance requirements, including requirements related to faculty qualifications and terminal credentials.
- 4.3 Professional Currency
Employees assigned teaching responsibilities must maintain professional currency appropriate to their field of instruction. For full-time faculty, development and evaluation are addressed through HR 132 Full-time Faculty Development and Evaluation Process.
- 4.4 Credential Verification
The college will verify academic and professional credentials required for an assigned teaching responsibility. Verification will normally be completed before the commencement of teaching responsibilities.
Employees must provide documentation satisfactory to the college to verify their academic credentials, professional qualifications, registrations, certifications, licences, and other documentation relevant to their teaching responsibilities.
- 4.5 Exceptions
In exceptional circumstances, the college may assign teaching responsibilities to an individual who does not meet the academic credential requirements established by this policy where alternative qualifications, professional credentials, relevant experience, or professional achievements provide sufficient evidence that the individual is appropriately qualified to fulfill the teaching responsibilities.
Exceptions must be documented and approved in accordance with established college procedures before the teaching assignment is made
Exceptions may not be granted where the applicable qualification is required by legislation, a regulatory or accrediting body, or an external quality assurance requirement.
5. Related Documents
- ACAD 301 Faculty Academic and Professional Credentials Procedure
- HR 120 Recruitment and Selection for All Positions
- HR 132 Full-time Faculty Development and Evaluation Process