Teaching Field: Journalism and New Media Studies Date: 10/16/2015 Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Faculty Qualifications for Hiring

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The Journalism and New Media Studies Instructional Council (IC) of the Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) is firmly committed to maintaining high quality teaching standards and expertise among the Journalism and New Media Studies faculty of the MCCCD. In response to the Higher Learning Commission’s “Determining Qualified Faculty: Guidelines for Institutions and Peer Reviewers,” August 2015, to make the primary academic teaching qualifications at the community college include either a master’s degree in the teaching field or a master’s degree in any area teaching field with 18 graduate semester hours in the teaching field, the Journalism and New Media Studies IC supports the following guidelines for determining if degrees, coursework, and occupational experience are within the teaching field of Journalism and New Media Studies. In its review of the ost important qualifications for teaching in the field, the Journalism and New Media Studies IC recognizes that media is primarily an occupational field. Consequently, the IC would like to expand on the minimum occupational qualifications of MCCCD.

A master’s degree (or higher) in any of the following areas is within the teaching field:

Journalism, New Media Studies, Mass Communication, Telecommunications, Digital Media and Media Studies; OR

A master's degrees or higher, which may be in one of a broad spectrum of majors as long as the degree is coupled with a minimum of three years occupational experience in a journalism-related field and 12 undergraduate credits within the basic teaching field (Journalism, New Media Studies, Mass Communication, Digital Media, Telecommunications and Media Studies). For example, master’s degrees might include ENG, MFA Writing, PSYH, HUM, HIST, COM, Etc.; OR

A bachelor's degree in one of the broad spectrum of majors indicated, plus five years

work experience in a journalism-related field and 12 undergraduate credits within the teaching field (Journalism, New Media Studies, Digital Media, Mass Communication, Telecommunications and Media Studies).

While the Maricopa County Community College District accepts an associate’s degree plus five years experience as an occupational qualification, the Journalism and New Media Studies Instructional Council does not accept anything less than a bachelor’s. Coursework with the following prefixes, titles or keywords is within the teaching field:

Journalism — JRN, JMC, JOUR; New Media – NMS; Telecommunications – TCM; Media, Mass Communications — MCO; Broadcast Writing — JRN, JMC, JOUR; Digital Media — DMS, D-Com

Titles or Keywords: Journalism, Feature Writing, News Writing, News Production, Photojournalism, Mass Communications, Telecommunications, New Media, New Media Studies, Media Studies, Digital Media

The Instructional Council will evaluate any other coursework as necessary to determine if that course is within the teaching field. Furthermore, the IC recommends that any faculty members who may need additional graduate level coursework to meet the new HLC requirements, has their proposed course of study approved by the IC before beginning the courses to ensure that the course meets the qualifications of being within the teaching field.