Adjuncts and School Partners
The high school is responsible for assigning a contact person to work with the ACP. This person will oversee the program in the high school and will be responsible for receiving and disseminating information from the ACP to all high school stakeholders.
The contact person will also be responsible for approving student eligibility in the ACP online registration system.
In keeping with on-campus practice, the instructor application process requires submission of a current resume and all college transcripts (unofficial copies are allowed). Once all application materials are received, the process is as follows:
- The ACP director forwards the instructor's application to the approving and hiring authority who is either the academic department head or their designee for review and appropriate action.
- If the instructor's credentials meet the qualifications (at least a master's degree in the subject area or a master's in a related field with at least 18 graduate hours in the subject area), a liaison is then assigned. If they do not, the instructor is notified and told what steps would be necessary to meet the qualifications.
- The liaison will then schedule an interview and/or classroom observations
- During the interview and/or observation, the liaison will share information regarding course pedagogical, theoretical, and philosophical orientation. Course syllabi are shared, and candidates are given an overview of expectations and requirements for that course.
- The liaison makes a final recommendation for approval or denial to the ACP director and department chair.
- With final approval, the ACP director sends the new instructor a letter of acceptance and a certificate signed by the Provost. If the instructor is not approved, a denial letter is sent to the applicant with reasons as to why they do not meet approval.
- All new teachers must also attend a New Teacher Orientation session before the course is officially entered onto the schedule.
- Prior to the start of the semester, new instructors are asked to complete an HR form, which is required by Human Resources.
ACP adjunct instructors are required to adhere to the following expectations:
- To create, maintain and provide their ACP liaison with an approved syllabus each semester that a course is offered.
- Communicate and cooperate with their ACP liaison in order to facilitate classroom observations.
- Provide an up to date copy of an assessment tool each semester that a course is offered.
- Verify course rosters in a timely fashion.
- Submit grades no later than two weeks after the last class meeting.
- Facilitate completion of online course evaluations provided by the ACP.
- Attend at least one ACP-approved professional development seminar, workshop or conference in order to remain current on content specific issues, UMSL and ACP policies and protocols per academic year.
Non-compliance with any ACP adjunct expectations may result in the ACP instructor forfeiting their approval status. A first offense may require a meeting with the ACP director, ACP liaison, and/or the high school representative to discuss the issue and to provide necessary support or resources to meet the required expectations. If non-compliance continues, the adjunct will lose their approved status to offer dual credit courses.
Liaison Responsibilities
In accordance with the Missouri Department of Higher Education Guidelines, on-campus faculty in the appropriate and corresponding discipline are responsible for ensuring that dual credit course content and course requirements are comparable to on-campus courses with the same titles. Liaisons are selected for their positions in consultation with the corresponding department chair, Dean of the appropriate college, and the Director of the Advanced Credit Program.
In general, comparability between the dual credit course taught in the high school and the corresponding course taught on campus should be demonstrated by using an approved syllabus and similar methods of assessment that have been approved and supervised by the appropriate faculty on campus.
The following are the responsibilities of faculty liaisons at UMSL:
- Review teacher credentials and provide written determination regarding teacher qualifications to the ACP Director to be held on file in ACP office.
- Provide on-campus orientation for new instructors.
- Evaluate and approve course syllabi and textbook(s).
- Ensure that course content and course requirements are comparable to on-campus courses of the same title.
- Evaluate assessment tools used in dual credit courses to ensure their alignment with on-campus courses.
- Collect and review copies of approved course syllabi and assessment tools annually to be held on file in ACP office.
- Collect and review copies of student work as evidence of college level performance to be held on file in ACP office.
- Classroom observations are conducted with new instructors once a year for the first two years and a minimum of once every two years for all other instructors. Observations are used to ensure consistency with on campus course and to development and maintain collegial interaction between on campus and ACP instructors.
- Review summary reports of student course evaluations.
- Offer and/or participate in on-campus faculty development activities/workshops for dual credit high school teachers.
- Attend and participate in all UMSL sponsored high school dual credit activities.
- Meet annually with the ACP director.
Liaisons will be assessed on their performance in fulfilling these responsibilities as part of an annual evaluation.
Students and Families
High school juniors and seniors with a 3.0 or higher cumulative GPA (on a 4.0 scale) may enroll in Advanced Credit courses. Juniors and seniors with GPA's between 2.5 and 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) may also enroll if they provide a signed letter of recommendation from their principal or guidance counselor as well as written permission from a parent or legal guardian.
Sophomores with cumulative GPA's of 3.0 or higher may also enroll in ACP courses if they provide a signed letter of recommendation from their principal or guidance counselor as well as written permission from a parent or legal guardian.
Freshman can enroll in ACP courses if they have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher (on a 4.0 scale), and have scored at or above the 90th percentile on the ACT or SAT, and provide a signed letter of recommendation from their principal or guidance counselor as well as written permission from a parent or legal guardian.
The signature (electronic or hard copy) of a high school counselor or principal will be required to verify eligibility (class year and GPA) for all students.
In the Advanced Credit Program, course content and course requirements in the high school will be equivalent to those utilized in the on-campus courses with the same titles.
According to MDHE Dual Credit Policy, Advanced Credit courses may enroll a mixed population (both students taking the course for dual credit and high school credit and students taking the course for high school credit only). However, course requirements will be the same for all students. Students taking the course for dual credit must meet eligibility requirements as described above.
Students in Advanced Credit courses must adhere to dates comparable to those specified on campus for registration, drop, withdrawal, fee payment and refund. A schedule of dates will be distributed prior to registration.
Students are responsible for opting into dual credit by submitting an application to enroll during the appropriate registration period. Students who fail to register for courses during the designated registration period forfeit the opportunity to earn college credit for eligible courses. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure proper registration and provide accurate information in order to receive credit for eligible courses.
Students should also maintain an awareness of other program deadlines, including the drop deadlines.
Students will be given access to an UMSL MyView account, which can be used to view their UMSL records, enrollment, and grades.
During registration, parents/guardians are responsible for approving their student's application. Applications that do not receive consent from a parent/guardian will not proceed to enrollment.
By signing the student's ACP application, the parent/guardian agrees to accept responsibility for tuition payment. No payment is due at the time of registration. Following registration, the student will receive an invoice from the university.
Students who do not pay the full term's tuition by the payment deadline will have the entire term of credit canceled. Students dropped for non-payment of tuition may seek to have their credit reinstated. See Tuition and Payment for more information about reinstatement.
College credit earned through ACP courses offered in high schools will be applicable toward baccalaureate degree requirements at UMSL and are eligible for transfer. Students’ rights and responsibilities are outlined in the CBHE’s Credit Transfer Guidelines.
The college or university receiving the transfer credit is ultimately responsible for deciding which credits are acceptable and how these credits will be applied towards degree requirements.