Instructor Qualifications for POL 1001

The qualifications listed below reflect the minimum qualifications a high school instructor must meet before applying to teach the UMN course POL 1001: American Democracy in a Changing World.

Licensure

CIS instructors must have a valid Minnesota teaching license or an approved alternative

Experience and proficiencies

Five years of experience teaching advanced level courses (AP, IB, or CIS) in political science, public policy, public administration or American history. For example, Advanced Placement American Government and Politics.

Demonstration of advanced, relevant content knowledge (select one)

1. Graduate degree in the field of political science, public policy, public administration or American history
2. Graduate degree in any field plus 18 graduate semester credits in field of political science, public policy, public administration, or American history
3. Graduate degree in any field plus six equivalent experience options from A through K, below
4. Undergraduate degree in political science, public policy, public administration or American history plus seven equivalent experience options from A through K, below. Options must include significant graduate coursework in political science, public policy, public administration or American history

Description of Equivalent Experience Options (only required if #3 or #4 is selected above)

A: Graduate credits in political science or related fields

Related fields include, but are not limited to, public policy, public administration, or American history. Credits need not have been taken as part of a graduate degree program.

• Three semester-length credits is considered one experience
• Can be applied up to seven times

If including this option in your Description of Professional Experience, include a list of relevant graduate coursework. For each course include the title, where taken, and number of credits earned. Faculty will evaluate the courses you list for relevancy to the topics taught in the UMN course or to advanced topics in the same field. If the applicability isn’t obvious from the course title, please describe the relevance.

B: Professional development workshops

For example, discipline-specific Advanced Placement trainings, The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History workshops, Humphrey School of Public Affairs workshops, or other relevant workshops, trainings, conferences, or seminars.

• 30 hours of professional development is considered one experience
• Can be applied up to seven times

If including this option in your Description of Professional Experience, include a list of each professional development workshop, the sponsoring group or organization, and total hours. Refer to Faculty Guiding Questions #1: Discipline-specific professional development.

C: Published textbook, journal article or essay

May include similar scholarly or creative work in the fields of political science, public policy, public administration, or American history.

• Each publication is considered one experience
• Can be applied up to three times

If including this option in your Description of Professional Experience, describe the significance of the work, particularly as it applies to the topics covered in the UMN course or to advanced topics in the same field. Include a link to the publication or provide, with your application, an abstract or copy that lists your authorship.

D: Experience in government

For example, working in the state legislature, Congress, or the administrative branch. May include paid employment or volunteer work.

• Each term is considered one experience
• Can be applied up to two times

If including this option in your Description of Professional Experience, describe your experiences using tips from Faculty Guiding Questions, #9: Experience requiring regular use of skills or content knowledge related to the field.

E: Fellowships or awards for teaching political science or related fields

Related fields include public policy, public administration, or American history. This includes recognition of high school or undergraduate teaching from school, district, state, regional, national, or international organizations.

• Each award is considered one experience
• Can be applied up to one time

If including this option in your Description of Professional Experience, describe your awards using tips from Faculty Guiding Questions, #8: Receiving an award or other recognition.

F: Participation in a nationally normed assessment activity

This entails work related to Political Science such as Advanced Placement test grading

• Two years of participation is considered one experience
• Can be applied up to one time

If including this option in your Description of Professional Experience, describe your participation using tips from Faculty Guiding Questions, #10: Participation in a nationally normed assessment activity related to the field.

G: National Board Certification in Social Studies-History at the Adolescence and Young Adulthood level

• Include a copy of your certification letter or certificate with your application
• Fulfills one option

If including this option in your Description of Professional Experience, describe your certification using tips from Faculty Guiding Questions, #11: National Board Certification.

H: Years of successful and effective teaching experience in a course leading to undergraduate credit

These should be courses in political science or related fields, including dual credit, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or teaching undergraduates on a college or university campus.

• Five years of teaching is considered one experience
• Can be applied up to two times

If including this option in your Description of Professional Experience, describe your teaching experience using tips from Faculty Guiding Questions, #3: Teaching of a course leading to undergraduate credit for students.

I: Presentations at relevant conferences

Relevant conferences may include local, state, regional, or national workshops or conferences such as the Minnesota Political Science Association (MNPSA), American Political Science Association (APSA) or Midwest Political Science Association (MPSA).

• Each presentation on a distinct topic is considered one experience
• Can be applied up to one time

If including this option in your Description of Professional Experience, list and describe presentations using tips from Faculty Guiding Questions, #5: Presentations.

J: Serve as a content or pedagogy trainer or coach, or student teacher supervisor

To apply this option, political science or related content must be embedded in pedagogy.

• Each year in role is considered one experience
• Can be applied up to one time

If including this option in your Description of Professional Experience, list and describe roles using tips from Faculty Guiding Questions, #9: Experience requiring regular use of skills or content knowledge related to the field or to #7: Student teacher supervisor.

K: Field test or review curriculum

This could include working for a publisher or serving on a textbook review and selection committee for a postsecondary or secondary institution.

• Each distinct project is considered one experience
• Can be applied up to one time

If including this option in your Description of Professional Experience, list and describe roles and responsibility using tips from Faculty Guiding Questions, #12: Field test, review or edit curriculum for publisher or #13: Serve on a textbook selection committee for a secondary or postsecondary institution.