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Credit Course Policy



(Last updated August 28, 2008)

A significant part of the mission of Outreach & Engagement is to facilitate the development, growth and maintenance of high quality continuing education offerings to non-degree seeking students. These offerings include individual credit and non-credit courses, certificate programs and contracts with business and educational institutions.

For many years, Outreach & Engagement has assisted faculty in presenting credit courses primarily off-campus, primarily for non-degree seeking students. Effective immediately, the procedures for salary and travel reimbursement for course instructors are as follows.

Instructor Salary

Instructor salary and travel reimbursement are now based on the number of students completing the course. The revised procedures establish a minimum number of students required for the base instructor salary, but also provide for higher salaries if more than 25 non-degree seeking students complete the course.

The base instructor salary scale for a 3-credit course offered through Outreach & Engagement and the minimum number of students are based on the instructor's level as described in the following table.

Instructor Level And Base Salary

Minimum Number
Of Students In Undergraduate Course

Minimum Number
Of Students In
Graduate Course

ADJUNCT $3000

18

12

ASSISTANT $3300

18

12

ASSOCIATE $3600

21

14

FULL $3900

21

14

If fewer than the minimum number of students complete the course, the instructor's salary will be prorated. As an example, if an instructor at the associate level only has 10 graduate students complete his or her 3-credit course; the salary would be $2571 ($3600 minus 4/14 of the base salary). All instructors will be paid after the course is completed. Salary will be calculated from final roster after withdrawal date for course. Compensation will be made by direct deposit only.

Incentive Arrangement for Instructors Teaching Non-degree Seeking Students

If more than 25 undergraduate or 18 graduate non-degree seeking (i.e. special) students complete a course, instructors will be eligible for an increase in salary for the course. As an example, if an instructor at the assistant level has 20 graduate students complete his or her 3-credit course; the salary would be $3850 ($3300 plus 2/12 of the base salary). The maximum compensation for all instructors teaching either graduate or undergraduate courses is $4200.

Transportation and Travel Reimbursement

Please contact Nicki Ulmer with questions about travel reimbursement policy and procedure: ulmernc@jmu.edu, or 540-568-2870.

If You Are Interested In Presenting A Course

If you are interested in presenting a credit course, please follow the procedures below. If you have any questions, please contact Carol Fleming at 540-568-8987, or mailto:fleminca@jmu.edu

1. Complete, print, and submit a Course Request Form from the Web at: http://www.jmu.edu/continuingeducation/CRcourserequest.doc. The form must be received by Outreach & Engagement at least 30 days prior to the beginning date for a graduate level course and 15 days for an undergraduate course.

2. Submit the syllabus for the course along with the Course Request Form. If this is the first course you have taught for Outreach & Engagement, please also submit a copy of your curriculum vitae.

The course request will be reviewed by Outreach & Engagement. If the course is approved, the request will be forwarded to the appropriate department for approval.

A letter of agreement for approved courses will be mailed to the faculty member, to be signed and returned to Outreach & Engagement prior to the first class meeting.

Credit or non-credit courses will be delivered at Outreach tuition rates. The minimum enrollment must be met, unless prior arrangements have been made.

The requesting party will assume responsibility for any facility fee, e.g. room rental.

There is a $15 application fee for each non-degree seeking student for each semester.

All students must register by the end of the 2nd class meeting to receive course credit.

Students must declare their intention to take the course for credit or non-credit (e.g. CEU) when registering. They can change from one to the other but the change must be made by the end of the 2nd class meeting.

Tuition rates 2008-2009

Undergraduate, $190 per credit
Graduate, $150 per credit