This policy establishes guidelines for assigning teaching credit when faculty team-teach a course, to ensure fair and consistent recognition of instructional effort across disciplines and teaching models. It applies to all team-taught undergraduate and graduate courses at Behrend College, including interdisciplinary courses, integrated courses, and capstone experiences offered within individual schools, as well as programs conducted jointly across more than one school in the college.
A team-taught course is one that is co-delivered by two or more faculty members with planned collaboration in content delivery, student engagement, and/or assessment. Team-taught courses vary in the degree of faculty collaboration and integration. Credit is assigned based on the level of shared instructional responsibility.
In the fully integrated co-teaching model, all faculty members are present and actively engaged in all aspects of the course: planning, instruction, and assessment. Each receives full credit for the course (for example, three credits each for a 3-credit course). The fully integrated co-teaching model should be used rarely, is primarily suitable for project-based courses and interdisciplinary capstones and requires pre-approval from the School Directors. If co-teaching is done between two schools, the Vice Chancellor and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs must also approve.
In the substantially integrated co-teaching model, faculty members are involved in multiple facets of the course, though not always simultaneously. Their contributions significantly span course modules and assessments. Each receives two-thirds of the total credit (for example, two credits each for a 3-credit course). In recognition of the additional planning and coordination required in this model, faculty may be assigned full workload credit for the first two offerings of the course. After those initial offerings, the course transitions to a two-thirds allocation, unless a higher level of integration justifies a different model. A change in the faculty members assigned to the course does not constitute a restart of the two-offering limit.
In the content-writing co-teaching model, which applies to 4-credit courses with a “W” designation, an English faculty member teaches the writing component in partnership with a disciplinary content expert. For the first two offerings of this course, the content faculty member receives full workload credit, and the English faculty member receives three credits, in recognition of the additional planning and course development required at the outset. After those initial offerings, the course transitions to the long-term credit allocation, where the content faculty member receives three credits and the English faculty member receives two credits.
In the divided or handoff model, faculty split the course into separate sections or time blocks, with limited overlap in instruction or course design. The course credit is divided evenly (for example, 1.5 credits each for a 3-credit course).
Faculty proposing to team-teach a course must submit a brief proposal describing the course structure and integration level, the roles of each instructor, and the suggested credit allocation based on the policy models. Proposals will be reviewed and approved by the School Director. For programs that are interdisciplinary across multiple schools, approval will also be required from the Vice Chancellor and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, in consultation with the relevant School Directors.
This policy will be reviewed periodically to ensure it continues to support workload equity and pedagogical collaboration. If actual course delivery differs from the proposed model, workload credit may be reconsidered upon review. When unique or unusual cases arise that do not fit the established scenarios, the Vice Chancellor and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, in consultation with the relevant School Director(s), will make the final decision on credit allocation.
Policy approved by ALT, September 15, 2025, after consultation with Faculty Senate