The Adjunct Alert › Online teaching guides
What degree do you need to teach college online?
Can you teach college online with a master's degree?
Yes. A master's degree is the most common requirement for teaching undergraduate courses, online or on campus. The degree usually needs to be in the subject you will teach, or in a closely related field.
Postings often say it this way: "Master's degree in accounting or a related field."
What is the 18 graduate hours rule?
Many colleges will hire you with a master's in a different field if you have 18 graduate credit hours in the teaching subject. Eighteen hours is usually six graduate courses.
Here is an example. You hold an MBA, and you took six graduate finance courses along the way. Many colleges would count you as qualified to teach undergraduate finance.
This rule opens more doors than most people realize. To find out what you can teach:
- Pull your graduate transcripts.
- Group your courses by subject, using the course prefix (ACC, FIN, PSY, and so on).
- Add up the credit hours in each subject.
- Any subject with 18 or more hours is one you may be able to teach.
Each college decides for itself which courses count. Have your transcripts ready, because most colleges ask for them.
Do you need a doctorate to teach online?
For undergraduate courses, usually not. For master's and doctoral courses, most colleges ask for a doctorate or another terminal degree in the field. Roles that chair dissertations nearly always do.
A doctorate also helps where many people apply for the same pool. It is rarely required for a first online class.
Can you teach with a bachelor's or an associate degree?
Sometimes. Community and technical colleges hire instructors for career programs based on work experience, licenses, and industry certifications. Postings in fields like cybersecurity, culinary arts, and the skilled trades may ask for an associate or bachelor's degree plus years of experience.
Health programs often add a license. A nursing posting may ask for an active, unencumbered registered nurse license as well as the degree.
Do you need online teaching experience?
Many postings list it as "preferred," not "required." That difference matters. Read the posting for two separate lists:
- Minimum qualifications: you need these to be considered.
- Preferred qualifications: these help, but you can apply without them.
If you have not taught online yet, show what is close to it. Mention training you have led, any courses you have taken online, and the learning systems you know, such as Canvas, Blackboard, or Brightspace.
Common questions
Do you need a teaching certificate to teach college online?
Usually not. Colleges look at your degree and your graduate coursework in the subject. Teaching licenses are a K-12 requirement.
Can you teach more than one subject?
Yes, if your transcripts support it. Many online adjuncts teach in two or three subjects where they hold 18 or more graduate hours.
How do you know what degree a posting asks for?
Look for the "minimum qualifications" or "required education" section of the posting. Every job lead we send shows the degree needed up front, so you can tell at a glance.
The Adjunct Alert Team