Academic Coaches are highly qualified, experienced practitioners (minimum of a Master’s Degree or greater) who most frequently serve as the liaison between the university faculty of record and students within the assigned online course. An Academic Coach's specific qualifications and requirements are tailored to each university partner's program needs and requests. Often, the Academic Coach is the student's initial point of contact within the online course and serves similarly to how a traditional teaching assistant does at a university.
Academic Coaches may be asked to grade assignments per faculty directions, monitor discussion threads, answer inquiries/emails within 24 hours, monitor student engagement, provide asynchronous student support, and regularly collaborate with the university faculty of record. Academic Coaches serve as facilitators and graders, while university faculty members are the instructors of record for the online course. Compensation is based on a per-student-per-course formula. About 75% of the courses we support are within full online programs designed for working professionals and accelerated (5 to 9-week) course cycles. The online programs are year-round, with 4-7 course starts throughout the year.
The average time per student per week is approximately 10-30 minutes; however, this can vary on the course level, the specific course assigned, and the number of open-ended assignments within the course each week. Academic Coaches who consistently complete course assignments with quality and to the satisfaction of the faculty will be considered for additional sections or responsibilities. We do not want to over-extend a coach's responsibilities to such a degree that this negatively impacts their ability to serve students and meet expectations. In a first course assignment, the practical limit is up to 50 students, with 30 being more typical. The average experienced Academic Coach can support 75-90 students. A highly proficient coach with ample time may be assigned up to 120 students but this is the upper limit and monitored closely. Since we support all disciplines, various levels of courses (undergrad, graduate, and doctoral), and courses varying from 5 to 16 weeks in length, specific "per-student-per-course" rates and/or any potential additional stipends are not disclosed until a contracted Academic Coach is approved by a university and offered a specific upcoming course assignment.
If selected to advance as a candidate, the candidate will be required to complete an Academic Coach Pre-Employment Screening course within our Learning Management System. Candidates can expect to commit 4 to 6 hours to the self-paced screening session, which will be accomplished over one week (Monday through Sunday). This pre-employment screening session (virtual interview) will include specifics regarding the role and expectations of an Academic Coach, an introduction to learning management systems (LMS), and the various accepted best practices of delivering and facilitating online education courses, FERPA, APA, etc. If a candidate does not complete this screening session in the scheduled allotted time, he/she may request to be rescheduled for a future session. These sessions are only offered twice per month and always start on a Monday and end on Sunday.
Upon successful competition of the screening (active participation, passing of all graded assignments, and working through all modules), candidates will be advanced to the contracting phase. Receiving a contract as an Academic Coach depends on the success of a criminal background check and the screening session results. All Academic Coaching positions are considered part-time work (as an independent contractor - 1099). A complete "Contractor Package" includes a resume/CV, Official Transcripts, and/or Evaluation of Foreign Transcripts for ALL degrees earned (Associate, Bachelor, Master, etc.) and completion of all other onboarding documentation (W-9, Direct Deposit, FERPA Acknowledgement, etc.). Once your contractor package is complete and on file, the Academic Coach's name and resume will be added to our pool of vetted and qualified Academic Coaches ready for an assignment.
Academic Coaching course assignments will be based on approval by the university and are made in consultation with Lead Coaches and/or Program Assistants. We can only present fully vetted and contracted Academic Coaches to a university for approval for any upcoming courses that a university may need the assistance of an Academic Coach. Academic Coaches are only offered assignments after being approved by the university. If approved and the Academic Coach accepts a course assignment, the Lead Coach will guide the Academic Coach in a short overview and orientation to the assigned program and course. Actual course assignments are made near the course start date and depend on many factors, including area and level of graduate study, university approval, and student enrollment.
MINIMUM JOB REQUIREMENTS BY MAJOR SUBJECT/PROGRAM AREA:
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For Business Graduate/Master's Degree Level Programs:
A minimum of a Master's Degree in a business-related field with at least 18 or more graduate-level credit hours completed in the specific course content area listed below is REQUIRED. Terminal Degree or Actively pursuing a Terminal Degree may be PREFERRED for some programs and courses. Business degrees from AACSB or ACBSP-accredited institutions are strongly desired. Experience in online higher education is a plus.
- Corporate Communications/Public Relations (Master's Degree in Professional Communications, Public Relations or closely related field REQUIRED)
- Data Analytics/Quantitative Analysis with PYTHON experience (Master's Degree in Data Analytics or closely related field REQUIRED, PhD or DBA may be preferred)
- Economics (Master's Degree in Economics or a closely related area is REQUIRED, PhD or DBA may be preferred)
- Finance (Master's Degree REQUIRED, PhD or DBA may be preferred. CFP preferred)
- Supply Chain/Logistics (Master's Degree in Supply Chain/Logistics is REQUIRED, PhD or DBA may be preferred)
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FOR COMPUTER SCIENCE PROGRAMS (Graduate-Level/Master’s Degree Level):
A minimum of a Master's Degree in Computer Science or Information Technology related field with at least 18+ graduate-level credit hours completed in the specific course content area listed below is REQUIRED. 3 to 5 years of industry experience in the field.
- Business or Data Analytics/Quantitative Analysis w/ PYTHON experience (Master's Degree REQUIRED, PhD or DBA may be preferred)
- Computer Science (Master's Degree REQUIRED)
- Computer/Software Programming (Master's Degree REQUIRED; experience in PYTHON strongly desired)
- Cybersecurity/IT Security (Master's Degree REQUIRED)
- Information Technology Mgmt (Master's Degree REQUIRED)
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FOR OTHER DISCIPLINES (Undergraduate and/or Graduate Level):
A minimum of a Master's Degree with at least 18+ graduate-level credit hours completed in the specific course content area listed below is REQUIRED; this does NOT include any undergraduate course or credit hours. A Master’s in Education (MEd, MAT, etc.) is NOT suitable, as a Master’s Degree in the specific content area is REQUIRED. Some experience in online higher education is preferred. A doctorate/terminal degree may be preferred in some areas or for particular courses.
- Geology/Geography/Geographic Information Science(GIS)/Geospatial Intelligence (Master's Degree in GIS or closely related REQUIRED)
- Philosophy (Master’s Degree in t Philosophy, Humanities, Logics, Ethics, or other closely related field is REQUIRED)
- Statistics/Statistical Modeling (Master’s Degree in Statistics or closely related area REQUIRED, experience in statistical modeling and analysis)
- Film/Media Studies (Master’s Degree in Film/Media Studies or other closely related field is REQUIRED)
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FOR NURSE PRACTITIONER PROGRAMS (Graduate/MSN/Post-Graduate Level):
A current and valid RN license and conferred Master's of Science in Nursing (MSN) or greater is required. However, a PhD in Nursing or DNP (doctorate/terminal degree) is strongly preferred for all MSN, Post-Grad NP, and DNP programs. For Nurse Practitioner programs, candidates must be Board Certified; see below for specific area(s) of need. Nursing degrees must be from ACEN or CCNE-accredited institutions. A minimum of 3 years of nursing practice experience is required; prior teaching experience (trainer, clinical, preceptor, face-to-face, or online) is preferred.
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care/Primary Care Nurse Practitioner [AGACNP-BC/AGPCNP-BC] (min. MSN in NP REQUIRED with NP License (APRN) and board certification with prescriptive authority)
- Pediatric Acute Care/Primary Care Nurse Practitioner [CPNP-PC/CPNP-AC] (min. MSN in NP REQUIRED with NP License (APRN) and board certification with prescriptive authority)
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner [PMHNP] (min. MSN in NP REQUIRED with NP License (APRN) and board certification with prescriptive authority)
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FOR HEALTH SCIENCES/SERVICES PROGRAMS (Graduate/Master’s Degree Level):
A minimum of a Master's Degree with at least 18+ graduate-level credit hours completed in the specific course content area listed below is REQUIRED. Experience in online higher education is preferred. A doctorate/terminal degree may be preferred in some areas or for specific courses.
- Human Nutrition/Dietetics (Master's Degree in Nutrition or Dietetics REQUIRED)
- Radiologic Sciences (Master's Degree is REQUIRED, with a valid Radiology Tech or other closely related Licensure/Certification)
- Respiratory Therapy (Master's Degree is REQUIRED, with a valid Respiratory Therapy Licensure/Certification.
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Please review the requirements above carefully before applying, as the requirements listed are NOT flexible. Our university partners have established these requirements for any candidate to be deemed acceptable for a course assignment as an Academic Coach to the respective courses.
To be considered for an Academic Coach position and start the process, you must complete our online application at *CLICK HERE TO OPEN APPLICATION*
It is best to complete the online application on a computer (desktop or laptop) and not a mobile device or tablet.
To complete your application package, you must upload the following documents at the end of the online application. The preferred file types are Word Document (.doc/.docx) and/or Portable Document Format (.pdf) and should not have any non-printable ASCII, / or \, names with trailing spaces, and the special names "." and ".." in the file name.
- Proper & Professional Cover Letter (Not a Teaching Statement or Philosophy)
- A Complete & Professional Resume that includes your complete educational background (all degrees earned)
- Unofficial Transcripts (Official Transcripts for ALL DEGREES EARNED will be required later if selected to advance to the screening process)
These virtual positions do not require residence in a specific city or state within the US. There is no need to reapply for multiple cities. The system will not permit multiple submissions of the application. Our system will only allow one application submission per email address; please do NOT try to apply more than once.
We cannot consider or hire any applicants who are not US Citizens or do not hold a current and valid work authorization to be employed in the United States. All applicants for employment with Instructional Connections (a US-based business) must have work authorization that does not now or in the future require sponsorship or supporting documentation for a visa for employment authorization in the United States (i.e., H1-B visa, F-1 visa (OPT), TN visa, or any other non-immigrant status).
Due to the large volume of applications we receive, please be advised that if you have not heard from us within 4 -6 weeks of your application, we are not able to give your application further consideration at the present time. Your application will be kept on file should a need arise in the future.
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