The following faculty policies help to guide our Maranatha program to be as excellent as possible.
Compensation
Because online teaching is much more of a one-on-one teaching experience, the pay scale reflects this variable workload.
Your pay is based on a set percentage of each student’s tuition per credit up to 15 students in a course; therefore, you will make more if you teach more credits or have more students enrolled in the course. You may also raise the base percentage amount about a percentage point at a time, depending on your credentials and experience according to the following criteria:
- Highest earned degree
- Years of teaching experience (or comparable field experience)
- Number of credits taught online
- Progress in completing an online teaching certificate (or comparable further education)
In addition, Maranatha will pay for you to earn a master’s in online teaching certificate or to take online courses if you continue teaching for Maranatha Online.
The Numbers
Because you are paid directly based on the number of credits and the number of students in the course and because your pay is positively affected by your credentials, the pay will vary by class. However, if you teach a three-credit course with about 10 students in it, you will generally make between $2,000 and $2,500, depending on your credentials. If you teach the same course with about 15 students in it, you will generally make between $2,800 and $3,500, depending on your credentials.
Compensation Policies
- Faculty converting residential classes or creating a new online course may take a $500- $750 stipend, depending on how many times the instructor taught taught the course residentially before.
- Faculty are paid after final exams, based on the number of grades submitted to the Registrar’s office.
- Online classes are usually capped at 15 students. The percentage of revenue the faculty receives per student will drop for the 16th-25th students. Once a course reaches more than 25 students, the course is usually split into two sections.
- Maranatha Online reserves the right to close any section with fewer than five students.
- Residential faculty may teach an online course within their regular workload at the determination of the department chair.
Credentials, Qualifications, and Expectations
Maranatha seeks to hire the most academically and experientially qualified person for a course. Ideally, faculty will possess a graduate degree (doctorate required for master-level of instruction), significant experience in the course’s topic, college teaching experience, and experience teaching online.
Maranatha also hires only faculty members who have a clear testimony of placing their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and who are exemplary members in good standing of a fundamental Baptistic church. Exemplary members meet pastoral expectations related to teaching in Sunday School or being involved in Christian service at their local church.
Online faculty are expected to follow the personal life standards (i.e. dress, music, Bible versions) of the church they attend. While teaching an online course, though, faculty should use biblical discernment in discussing topics or activities that are restricted for students (see the Student Life Journal ). Students who are 100% online will also be under the authority of their local church, so faculty will need to recognize that the class itself will probably have different standards represented. Faculty members will need to monitor students as to the appropriate level of language (foul and inappropriate language will not be permitted under any circumstance). Online faculty visiting campus are asked to follow campus dress guidelines.
Online faculty are hired on a class-by-class basis and may work for other colleges; however, Maranatha Online reserves the right to not hire a faculty member who is teaching at an institution whose association may not be positive for the college.
Online Training for Faculty Members
All faculty teaching online or hybrid courses must complete the 5-week MBBC faculty online course, entitled Teaching Online Overview, preferably two cycles (sessions) before designing the course.
Faculty members teaching at least one course a year online must take one online course a year until they’ve completed their Master Online Teacher Certificate from the Illinois Online Network (4 courses, one elective, one practicum). Progression through these courses positively affects your salary.
