As a rule, undergraduate instructors should possess an earned doctorate or master’s degree relevant to the subject they are teaching. An instructor who holds a master’s degree or higher in a discipline or sub-field other than that in which he or she is teaching may be qualified with a minimum of 18 graduate hours in the discipline or sub-field in which he or she teaches. In some cases, instructors may be hired on the basis of qualifications other than academic credentials (as described in Section 404.2) or with a binding commitment that the instructor will complete the required degree or graduate hours within an agreed-upon time frame (see FAC 405). In the latter case, the instructor shall serve under the mentorship of a qualified instructor until appropriate credentials are earned. Instructors who have not earned the appropriate academic credentials and who fail to make satisfactory progress toward earning those credentials as described in FAC 405 place themselves at risk of termination.