The purpose of this basic interpretive qualitative study (Merriam, 2009) was to understand the factors that excellent online faculty perceived as important to the development of presence in their online courses. Eight faculty members at two institutions in the northwest region of the United States participated in the study. Data were collected through interviews, syllabus reviews, and field notes. The data were coded and categorized, resulting in seven categories that described the findings. The seven categories were: Course Development, Course Facilitation, Assessment, Student Self Direction, Teachers as Learners, Learning Relationships, and Teacher Workload Management. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]