Problem: Providing professional development to online instructors is critical to the design and development of online courses. However, much of the professional development provided to online instructors is specific to university policies, procedures, and online technology, not learning theories such as constructivism. The purpose of this phenomenological inquiry is to investigate the experiences of online instructors as they design and teach their courses. Procedures: Data collection included an 18-question Qualtrics© survey sent via e-mail to 100 instructors who teach fully online courses, responses from a seven person focus group, interviewer field notes, course syllabi from focus group members, and reflexive journaling. The grand tour research question (Bogdan & Biklen, 2007) was: "What are the experiences of higher education online instructors in one Midwest university?" Data analysis was conducted using open, axial, and selective coding (Strauss & Corbin, 1998) to identify key themes. Data verification included member checks and triangulation. Findings: There is a need for a formal university-wide support structure. Training and supports specific to the university's Learning Management System (LMS) and other web-based tools are not regularly provided. Formal supports specific to online pedagogy or learning theory are non-existent. Conclusions: The university should equally support all online courses and programs. Training and supports for online instructors and students specific to technology is necessary. Training which covers pedagogy and learning theories for online instructors is needed. Recommendations for Practice: Make university-wide decisions that include the interests of all online instructors. Identify available university resources that can be used to support online instruction. Provide university guidance and policy regarding course rigor and class size. Consider adjunct instructors' availability and location when planning and designing instructor supports. Develop formal new user LMS trainings and LMS update trainings. Create instructor trainings specific to educational software. Provide additional technology supports for online students. Develop an online pedagogy course for online instructors. Create a peer mentoring program for new online instructors. Develop formal and informal sharing opportunities for online instructors. Generate an online instructor manual. Create a university-wide teaching and learning center to support online instruction. Recommendations for Research: Study the online programs and instructor supports provided at other mid-sized, private Midwest universities. Conduct a follow-up study in three years and reevaluate the needs of the online instructors at this university. [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.]