Laine Scales began her Baylor career in 1999 as a faculty member in the School of Social Work. Since Fall 2004, she has been Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Professional Development and in 2008 she moved to the School of Education as Professor of Higher Education, Educational Administration department. Dr. Scales teaches in the masters program in Higher Education and Student Affairs. She also teaches doctoral courses in Teaching & Learning in Higher Education.

Dr. Scales has authored, co-authored, or co-edited ten books and forty articles and chapters in the areas of case method teaching, pedagogy in social work, rural social work, and history of Baptist women in higher education. She is former associate editor of The Journal of Family and Community Ministries and Social Work and Christianity.

She received her undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina and her M.S.W. from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. She completed her Ph.D. in Higher Education at the University of Kentucky.

Dr. Scales has held leadership positions in the Texas Women in Higher Education, American Council on Education, and North American Association of Christians in Social Work. Prior to coming to Baylor, Dr. Scales was on faculty at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX and Palm Beach Atlantic College in West Palm Beach, FL.