Postsecondary teachers essential career information:
- 2012 median pay: $64,290
- 2010, number of jobs: 1,756,000
- Employment growth forecast, 2010-2020: 17 percent
- Entry level education requirements: Doctorate
Postsecondary teachers; what they do:
A postsecondary teacher who knows how to grab young adults’ attention give students more to look forward to than parties and spring break. Postsecondary teachers instruct student in various subjects required to earn a degree or learn a trade or profession after high school. A postsecondary teacher career often includes conducting research and having their work published in academic journals.
A postsecondary teacher can specialize in any of a wide variety of subjects. Some postsecondary teachers offer instruction in core subjects of liberal arts programs. Others use their hands-on skills in career-related areas to train new lawyers, nurses, culinary arts experts, pilots and more.
Postsecondary teachers working for universities often spend part of their time on research and experiments and applying for grants to fund their work. Increasingly, a postsecondary teaching career can mean teaching online courses and assigning and accepting students’ work via the Internet.
Postsecondary teachers job duties:
- Creating lesson plans
- Writing and delivering lectures
- Supervising graduate student teaching assistants
- Developing and grading assignments
- Developing a curriculum that meets the school’s standards
- Advising students on coursework needed to meet their academic goals
- Serving on department and administrative committees
- Staying informed about changes and innovations in their subject field
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Postsecondary teachers job titles:
- Assistant Professor
- Associate Professor
- Professor
- Career and Technical Education Teacher
- Postsecondary Education Administrator
Postsecondary Teachers Education, Certification and License Requirements
Candidates for jobs as post-secondary teachers at a four-year school usually need a doctoral degree in their subject area. Junior and community college administrators often consider individuals with a master’s degree for their post-secondary teacher openings. Experience or certification, however, can lead to a post-secondary teaching career at a technical or trade school.
Postsecondary teachers programs cover subjects such as:
- Understanding higher education
- Curriculum development
- Understanding student learning, development and diversity
- Understanding institutions’ organizational behavior and culture
- Creating engaging learning experiences
- Using research and data to drive decision-making
- Best practices for student success
- Learning assessment
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Career Advancement Opportunities
Those who pursue a postsecondary teaching career often seek tenure. Achieving tenure can require research, critical reviews and getting their work published. Tenure approval often takes seven years of working through the ranks of assistant professor, associate professor and professor.
Tenured postsecondary teachers seeking to advance further in their career can pursue administrative posts, such as dean or president.
Postsecondary Teachers Job Outlook
Forecast: 17 percent employment growth for postsecondary teachers from 2010 to 2020, as enrollment at colleges and universities continues to grow. However, many schools are moving toward non-tenure track positions, opting to hire part-time or adjunct postsecondary teachers, thus the number of tenure-track positions will decline. For-profit schools have the fastest employment growth rate.
Postsecondary Teachers Salary
- 2012 median annual wage: $64,290
- 2012, workers at the 75th percentile annual wage: $96,480
- 2012, workers at the 25th percentile annual wage: $42,570
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Postsecondary Teachers Major Employers
- Colleges, universities and professional schools
- Junior colleges
- Technical and trade schools
- Business schools and computer and management training
- Educational support services
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M.S. Higher Education – General Degree
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Ph.D. – Leadership for Higher Education Degree
