How to become A College Professor

• Postsecondary Teachers
• Faculty

What do College Professors do?

A College Professor would typically need to:

• Teach students who are studying for a degree, a certificate, or a certification, or taking classes to improve their knowledge or specific career skills
• Develop and deliver a range of study programs at various levels; oversee the design and development of the overall curriculum; formulate an instructional plan for the course(s) they teach
• Ensure that courses, student admissions, and assessments are within the quality assurance framework and standards of the department and the college; ensure that teaching content and methods are in accordance with equal opportunities
• Perform student admissions and assessments; advise students about which classes to take and how to achieve their goals; set, mark, and assess work and examinations
• Provide feedback to students; challenge their thinking, foster debate, and develop their ability to engage in critical discourse and rational thinking
• Act as a personal tutor and give first line support; supervise student projects, field trips, and, where appropriate, placements
• Contribute to peer assessment; supervise graduate students who are working toward doctoral degrees; stay informed about changes and innovations in their field
• Help develop and implement college research strategy; determine relevant research objectives and prepare research proposals; lead bids for research, consultancy, and other additional funds
• Conduct independent research and experiments to advance knowledge in their field; lead research and collaborative partnerships with other educational institutions and relevant bodies; seek practical application of research findings
• Disseminate research findings to a wide variety of audiences using appropriate media and methods to promote understanding; publish original research and analysis in books and academic journals; make presentations at national and international conferences
• Serve on and chair academic and administrative committees to review and recommend policies; participate in college budgetary processes, decision-making, and governance
• Offer advice on and participate in departmental hiring, professional development, and promotions; respond to and initiate new and original solutions to staff, student, and college-wide issues
• Lead and develop internal and external networks to foster collaboration and share information and ideas; promote their subject and college; promote and market the work of their department both nationally and internationally
• Prepare and submit proposals and applications to external bodies for funding and accreditation purposes
• Promote a collegiate approach; develop team spirit and coherence; provide a healthy and comfortable working environment

College Professors may conduct large classes of several hundred students (often with the help of graduate teaching assistants), smaller ones of about 40 to 50 students, seminars with just a few students, or laboratories where students practice the subject matter.

Many College Professors teach part-time courses at several colleges or universities. Some may have a full-time job in their field of expertise in addition to a part-time teaching position. For example, an active lawyer or judge might teach a law school class during the evening.

Full-time College Professors need to be on campus to teach classes and have office hours. Otherwise, you are free to set your schedule outside of class time.

Classes are generally held during the day, although some are offered in the evenings and weekends to accommodate students who have jobs or family obligations. Although some postsecondary teachers teach summer courses, many use that time to conduct research, involve themselves in professional development, or travel.

You may be recruited as a full-time, part-time, or adjunct College Professor. Fifty percent of PhD holders in sciences work with academic institutions, and many work in the private sector in lucrative jobs they have chosen in place of academic careers. PhD holders in humanities find the job market is more challenging. Twenty percent find junior positions on a tenure track in their first year after graduation, and another thirty percent find non-tenure-track work. Half do not find academic jobs.

Post-doctoral experience, wherein you gather a sufficient backlog of publications and writings in progress to remain competitive and personal relationships with faculty are critical in the hunt for a first job.

College Professors are generally employed by:

• Public Universities & Colleges
• Private Universities & Colleges
• Professional Schools
• Junior Colleges
• Community Colleges
• The Private Sector
• Government Organizations

Professional associations and organizations are a crucial resource for College Professors interested in pursuing professional development or connecting with like-minded professionals in their industry or occupation. Membership in one or more adds value to your resume while bolstering your credentials and qualifications.

• Balancing the competing pressures of teaching, scholarship, research, knowledge transfer, administrative demands, and deadlines

A proven record of experience and achievement in the chosen field, profession, or specialism would prove invaluable.

Working in an occupation related to your field of expertise will help you gain essential hands-on work experience in health specialties, art, law, or education. College Professors in biological science, physics, and chemistry acquire postdoctoral research experience over two to three years as research associates at a college or university.

You may also gain experience as a graduate teaching assistant at the institution where you are enrolled in a graduate program.

Educational requirements vary with the subject taught and the type of educational institution. Typically College Professors must have a PhD, but some schools may hire doctoral degree candidates in specialties such as fine arts or for part-time positions. A master’s degree may be adequate for some professors at two-year community colleges, career, and technical schools; others may need work experience in their field of expertise.

College Professors who prepare students for an occupation that requires a license, certification, or registration may need to have—or they may benefit from having—the same credentials. For example, a College Professor in the field of nursing might need a nursing license.

A significant goal of College Professors in a traditional academic career is to obtain tenure. To gain tenure (a guarantee that you cannot be fired without just cause), you must do original research such as experiments, document analysis, critical reviews, and publish your findings.

Tenure is granted by reviewing the candidate’s teaching, research, and contribution to the institution. Tenured College Professors have relatively high job security and professional freedom.

Tenure can take up to 7 years of moving up the ranks in tenure-track positions. The levels are Assistant College Professor, Associate College Professor, College Professor. Some tenured College Professors advance to administrative positions, such as Dean or President.

With tenure come the real rewards of academic life: the ability to say, write, and teach what one wishes, with the greatest possible freedom. Job satisfaction is generally high, and few tenured College Professors leave the profession—those who leave typically move to lucrative positions in private enterprise or powerful government positions.

Tenure and tenure-track positions are diminishing as institutions rely more heavily on part-time College Professors in an attempt to contain costs. Besides, tenure no longer means complete immunity; post-tenure review is now mandatory at most universities, and incumbents who fall behind on teaching and independent scholarship may lose their jobs.

This profession is best suited to motivated self-starters, and its highest rewards are given to those who can identify and explore original problems in their fields. There may be more job opportunities for part-time post-secondary teachers since many institutions fill vacancies with part-time rather than full-time teachers.

There will be a limited number of full-time tenure-track positions, and competition may be high. Some fields, such as health specialties and nursing, will likely experience better job prospects than others, such as those in the humanities.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) allows individuals to upskill continually, regardless of their age, job, or level of knowledge. It prevents practical and academic qualifications from becoming outdated. It enables College Professors to identify any knowledge gaps and progress to a new specialism. They keep up with developments in their field by reading scholarly articles, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.

College Professors who undertake research can expect support and additional training from Vitae, a non-profit global leader with over 50 years’ experience in enhancing researchers’ skills. In partnership with governments, funders of research, academies, professional bodies, trusts & foundations, universities, and research institutes, Vitae offers training, resources, events, consultancy, and membership.

College Professors work for different types of institutions, and their job duties vary with the kind of organization for which they work. They work with an increasingly varied student population as more part-time, older, and culturally diverse students now attend post-secondary schools.

At colleges and universities, College Professors are organized into departments that specialize in fields such as history, science, business, or music. A College Professor may teach one or more courses within that department. For example, a mathematics College Professor may teach calculus, statistics, and a graduate seminar in a particular area of mathematics.

College Professors in Large Universities

Often, College Professors who work for large universities spend a large portion of their time conducting research or experiments and applying for grants to fund their research. They spend less time teaching.

College Professors in Small Universities

College Professors who work in small colleges and universities or community colleges often spend more time teaching classes and working with students. They do not have much time to devote to research.

Full-Time College Professors

Full-time College Professors, particularly those who have tenure, are expected to spend more time on their research and serve on more college and university committees than those who do not have tenure.

Part-Time College Professors

Part-time College Professors, often known as adjunct College Professors, spend most of their time teaching students and may not be able to undertake as much research as a full-timer.

Online College Professors

Some College Professors work for online universities or teach online classes. They use the internet to present lessons and information, assign and accept students’ work, and participate in course discussions. Online College Professors use email, phone, and video chat apps to communicate with students whom they might never meet in person.

In 2015, MIT neuroscience professor Nancy Kanwisher shaved her head bald to show her grad students specific regions of the brain responsible for sight and other functions. And they saw everything.

College Professors foster authentic learning by facilitating personal and intellectual development. The profession offers intellectual stimulation and freedom to all its members who form unique relationships with their students as they navigate the wider world.

My mother said I must always be intolerant of ignorance but understanding of illiteracy. That some people, unable to go to school, were more educated and more intelligent than College Professors.