The education and training required of postsecondary teachers varies widely, depending on the subject taught and educational institution employing them. Educational requirements for teachers are generally the highest at 4-year research universities while experience and expertise in a related occupation is the principal qualification at career and technical institutes.
Postsecondary teachers should communicate and relate well with students, enjoy working with them, and be able to motivate them. They should have inquiring and analytical minds, and a strong desire to pursue and disseminate knowledge. Additionally, they must be self-motivated and able to work in an environment in which they receive little direct supervision.
Training requirements for postsecondary career and technical education teachers vary by State and by subject. In general, teachers need a bachelor's or higher degree, plus at least 3 years of work experience in their field. In some fields, a license or certificate that demonstrates one's qualifications may be all that is required. Teachers update their skills through continuing education, in order to maintain certification. They must also maintain ongoing dialogue with businesses to determine the most current skills needed in the workplace.
Four-year colleges and universities usually consider doctoral degree holders for full-time, tenure-track positions, but may hire master's degree holders or doctoral candidates for certain disciplines, such as the arts, or for part-time and temporary jobs. Most college and university faculty are in four academic ranks—professor, associate professor, assistant professor, and instructor. These positions usually are considered to be tenure-track positions. Most faculty members are hired as instructors or assistant professors. A smaller number of additional faculty members, called lecturers, are usually employed on contracts for a single academic term and are not on the tenure track.
In 2-year colleges, master's degree holders fill most full-time positions. However, in certain fields where there may be more applicants than available jobs, institutions can be more selective in their hiring practices. In these fields, Master's degree holders may be passed over in favor of candidates holding Ph.Ds. Many 2-year institutions increasingly prefer job applicants to have some teaching experience or experience with distance learning. Preference also may be given to those holding dual master's degrees, especially at smaller institutions, because they can teach more subjects.
Schools and programs that provide education and training for working adults generally hire people who are experienced in the field to teach part time. A master's degree is also usually required.
Doctoral programs take an average of 6 years of full-time study beyond the bachelor's degree, including time spent completing a master's degree and a dissertation. Some programs, such as those in the humanities, may take longer to complete; others, such as those in engineering, usually are shorter. Candidates specialize in a subfield of a discipline—for example, organic chemistry, counseling psychology, or European history—but also take courses covering the entire discipline. Programs typically include 20 or more increasingly specialized courses and seminars plus comprehensive examinations on all major areas of the field. Candidates also must complete a dissertation—a written report on original research in the candidate's major field of study. The dissertation sets forth an original hypothesis or proposes a model and tests it. Students in the natural sciences and engineering usually do laboratory work; in the humanities, they study original documents and other published material. The dissertation is done under the guidance of one or more faculty advisors and usually takes 1 or 2 years of full-time work.
Some students, particularly those who studied in the natural sciences, spend additional years after earning their degree on postdoctoral research and study before taking a faculty position. Some Ph.D.s are able to extend postdoctoral appointments, or take new ones, if they are unable to find a faculty job. Most of these appointments offer a nominal salary.
Obtaining a position as a graduate teaching assistant is a good way to gain college teaching experience. To qualify, candidates must be enrolled in a graduate school program. In addition, some colleges and universities require teaching assistants to attend classes or take some training prior to being given responsibility for a course.
Although graduate teaching assistants usually work at the institution and in the department where they are earning their degree, teaching or internship positions for graduate students at institutions that do not grant a graduate degree have become more common in recent years. For example, a program called Preparing Future Faculty, administered by the Association of American Colleges and Universities and the Council of Graduate Schools, has led to the creation of many now-independent programs that offer graduate students at research universities the opportunity to work as teaching assistants at other types of institutions, such as liberal arts or community colleges. Working with a mentor, the graduate students teach classes and learn how to improve their teaching techniques. They may attend faculty and committee meetings, develop a curriculum, and learn how to balance the teaching, research, and administrative roles that faculty play. These programs provide valuable learning opportunities for graduate students interested in teaching at the postsecondary level, and also help to make these students aware of the differences among the various types of institutions at which they may someday work.
For faculty, a major step in the traditional academic career is attaining tenure. New tenure-track faculty usually are hired as instructors or assistant professors, and must serve a period—usually 7 years—under term contracts. At the end of the period, their record of teaching, research, and overall contribution to the institution is reviewed; tenure is granted if the review is favorable. Those denied tenure usually must leave the institution. Tenured professors cannot be fired without just cause and due process. Tenure protects the faculty's academic freedom—the ability to teach and conduct research without fear of being fired for advocating controversial or unpopular ideas. It also gives both faculty and institutions the stability needed for effective research and teaching, and provides financial security for faculty. Some institutions have adopted post-tenure review policies to encourage ongoing evaluation of tenured faculty.
The number of tenure-track positions is declining as institutions seek flexibility in dealing with financial matters and changing student interests. Institutions rely more heavily on limited term contracts and part-time, or adjunct, faculty, thus shrinking the total pool of tenured faculty. Limited-term contracts—typically 2- to 5 years, may be terminated or extended when they expire, but generally do not lead to the granting of tenure. In addition, some institutions have limited the percentage of faculty who can be tenured.
For most postsecondary teachers, advancement involves a move into administrative and managerial positions, such as departmental chairperson, dean, and president. At 4-year institutions, such advancement requires a doctoral degree. At 2-year colleges, a doctorate is helpful but not usually required, except for advancement to some top administrative positions. (Deans and departmental chairpersons are covered in the Handbook statement on education administrators, while college presidents are included in the Handbook statement on top executives.)
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| Extensive Preparation Needed |
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Programs
| [ save ] | 1. | Acoustics | |
| Matching Occupations: 4 | |||
| A program that focuses on the scientific study of sound, and the properties and behavior of acoustic wave phenomena under different conditions. Includes instruction in wave theory, the acoustic wave equation, energy transformation, vibration phenomena, sound reflection and transmission, scattering and surface wave phenomena, singularity expansion theory, ducting, and applications to specific research problems such as underwater acoustics, crystallography, and health diagnostics. | |||
| [ save ] | 2. | Astronomy | |
| Matching Occupations: 3 | |||
| A general program that focuses on the planetary, galactic, and stellar phenomena occurring in outer space. Includes instruction in celestial mechanics, cosmology, stellar physics, galactic evolution, quasars, stellar distribution and motion, interstellar medium, atomic and molecular constituents of astronomical phenomena, planetary science, solar system evolution, and specific methodologies such as optical astronomy, radioastronomy, and theoretical astronomy. | |||
| [ save ] | 3. | Astrophysics | |
| Matching Occupations: 4 | |||
| A program that focuses on the theoretical and observational study of the structure, properties, and behavior of stars, star systems and clusters, stellar life cycles, and related phenomena. Includes instruction in cosmology, plasma kinetics, stellar physics, convolution and non-equilibrium radiation transfer theory, non-Euclidean geometries, mathematical modeling, galactic structure theory, and relativistic astronomy. (Moved from 40.0301) | |||
| [ save ] | 4. | Atmospheric Chemistry and Climatology | |
| Matching Occupations: 3 | |||
| A program that focuses on the scientific study of atmospheric constituents, reactions, measurement techniques, and processes in predictive, current, and historical contexts. Includes instruction in climate modeling, gases and aerosols, trace gases, aqueous phase chemistry, sinks, transport mechanisms, computer measurement, climate variability, paleoclimatology, climate diagnosis, numerical modeling and data analysis, ionization, recombination, photoemission, and plasma chemistry. | |||
| [ save ] | 5. | Atmospheric Physics and Dynamics | |
| Matching Occupations: 3 | |||
| A program that focuses on the scientific study of the processes governing the interactions, movement, and behavioral of atmospheric phenomena and related terrestrial and solar phenomena. Includes instruction in cloud and precipitation physics, solar radiation transfer, active and passive remote sensing, atmospheric electricity and acoustics, atmospheric wave phenomena, turbulence and boundary layers, solar wind, geomagnetic storms, coupling, natural plasma, and energization. | |||
| [ save ] | 6. | Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, General | |
| Matching Occupations: 3 | |||
| A general program that focuses on the scientific study of the composition and behavior of the atmospheric envelopes surrounding the earth, the effect of earth's atmosphere on terrestrial weather, and related problems of environment and climate. Includes instruction in atmospheric chemistry and physics, atmospheric dynamics, climatology and climate change, weather simulation, weather forecasting, climate modeling and mathematical theory; and studies of specific phenomena such as clouds, weather systems, storms, and precipitation patterns. | |||
| [ save ] | 7. | Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, Other | |
| Matching Occupations: 3 | |||
| Any instructional program in atmospheric sciences and meteorology not listed above. | |||
| [ save ] | 8. | Atomic/Molecular Physics | |
| Matching Occupations: 4 | |||
| A program that focuses on the scientific study of the behavior of matter-energy phenomena at the level of atoms and molecules. Includes instruction in chemical physics, atomic forces and structure, fission reactions, molecular orbital theory, magnetic resonance, molecular bonding, phase equilibria, quantum theory of solids, and applications to the study of specific elements and higher compounds. | |||
| [ save ] | 9. | Elementary Particle Physics | |
| Matching Occupations: 4 | |||
| A program that focuses on the scientific study of the basic constituents of sub-atomic matter and energy, and the forces governing fundamental processes. Includes instruction in quantum theory, field theory, single-particle systems, perturbation and scattering theory, matter-radiation interaction, symmetry, quarks, capture, Schroedinger mechanics, methods for detecting particle emission and absorption, and research equipment operation and maintenance. | |||
| [ save ] | 10. | Geochemistry | |
| Matching Occupations: 4 | |||
| A program that focuses on the scientific study of the chemical properties and behavior of the silicates and other substances forming, and formed by geomorphological processes of the earth and other planets. Includes instruction in chemical thermodynamics, equilibrium in silicate systems, atomic bonding, isotopic fractionation, geochemical modeling, specimen analysis, and studies of specific organic and inorganic substances. | |||
| [ save ] | 11. | Geochemistry and Petrology | |
| Matching Occupations: 3 | |||
| A program that focuses on the scientific study of the igneous, metamorphic, and hydrothermal processes within the earth and the mineral, fluid, rock, and ore deposits resulting from them. Includes instruction in mineralogy, crystallography, petrology, volcanology, economic geology, meteoritics, geochemical reactions, deposition, compound transformation, core studies, theoretical geochemistry, computer applications, and laboratory studies. | |||
| [ save ] | 12. | Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences, Other | |
| Matching Occupations: 3 | |||
| Any instructional program in geological and related sciences not listed above. | |||
| [ save ] | 13. | Geology/Earth Science, General | |
| Matching Occupations: 4 | |||
| A program that focuses on the scientific study of the earth; the forces acting upon it; and the behavior of the solids, liquids and gases comprising it. Includes instruction in historical geology, geomorphology, and sedimentology, the chemistry of rocks and soils, stratigraphy, mineralogy, petrology, geostatistics, volcanology, glaciology, geophysical principles, and applications to research and industrial problems. | |||
| [ save ] | 14. | Geophysics and Seismology | |
| Matching Occupations: 3 | |||
| A program that focuses on the scientific study of the physics of solids and its application to the study of the earth and other planets. Includes instruction in gravimetric, seismology, earthquake forecasting, magnetrometry, electrical properties of solid bodies, plate tectonics, active deformation, thermodynamics, remote sensing, geodesy, and laboratory simulations of geological processes. | |||
| [ save ] | 15. | Hydrology and Water Resources Science | |
| Matching Occupations: 3 | |||
| A program that focuses on the scientific of study of the occurrence, circulation, distribution, chemical and physical properties, and environmental interaction of surface and subsurface waters, including groundwater. Includes instruction in geophysics, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, chemical physics, geomorphology, mathematical modeling, hydrologic analysis, continental water processes, global water balance, and environmental science. | |||
| [ save ] | 16. | Meteorology | |
| Matching Occupations: 3 | |||
| A program that focuses on the scientific study of the prediction of atmospheric motion and climate change. Includes instruction in general circulation patterns, weather phenomena, atmospheric predictability, parameterization, numerical and statistical analysis, large- and mesoscale phenomena, kinematic structures, precipitation processes, and forecasting techniques. | |||
| [ save ] | 17. | Nuclear Physics | |
| Matching Occupations: 4 | |||
| A program that focuses on the scientific study of the properties and behavior of atomic nuclei instruction in nuclear reaction theory, quantum mechanics, energy conservation, nuclear fission and fusion, strong and weak atomic forces, nuclear modeling, nuclear decay, nucleon scattering, pairing, photon and electron reactions, statistical methods, and research equipment operation and maintenance. | |||
| [ save ] | 18. | Oceanography, Chemical and Physical | |
| Matching Occupations: 4 | |||
| A program that focuses on the scientific study of the chemical components, mechanisms, structure, and movement of ocean waters and their interaction with terrestrial and atmospheric phenomena. Includes instruction in material inputs and outputs, chemical and biochemical transformations in marine systems, equilibria studies, inorganic and organic ocean chemistry, oceanographic processes, sediment transport, zone processes, circulation, mixing, tidal movements, wave properties, and seawater properties. (Moved from 40.0702) | |||
| [ save ] | 19. | Optics/Optical Sciences | |
| Matching Occupations: 4 | |||
| A program that focuses on the scientific study of light energy, including its structure, properties and behavior under different conditions. Includes instruction in wave theory, wave mechanics, electromagnetic theory, physical optics, geometric optics, quantum theory of light, photon detecting, laser theory, wall and beam properties, chaotic light, non-linear optics, harmonic generation, optical systems theory, and applications to engineering problems. | |||
| [ save ] | 20. | Paleontology | |
| Matching Occupations: 3 | |||
| A program that focuses on the scientific study of extinct life forms and associated fossil remains, and the reconstruction and analysis of ancient life forms, ecosystems, and geologic processes. Includes instruction in sedimentation and fossilization processes, fossil chemistry, evolutionary biology, paleoecology, paleoclimatology, trace fossils, micropaleontology, invertebrate paleontology, vertebrate paleontology, paleobotany, field research methods, and laboratory research and conservation methods. | |||
| [ save ] | 21. | Physics Teacher Education | |
| Matching Occupations: 3 | |||
| A program that prepares individuals to teach physics programs at various educational levels. | |||
| [ save ] | 22. | Physics, Other | |
| Matching Occupations: 4 | |||
| Any instructional program in physics not listed above. | |||
| [ save ] | 23. | Planetary Astronomy and Science | |
| Matching Occupations: 3 | |||
| A program that focuses on the scientific study of planets, small objects, and related gravitational systems. Includes instruction in the structure and composition of planetary surfaces and interiors, planetary atmospheres, satellites, orbital mechanics, asteroids and comets, solar system evolution and dynamics, planetary evolution, gravitational physics, and radiation physics. | |||
| [ save ] | 24. | Plasma and High-Temperature Physics | |
| Matching Occupations: 4 | |||
| A program that focuses on the scientific study of properties and behavior of matter at high temperatures, such that molecular and atomic structures are in a disassociated ionic or electronic state. Includes instruction in magnetohydrodynamics, free electron phenomena, fusion theory, electromagnetic fields and dynamics, plasma and non-linear wave theory, instability theory, plasma shock phenomena, quantitative modeling, and research equipment operation and maintenance. | |||
| [ save ] | 25. | Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education | |
| Matching Occupations: 6 | |||
| A program that prepares individuals to teach general science programs, or a combination of the biological and physical science subject matter areas, at various educational levels. | |||
| [ save ] | 26. | Solid State and Low-Temperature Physics | |
| Matching Occupations: 4 | |||
| A program that focuses on the scientific study of solids and related states of matter at low energy levels, including liquids and dense gases. Includes instruction in statistical mechanics, quantum theory of solids, many-body theory, low temperature phenomena, electron theory of metals, band theory, crystalline structures, magnetism and superconductivity, equilibria and dynamics of liquids, film and surface phenomena, quantitative modeling, and research equipment operation and maintenance. | |||
| [ save ] | 27. | Theoretical and Mathematical Physics | |
| Matching Occupations: 4 | |||
| A program that focuses on the scientific and mathematical formulation and evaluation of the physical laws governing, and models describing, matter-energy phenomena, and the analysis of related experimental designs and results. Includes instruction in classical and quantum theory, relativity theory, field theory, mathematics of infinite series, vector and coordinate analysis, wave and particle theory, advanced applied calculus and geometry, analyses of continuum, cosmology, and statistical theory and analysis. | |||
Knowledge
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Skills
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