Top Tips for Pursuing a Career in Higher Education

If you are an expert in your particular field of study – whether that may be English Literature, Economics, physical sciences, psychology, or any other – then you might be considering the idea of sharing your expertise with the next generation.

Becoming a college-level teacher will give you the opportunity to pass on your in-depth knowledge to your students, and it can also prove to be a valuable learning experience for you in your own right. Teaching in the sphere of higher education is a complex and demanding profession that will require you to learn new skills and take on a supportive as well as educational role.

While there are sure to be various challenges along the way, it can also be a deeply fulfilling job and will allow you to share your passion and knowledge with others. If this sounds like a career path you would like to pursue, there are a number of requirements you will need to fulfil before you can step into a classroom or lecture hall and meet your first class of students. Here are some top tips to guide you as you begin the first steps of your journey toward teaching at university level.

The Reality of Becoming a College Professor

Before you start focusing on the hoops you need to jump through in order to gain a college teaching role, it’s important to understand the unique challenges that this kind of job can bring.

For one thing, you may face a lot of competition for the positions you apply for, depending on your particular field – although the good news is that, according to the US Bureau Of Labor Statistics, over 132,000 job openings are predicted each year between 2021 and 2031.

For another thing, salaries can vary widely depending on what kind of professor you are, with full professors earning tens of thousands of dollars more than assistant or associate professors. As a result, you may want to consider your earning potential to make sure a college teaching role will be the best financial option for you.

You Need The Right Qualifications

In order to be accepted as a professor by the majority of universities, you will probably need to have attained a PhD in your chosen field of study; in fact, some college professors acquire several PhDs to their name over the course of their careers.

Unfortunately, as you may imagine, acquiring even one PhD is a significant undertaking, and comes with a range of challenges. These include familiarising yourself with a new style of learning; coping with feelings of isolation; mastering public speaking skills; and even facing a heightened risk of developing mental health problems such as stress and anxiety.

The good news is that, if you have managed to publish a number of favourably-received academic papers, or if you have previously worked with illustrious academics and experts in your field, then you may not even need a PhD. Instead, you could be accepted for a teaching role with a master’s degree as your highest qualification.

At the end of the day, it depends on the individual university in question and their hiring policy, as well as on your particular field.

Teaching Experience and Certifications

As well as the relevant degrees, you will also need to have amassed some teaching experience if you want to be seriously considered as a candidate for a university’s faculty. Fortunately, this kind of experience is usually included as part of your master’s or doctoral degree. Many of these courses provide graduate students with the opportunity to assist in the teaching of undergrad lessons; in some cases, they may even be able to lead the teaching of the class.

Alternatively, you can take on the role of a Teacher’s Aide (TA), which is a college-level teaching position. TAs can gain valuable experience in a number of aspects of teaching, from grading papers to preparing lesson plans and potentially even leading some small classes.

If you fancy a career of teaching in higher ed, it’s also recommended that you pursue some specific courses, such as a teaching certificate. These types of qualifications are widely available, but it’s important that you do your research and apply for the most reputable and insightful courses.

For example, you may wish to consider the Harvard Bok Higher Education Teaching Certificate, which will teach you the various skills necessary to create an immersive, supportive and positive learning environment for your future students.

Publish, Publish, Publish

If you have serious aspirations toward becoming a teacher of higher education, then one of the most vital steps you need to fulfil is publishing as many papers and books as you can. This approach is known, in the world of higher education, as ‘publish or perish’, and it’s vital to help you stand out from the crowd.

The unfortunate reality is that there are many highly qualified candidates for university teaching positions, so competition can be fierce. As a result, candidates with the most impressive publishing histories will quickly stand out from their peers and have a better chance of being offered a role.

Having a number of significant publications to your name is particularly important if you harbour hopes of one day securing a tenured position.

Of course, all of this means that you will have to dedicate years of your career toward your research, so that you can publish original and thought-provoking contributions to your field of study. However, this significant effort is sure to be worth it in the end, as not only will you be deepening the knowledge of your peers, but you will also increase your chances of the college teaching career you have been dreaming about.

Network With College Professors

Any additional efforts you can make to boost your chances of being offered a teaching job will be worth pursuing. In particular, you should dedicate time and effort to networking with college professors, including your former teachers. Seek their advice and expertise, and work on developing and maintaining strong, positive relationships that will hopefully stand you in good stead for years to come.

Start Applying For Positions

Once you have completed your qualifications, gained more teaching experience, and made valuable contributions to academic publishing in your field, it’s time to put your knowledge to the test and apply for teaching roles.

To begin with, it may be a good idea to focus on gaining a postdoc position. Admittedly, this will only be temporary, but it’s a valuable way of getting your foot in the door and may even improve your chances of gaining a full-time position.

A postdoc teaching role will also help you gain more teaching experience at college level, allowing you to hone the necessary skills – from building a rapport with your students, preparing lesson materials, and creating a positive and productive learning environment.

Final Thoughts

There’s no denying the fact that becoming a college professor requires long years of often arduous preparation, rigorous research, and an abundance of unflagging passion.

However, if you do succeed in your goal and manage to snag one of those precious university teaching positions, you will hopefully find yourself in a deeply stimulating and fulfilling role that you can occupy for the rest of your working life. Not only will you be working to further enrich your chosen field of study, you will also be helping the bright young minds of the next generation to lay the foundations of their own careers. What could be more rewarding than that?