Postsecondary Education Degree Overview

Postsecondary teachers instruct students in a wide variety of academic and vocational subjects beyond the high school level that may lead to a degree or to improvement in career skills.These teachers include college and university faculty, postsecondary technical education teachers, and graduate teaching assistants.Aside from teaching, college and university faculty members perform a significant amount of our nation�s research.They also act as consultants for government, business and community organizations.

Faculty members are usually organized into departments, based on academic subjects taught.They may teach several related courses to undergraduate or graduate students and may also supervise research done by graduate assistants.They may do their own research, publishing results in professional journals and literary magazines.Some faculty members teach online classes to students in remote sites or may provide career-related instruction for working adults.

Postsecondary vocational education teachers provide instruction for occupations that require specialized training.Classes are often taught in an industrial or laboratory setting.

Education, Training & Degrees

The education required of postsecondary teachers varies from institution to institution.Four-year colleges and universities usually require faculty members to hold PhD degrees in their field of study.Before they can become professors, these teachers must spend several years as instructors, then assistant professors, and then associate professors.They receive very little supervision, so they must be self-motivated and must have a passion for gaining and sharing knowledge.Aside from their teaching responsibilities, they spend a great deal of time conducting research.At two-year colleges, most teachers hold Master�s degrees.Many of these two-year colleges seek instructors that have experience with distance learning or teaching.

Training requirements vary by state and subject for most postsecondary technical education teachers.Most require a Bachelor�s degree plus several years of work experience in the instructor�s field.In some fields, a license or certificate demonstrating qualifications may suffice.Instructors update their qualifications by taking continuing education classes in order to maintain certification.

Career Opportunities

According to the U. S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment opportunities for postsecondary teachers are expected to grow much faster than the average for other occupations. Many of these job openings will result from the need to replace the large number of teachers expected to retire.A large portion of these new jobs is expected to be made up of part-time positions.

Projected growth in college and university enrollment over the next few years stems primarily from the increase in population of 18- to 24-year-olds and from the increasing number of high school graduates choosing to attend college.Adults returning to college to update their skills and enhance their resumes will also create more opportunities for postsecondary teachers, particularly at two-year colleges. Most students attend postsecondary institutions to prepare themselves for careers, so the best job opportunities for postsecondary teachers will most likely be in areas where job growth is expected to be strong.

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