Nature of the Work
College and university faculty teach and advise more than 15 million full and part-time college students and perform a significant part of our nation's research. They also study and meet with colleagues to keep up with developments in their field and consult with government, business, nonprofit, and community organizations.
Faculty is generally organized into departments or divisions, based on subject or field. They usually teach several different courses in their department. They may instruct undergraduate or graduate students, or both.
College and university faculty prepare lectures, exercises, and laboratory experiments, grade exams and papers, and advise and work with students individually. In universities, they counsel, advise, teach, and supervise graduate student teaching and research.
Faculty keep abreast of developments in their field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences. They also do their own research to expand knowledge in their field. They experiment, collect and analyze data, and examine original documents, literature, and other source material. From this, they develop hypotheses, arrive at conclusions, and publish their findings in scholarly journals, books, and electronic media.
Most faculty members serve on academic or administrative committees which deal with the policies of their institution, departmental matters, academic issues, curricula, budgets, equipment purchases, and hiring. Some work with students as well as community organizations.
Working Conditions
College faculty members generally have flexible schedules. They must be present for classes, usually 12 to 16 hours a week, and for faculty and committee meetings. Most establish regular office hours for student consultations, usually 3 to 6 hours per week. Otherwise, faculty have some flexibility to decide when and where they will work, and how much time to devote to course preparation, grading papers and exams, study, research, graduate student supervision, and other activities.
Some faculty members work staggered hours and teach classes at night and on weekends. Most faculty members are employed on a nine-month contract. This provides them with great flexibility during the summer and school holidays, when they may teach or do research, travel, or pursue nonacademic interests. Most colleges and universities have funds to support faculty research or other professional development needs, including travel to conferences and research sites.
Part-time faculty generally spend little time on campus, and are usually not eligible for tenure.
Employment
College and university faculty held about 1.3 million jobs in 2016, a majority of which were involved in health specialties.
About 4 out of 10 college and university faculty work part-time. Some part-timers, known as "adjunct faculty," have primary jobs outside of academia in government, private industry, or in nonprofit research and teach "on the side." Some work part-time in more than one institution.
Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement
Most college and university faculty are in four academic ranks: Professor, associate professor, assistant professor, and instructor. A small number are lecturers.
Most faculty members are hired as instructors or assistant professors. Four-year colleges and universities generally only 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. In two-year colleges, master's degree holders often qualify for full time positions. However, with increasing competition for available jobs, institutions can be more selective in their hiring practices. Master's degree holders may find it increasingly difficult to obtain employment as they are passed over in favor of candidates holding a Ph.D.
Doctoral programs usually take six to eight years of full time study beyond the bachelor's degree. Candidates usually specialize in a subfield of a discipline, but also take courses covering the whole discipline. Candidates also must complete a dissertation. This is a report on original research to answer some significant question in the field; it sets forth an original hypothesis or proposes a model and tests it. The dissertation, done under the guidance of one or more faculty advisors, usually takes one or two years of full time work.
In some fields, particularly the natural sciences, some students spend an additional two years on postdoctoral research and study before taking a faculty position.
A major step in the traditional academic career is attaining tenure. Newly hired tenure track faculty serve a certain period (usually seven years) under term contracts. Then, their record of teaching, research, and overall contribution to the institution is reviewed; tenure is granted if the review is favorable. With tenure, a professor cannot be fired without just cause and due process. Those denied tenure usually must leave the institution. Tenure protects the faculty's academic freedom and the ability to teach and conduct research without fear of being fired for advocating unpopular ideas. It also gives both faculty and institutions the stability needed for effective research and teaching, and provides financial stability for faculty members. About 6 out of 10 full time faculty members are tenured, and many others are in the probationary period. Some institutions have adopted post tenure review policies to encourage ongoing evaluation of tenured faculty members.
Some faculty based on teaching experience, research, publication, and service on campus committees and task forces move into administrative and managerial positions, such as departmental chairperson, dean, and president. At four year institutions, such advancement requires a doctoral degree. At two year colleges, a doctorate is helpful but not generally required, except for advancement to some top administrative positions.
College faculty members need intelligence, inquiring and analytical minds, and a strong desire to pursue and disseminate knowledge. They must be able to communicate clearly and logically and establish rapport with students, serving as a model of academic integrity and intellectual honesty.
Job Outlook
Employment of college and university faculty is expected to increase by 15% from 2016 to 2026, faster than the average for all occupations. As the number of people attending college and university increase, so does the demand for teachers and instructors to facilitate these classes.
Earnings
The median annual wage for college and university faculty was $76,000 in 2017. The lowest 10% earned less than $39,040, while the highest 10% earned more than $170,160.
Many faculty members have added earnings, both during the academic year and the summer, from consulting, teaching additional courses, research, writing for publication, or other employment.
Most college and university faculty enjoy some unique benefits, including access to campus facilities, tuition waivers for dependents, housing and travel allowances, and paid sabbatical leaves. Part-time faculty members have fewer benefits than fulltime faculty, and usually do not receive health insurance, retirement benefits, or sabbatical leave.
Related Occupations
Career and technical education teachers, elementary, middle and high school principles, instructional coordinators, postsecondary education administrators
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