The demand for assistant professors is currently increasing since the current demand of tenured people is declining with competition for this kind of job expected to grow with rising demand. These professors have less experience than tenured ones but they are usually geared towards getting a better position upon completion of different requirements and years of experience.
Skills and Qualifications
Educational attainment and background will be dependent upon the scope of the subject that you will be teaching and the educational institution.
Assistant professors need to be responsible and flexible in taking daily loads and working under time pressure. They are also required to be sensitive to the needs of the students so that they are able to convey their lessons effectively.
They should also have that initiative and keen eye for detail to be able to take part in related training programs and seminars that can be used to further enhance their resumes.
They are usually required to take some units related to their subject of expertise. They are also required to complete a number of publications and seminars in order to gain advancement and promotions.
Responsibilities
Aside from taking fixed number of credits every school term, assistant professors are also required to published scholarly articles, attend academic-related seminars and training as well as get certifications and related experience outside of the university. Their articles are to be published in journals, books, and electronic media.
They are usually given a minimum number of subjects to be given every term. Subject delivery and activities will be dependent on their mode of teaching and their own preferred style. They can teach in the usual classroom setting, setup a conference, or even have lab works and activities.
Depending on expertise and experience, they can handle either undergraduate or graduate students. In some cases, they can even handle both.
They are usually assigned their own projects where they need to perform their own analyses, experiments, data collection, and literature review.
They assess the students based on performance. They can give activities including examinations, research papers and other related activities. They will evaluate and grade those accordingly to be able to provide the current standing of the student. They are also responsible for their own materials and examinations. They can be as creative as they want ensuring the effectiveness of their teaching method.
They are also to assist the full-time professors in developing a curriculum for their subject or department.
Current Statistics and Competition
Based on recent studies from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, individuals taking this career opportunity are expected to grow by 15 percent from 2008 to 2018. This is brought by a significant increase in enrollment both for colleges and universities. High demand also needs a high supply of individuals who are experts in this field. Additionally, tenured professors are also expected to be reduced in the coming years, giving more opportunity and competition for these assistant professors.
Average Salary
Average salary may range from USD 60,000 to USD 65,000. The university as well as experience and qualifications will determine compensation.
