English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary

Career Overview

Teach courses in English language and literature, including linguistics and comparative literature. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

Also Known As

English Instructor
English Professor
Instructor
Professor

Alternate Job Titles

Adjunct English Instructor
Adjunct Instructor
Adjunct Lecturer
Adjunct Professor
Adjunct Writing Instructor
Assistant Professor
Associate Professor
Children's Literature Professor
Classics Teacher
College Faculty Member
College Professor
Composition Instructor
Composition Professor
Composition Teacher
Contemporary English Literature Professor

What You'll Do

In this role, your typical responsibilities include:

Teach writing or communication classes.
Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as poetry, novel structure, and translation and adaptation.

Knowledge You'll Use

You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:

English Language
Education and Training
Communications and Media
History and Archeology
Philosophy and Theology
Sociology and Anthropology

Essential Skills

Success in this career requires strong skills in:

Reading Comprehension
Instructing
Writing
Speaking
Active Listening
Learning Strategies
Active Learning
Critical Thinking
Monitoring

Key Abilities

This career requires key abilities in:

Written Comprehension
Oral Expression
Oral Comprehension
Written Expression
Speech Clarity
Deductive Reasoning
Inductive Reasoning
Near Vision
Speech Recognition
Problem Sensitivity

Work Style

People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:

Intellectual Curiosity
Dependability
Social Orientation
Innovation
Achievement Orientation

What Matters in This Career

This career tends to satisfy these work values:

Relationships
Achievement
Working Conditions
Independence
Recognition

Education & Preparation

Typical Education: Doctoral Degree

Related Work Experience Needed: Over 4 years, up to and including 6 years

On-the-Job Training: None or short demonstration

Education Details: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).

Experience Required: Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.

Technology You'll Use

Popular Technologies & Software

Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Photoshop
Apple Safari
Google Docs
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Office software
Microsoft Outlook
Microsoft PowerPoint
Microsoft Word

Tools & Equipment

Audio amplification speakers
Carousel slide projectors
Compact digital cameras
Compact disk CD players
Computer data input scanners
Computer laser printers
Computer projectors
Conference telephones
Desktop computers
Digital calculators
Digital camcorders
Digital video cameras
Digital video disk DVD players
Handheld microphones
Interactive whiteboard controllers

Work Environment

E-Mail
Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
Freedom to Make Decisions
Contact With Others

Salary & Job Market

Salary Percentile	Annual Wage
Entry-Level (10th percentile)	$47,540
Median	$78,270
Top Earners (90th percentile)	$154,800

Workers Employed Nationally: 59,590