Career Overview
Teach courses pertaining to recreation, leisure, and fitness studies, including exercise physiology and facilities management. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Also Known As
- Health and Physical Education Professor (HPE Professor)
- Instructor
- Physical Education Professor (PE Professor)
- Professor
Alternate Job Titles
- Adjunct Instructor
- Adjunct Professor
- Aquatic Instructor
- Assistant Professor
- Associate Professor
- Athletic Instructor
- College Faculty Member
- College Professor
- Education Programs Professional
- Exercise Instructor
- Exercise Science Instructor
- Exercise Science Professor
- Exercise Teacher
- Fitness and Wellness Instructor
- Fitness Instructor
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as anatomy, therapeutic recreation, and conditioning theory.
- Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
- Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
Emerging Responsibilities
As this field evolves, you may also:
- Monitor department budgets.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Education and Training
- English Language
- Computers and Electronics
- Psychology
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Speaking
- Instructing
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Learning Strategies
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Time Management
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Oral Expression
- Oral Comprehension
- Written Comprehension
- Speech Clarity
- Written Expression
- Deductive Reasoning
- Inductive Reasoning
- Near Vision
- Speech Recognition
- Fluency of Ideas
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Dependability
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Social Orientation
- Achievement Orientation
- Cooperation
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Relationships
- Achievement
- Independence
- Recognition
- Working Conditions
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Doctoral Degree
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 6 years, up to and including 8 years
On-the-Job Training: Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month
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
- Google Docs
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Project
- Microsoft Word
Tools & Equipment
- Badminton rackets
- Balance beams
- Baseballs
- Basketball hoops
- Basketballs
- Bowling sets
- Compact digital cameras
- Compact disk CD players
- Computer data input scanners
- Computer laser printers
- Computer projectors
- Conference telephones
- Desktop computers
- Digital calculators
- Digital video cameras
Work Environment
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Contact With Others
- Freedom to Make Decisions
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $44,150 |
| Median | $75,890 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $158,240 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 12,680
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
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Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary
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Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.