Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary

Career Overview

Teach courses in social work. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

Also Known As

Assistant Professor
Professor
Social Work Associate Professor
Social Work Professor

Alternate Job Titles

Adjunct Professor
Assistant Professor
Associate Professor
Clinical Professor
College Faculty Member
College Professor
Faculty Member
Family Welfare Social Work Professor
Field Education Coordinator
Field Instructor
Geriatric Social Work Professor
Health Social Work Professor
Instructor
Lecturer
Professor

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, or handouts.
Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
Supervise students' laboratory and field work.
Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as family behavior, child and adolescent mental health, or social intervention evaluation.
Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.
Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.

Knowledge You'll Use

You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:

Education and Training
Sociology and Anthropology
Therapy and Counseling
Psychology
English Language
Administration and Management
Computers and Electronics

Essential Skills

Success in this career requires strong skills in:

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

Key Abilities

This career requires key abilities in:

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

Work Style

People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:

Social Orientation
Dependability
Empathy
Intellectual Curiosity
Cooperation

What Matters in This Career

This career tends to satisfy these work values:

Relationships
Achievement
Working Conditions
Recognition
Independence

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 Acrobat
Google Docs
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Office software
Microsoft Outlook
Microsoft PowerPoint
Microsoft Word

Tools & Equipment

Binding machines
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 video cameras
Digital video disk DVD players
Handheld microphones
Interactive whiteboard controllers
Interactive whiteboards

Work Environment

E-Mail
Freedom to Make Decisions
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
Telephone Conversations

Salary & Job Market

Salary Percentile	Annual Wage
Entry-Level (10th percentile)	$45,370
Median	$76,210
Top Earners (90th percentile)	$129,280

Workers Employed Nationally: 13,350