Jobs in Academia
Hank Walker
Ford Motor Company Design Professor II and Department Head
Academia – Types of Schools
• Lots of different ways to classify schools– Research Universities
• Research is a major part of the school’s function• Usually offer full range of graduate degrees• Example: TAMU
– Teaching Universities• Primary focus is on the teaching aspects of
education• Usually focused on undergraduate education• Example: Trinity
Academia – Carnegie Classification
• Classification System for “labeling” universities based on various factors– Focus of the University– Types of degrees awarded– Amount of Research
• Has gone through several changes
Carnegie ClassificationTerminology
• Pre-2000: Research I
• 2005: Doctoral/Research University Extensive
• Current: Research University/Very High Research Activity
Academic InstitutionsCarnegie Classification
• Doctorate Universities• Master’s Colleges and Universities• Baccalaureate Colleges• Associates Colleges• Special Focus Institutions
Carnegie ClassificationDoctorate Universities
• At least 20 doctoral degrees per year
• Research Universities (very high research activity) (RU/VH)– Offer Doctorates, Large amount of research expenditure
– Texas A&M, Rice, UT-Austin
• Research Universities (high research activity) (RU/H)– Offer doctorates, moderate amount of research expenditure
– Baylor, Texas Tech, U of H, UNT, UT-Arlington, UT-Dallas, UTEP
• Doctoral/Research Universities (DRU)– Offer doctorates, limited research expediture
– Sam Houston, SMU, TAMU-Commerce, TAMU-Kingsville, TCU, Texas Women’s
Carnegie ClassificationMaster’s Colleges and Universities
• At least 50 Master’s degrees per year, split by number of Master’s degrees awarded
• Larger Programs (Master’s/L)– Dallas Baptist, Lamar, Our Lady of the Lake, Prairie View A&M, St. Edward’s,
Stephen F. Austin, Sul Ross State, Tarleton State, TAMU-Corpus Christi, Texas State, University of Dallas, University of Houston-Clear Lake, University of Houston-Victoria, UT-San Antonio, UT-Tyler, UT-Pan American, University of the Incarnate Word, West Texas A&M
• Medium Programs (Master’s/M)– ACU, Amberton, Angelo State, Hardin-Simmons, Houston Baptist, LeTourneau,
Midwestern State, Texas A&M International, TAMU-Texarkana, Texas Southern, Texas Wesleyan, Trinity, UT-Brownsville, UT-Permian Basin, Wayland Baptist
• Smaller Programs (Master’s/S)– DeVry, Lubbock Christian, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
Carnegie ClassificationBaccalaureate Colleges
• Baccalaureate is at least 10% of undergrad degrees
• Arts and Sciences (BAC/A&S)– Austin College, College of Saint Thomas More, Huston-Tillotson, Jarvis
Christian, Southwestern, Texas Lutheran
• Diverse Fields (BAC/Diverse)– Concordia, East Texas Baptist, Howard Payne, McMurry, Paul Quinn,
Schreiner, Southwestern Adventist, Southwestern Assemblies of God, TAMU-Galveston, Texas College, Houston-Downtown, Wiley
• Baccalaureate/Associate’s Colleges (BAC/Assoc)– Southwestern Christian
Carnegie ClassificationAssociate’s Colleges
• Degrees at Associate’s level
• Several variations, from community colleges, to 4-year non-profit, to 4-year for profit
Carnegie ClassificationSpecial Focus Institutions
• High concentration of degrees in a single area– Theological seminaries, Bible colleges, other religious schools
– Medical schools and centers
– Health profession schools
– Schools of engineering
– Technology-related schools – Texas State Technical College
– Schools of business and management
– Schools of art, music, and design
– Schools of law
– Others
• Tribal Colleges
Differences in Schools
• In addition to those categories, other variations:– Public, Public Land-Grant, Private, Private for-Profit
– Residential, “Commuter”
• The category of the school tends to affect several things about it:– Mission
– Expectations for faculty
– Degree offerings
– Types of students
Positions in Academia
• Faculty
• Administration– For many upper-level positions, graduate
degree is needed– Often move to administration from faculty
• Support– Specialized services/technologies/knowledge– Usually the largest percentage of employees
Faculty Positions
• Tenured/Tenure-Track Faculty
• Teaching Faculty/Lecturers
• Research Faculty
Research Faculty
• Primary duty is research– Expected to be funded from research contracts
• Most/all salary from contracts
– Sometimes coordinate rather than work directly on research topics
• Limited other duties– Usually don’t teach, limited service
– Might still serve on graduate student committees, but usually won’t chair them
Teaching Faculty
• Primary role is teaching– Most do not actively pursue research– Usually have ~2x teaching load of tenure-track faculty
• Research Universities:– Lecturers– Not Tenure-Track
• Teaching Universities:– Faculty– Can be tenured
Tenure-Track/Tenured Faculty
• The “regular” faculty members
• Teaching, Research, Service
• Supervise graduate students
• Tenure-track (pre-tenure) or Tenured
The Role of Research
• The role of Universities is the “the pursuit, understanding, and dissemination of knowledge”
• Knowledge transfer is expected– Teaching in classes– Graduate students– Undergrad research projects– Publications/Presentations to larger community– Cooperation with industry/government
• Research plays a large role at Research Schools, less so at Teaching Schools
• Research is a (THE) major part of graduate studies, particularly for Ph.D.
Research in Academia
• Typically more “basic” research than that funded by corporate entities– R&D at companies is mostly “D”
• Research evaluated by peer review
• Research disseminated through publication– Conferences, Journals, Online
• Research influences teaching
Teaching in Academia
• Teaching “load” will vary by type of institution, department, and other factors (such as other faculty responsibilities)– Typically 3 courses/year in research university– Big lectures vs. multiple small sections– TA or no TA
Service in Academia
• Support the University’s infrastructure– Committees in Department, College, University– Advisors to groups (e.g. TACS, UPE)– Administrative duties (overseeing programs)
• Support the wider scholarly field– Peer review of proposals and papers– Editorial boards and Program committees – Professional organizations
• Support outreach – “engagement”– To industry– To general public
What is Tenure?
• Reviewed after ~5 years, by senior faculty/administrators – Process takes about 1 year– Sufficient experience prior to joining can be used
• Usually either get tenure or have a year to find another job– Total 7 year term
What is Tenure?
• Reviewed after ~5 years, by senior faculty/administrators – Process takes about 1 year– Sufficient experience prior to joining can be used
• Usually either get tenure or have a year to find another job– Total 7 year term
• Demonstrate “high level of scholarly accomplishment”– Research (publications/grants) often considered most important– Reviews from faculty outside of your own University– Teaching, Service also IMPORTANT!
• We really do use your teaching evaluations!
What is Tenure?
• Reviewed after ~5 years, by senior faculty/administrators – Process takes about 1 year– Sufficient experience prior to joining can be used
• Usually either get tenure or must leave• Demonstrate “high level of scholarly accomplishment”
– Research (publications/grants) often considered most important– Reviews from faculty outside of your own University– Teaching, Service also IMPORTANT!
• We really do use your teaching evaluations!
• Security– Freedom to choose research directions/express opinions– Economic security (Incentive for academic jobs) – sort of
Why do You Need a Graduate Degree for Academic Jobs?
• Provides a “certification” of sorts• If you will be doing research, need to have demonstrated
research aptitude– Almost always means Ph.D.
• Supervising graduate students (know expectations)• Can demonstrate knowledge level sufficient to teach• Master’s/Ph.D. needs change depending on school type
Recommended Resources
• Texas A&M Faculty Senate, TAMU Faculty Facts (Answers to questions about faculty roles and responsibilities at TAMU)– http://www.math.tamu.edu/~arthur.hobbs/all.html
• Tomorrow’s Professor: Preparing for Academic Careers in Science and Engineering– Richard Reis, IEEE Press, 1997 ($76.81 at Amazon)
• Carnegie Classification:– http://classifications.carnegiefoundation.org/