Becoming a university lecturer is hard work. You’ll need to focus on your college studies, get good grades, write a few research papers, graduate with a decent GPA, and earn at least one master’s degree. Then, it’s time to apply for positions in your field and ask other educators for recommendations.
To help you through the process, here’s a step-by-step guide on how to become a good university lecturer.
Focus on Your College Studies
The first step to becoming a good university lecturer is to finish your college education with a decent GPA. It’s important to focus on your studies and not worry about the job market, getting into grad school, or earning a master’s degree or Ed.D. You’ll want to graduate with at least an average GPA to land an entry-level job as a university lecturer without any trouble.Â
Your GPA is one of the most important things to get right when applying for a teaching position. It will be the first thing an employer looks at, so you must excel in this area. A good GPA is something between 3 and 3.5 out of 4 (or 30-33%).
To improve your GPA, try doing some extra reading or extra homework assignments on top of what your lecturers assign you. This will help develop both your critical thinking skills and knowledge base. Even if you’re doing well in class, it’s always worth checking that there isn’t anything else that could be contributing to poor grades such as poor time management or organization skills.
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Work in a Specific Research Area
Colleges and universities in the U.S. spend billions on academic research every year. The research projects are overseen by senior professors. However, lecturers are expected to contribute to them as well.
Good university lecturers are experts in a specific research area. They have been working in that field for years, if not decades, and they know everything there is to know about it. This means they can teach their classes from the perspective of someone with experience and not from the angle of a student who has only just begun studying the subject matter.
When choosing a research topic for yourself, pick something you’re passionate about and make sure it’s something you can work on for at least another few years. You’ll need some time to build up your expertise on this subject before you’ll be able to teach others effectively about it. The best way to do this is by writing papers or giving presentations at conferences and other venues where people gather together around their mutual interests.
Write a Few Research Papers
Writing research papers is an important part of being a university lecturer. You will need to show that you can do this, as it shows that you can research, write and get your results published.
You should be aiming to publish your first paper before applying for jobs. This will mean that if your application is successful, you’ll have something on your CV which shows what kind of work you’ve been doing while still in college.
Get a Master’s Degree and Then an Ed.D.
As of 2020, the U.S. had around 20 million master’s degree holders. The demand for higher education is constantly growing. Thus, to become a lecturer, you should consider getting a master’s degree first. When you have it, apply for a doctorate program and get your Ed.D. The reason to go for the master’s first is that it will teach you more about the subject than just reading about it and teaching yourself.Â
For an Ed.D., you might have to sit for the GRE. However, if you don’t want that, you can go for an online Ed.D. with no GRE requirements. This type of Ed.D. is a great way to boost your resume when applying for the position of a university or college lecturer. Besides, the ability to complete the program online is a huge advantage, especially for those who are already working somewhere.
Every year, between 600,000 and 700,000 people in the U.S. take the GRE. As you can tell by this number, the competition out there is quite tough. Thus, if you have the option to attend the Ed.D. program without taking the GRE, go for it. It’ll help you avoid the competition and make life a little easier for you.
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Apply for University Positions
Many universities have open application periods, so you can apply to multiple schools at once. If you’re a teacher, chances are good that someone knows someone who works at a school you’d like to teach at. Ask those people if they would recommend you as an employee. If your school offers tenure, consult its policy before applying for the job. This will give you an idea of what kind of salary range and benefits are available.
Becoming a university lecturer is not easy, but it can be done. As long as you stick to the steps we have discussed above, the process should be an easy one without too many roadblocks.
