Since post-secondary teachers instruct students on specific vocational and academic subjects beyond that of the high school level, teachers at these schools must possess a graduate degree. Teaching positions within this field can include trade or technical schools, graduate teaching assistants and college or university faculty.
Post-secondary teachers, specifically those teaching at two-year and four-year universities, typically perform a great deal of research in the subject they teach. Moreover, in addition to preparing lesson plans, teaching the material and evaluating student progress, post-secondary teachers must also keep abreast of new developments in their field. Many professors conduct research and also write and publish papers concerning the subject they teach. A typical work schedule for college professors and other post-secondary teachers might involve supervising graduate students, giving lectures, writing papers and books and teaching approximately three to 16 hours per week.
College professors are the most prevalent post-secondary teachers. If you want to teach community college, oftentimes you may only need a master's degree in a particular field or subject. However, some schools also require that you have some teaching experience at the post-secondary level. Taking teaching courses in continuing education is one way of completing this requirement while gaining valuable experience in the field. To teach at the university level in most fields, though not all, you will need a Ph.D. in your field or subject of choice. Extensive research and publication in a scholarly or peer-reviewed journal also is generally required of doctoral candidates. Doctoral candidates will often spend an additional four years, or more depending on the field, of schooling, including a final dissertation.
For college or university faculty, which includes community college and four-year institutions, obtaining tenure is an important goal for many. It takes approximately seven years to achieve, and you can move up the ranks beginning at the instructor position and end at the professor level. Tenure protects the teacher's academic freedom as well financial security. It is important to note, however, that at the two-year institution, a doctorate is not necessary to achieve tenure, and those who possess only a master's degree may still have the possibility of reaching certain higher-level administrative positions.