Occupation

English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary

Human Advantage 78%

Significant human skills needed

AI Automation Risk Low Risk
1.9 / 10

This occupation requires complex human judgment, social interaction, and creative problem-solving that are difficult to automate.

Teach courses in English language and literature, including linguistics and comparative literature. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

Also Known As: Adjunct English Instructor, Adjunct Instructor, Adjunct Professor, Adjunct Writing Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Children's Literature Professor, Classics Teacher +39 more

Video

Core Tasks

  1. Teach writing or communication classes.
  2. Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
  3. Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
  4. Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
  5. Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
  6. Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
  7. Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as poetry, novel structure, and translation and adaptation.
  8. Assist students who need extra help with their coursework outside of class.
  9. Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
  10. Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
  11. Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students.
  12. Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
  13. Advise students on academic and vocational curricula and on career issues.
  14. Teach classes using online technology.
  15. Schedule courses.
  16. Collaborate with colleagues to address teaching and research issues.
  17. Write letters of recommendation for students.
  18. Select and obtain materials and supplies, such as textbooks.
  19. Serve on academic or administrative committees that deal with institutional policies, departmental matters, and academic issues.
  20. Participate in campus and community events.
  21. Participate in student recruitment, registration, and placement activities.
  22. Compile bibliographies of specialized materials for outside reading assignments.
  23. Participate in cultural and literary activities, such as traveling abroad and attending performing arts events.

Supplemental Tasks (10)

  1. Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.
  2. Perform administrative duties, such as serving as department head.
  3. Recruit, train, and supervise department personnel, such as faculty and student writing instructors.
  4. Provide assistance to students in college writing centers.
  5. Conduct staff performance evaluations.
  6. Write original literary pieces.
  7. Act as advisers to student organizations.
  8. Write grant proposals to procure external research funding.
  9. Review manuscripts for publication in professional journals.
  10. Provide professional consulting services to government or industry.

Education & Training

Job Zone 5 Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Education: 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: 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.
On-the-Job Training: Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.

Education Level Distribution

Percentage of workers in this occupation with each education level.

Doctoral Degree
58%
Master's Degree
30%
Less than a High School Diploma
10%
Post-Master's Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master's degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level.
1%
Post-Doctoral Training
0%

Technology & Tools

Hot Technologies

  • Adobe Illustrator
  • Adobe Photoshop
  • Google Docs
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Word

Software (31)

  • Adobe Acrobat Reader
  • Apple QuickTime
  • Apple Safari
  • Blackboard Collaborate
  • Blackboard Learn
  • Blackboard software
  • Calendar and scheduling software
  • Collaborative editing software
  • Course management system software
  • DOC Cop
  • Desire2Learn LMS software
  • Email software
  • Google Chrome
  • Graphics creation software
  • Image scanning software
  • Learning management system LMS
  • Lucidchart
  • Moodle
  • Sakai CLE
  • VLC Media Player
  • Web browser software
  • Word processing software
  • iParadigms Turnitin

Tools & Equipment (36)

  • Audio amplification speakers
  • 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 camcorders
  • Digital video cameras
  • Digital video disk DVD players
  • Handheld microphones
  • Interactive whiteboard controllers
  • Interactive whiteboards
  • Laptop computers
  • Laser facsimile machines
  • Liquid crystal display LCD projectors
  • Liquid crystal display LCD televisions
  • MP3 digital voice recorders
  • Microphone podiums
  • Multi-line telephone systems
  • Multimedia projection equipment
  • Opaque projectors
  • Overhead data projectors
  • Photocopying equipment
  • Poster printers
  • Projector screens
  • Student response systems
  • Tablet computers
  • Television monitors
  • Universal serial bus USB flash drives
  • Videoconferencing equipment
  • Webcams
  • Wireless microphones

Where This Career Leads

Career progression organized by specialty track and experience level.

Teaching, Training, & Facilitation Education

Zone 3
Zone 5
English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary You are here

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