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/