Calling out to the college professors here...

[Nechums]

I'm really interested in teaching at the college level, but I don't even know where to begin my pursuit. For an adjunct position at a community college, what are the degree requirements? Is it a Ph.D in your field of expertise or would a master's degree suffice? Better yet, would I even need to have completed my master's degree or would a certain amount of graduate study hours (plus tutoring experience) suffice?

How would I even go about searching for an adjunct position?

[cvanbrunt]

What's your area? I can't imagine teaching at that level without at least a master's degree. In some fields, like the humanities, the competition for faculty jobs is so intense that PhDs are finding themselves teaching intro classes as adjuncts for years before landing a full time job.

[Nechums]

Sorry -- should have specified more. I'm working on my master's in statistics (it's taking a little while because I decided to have DS along the way) and am interested in teaching a basic introduction to statistics course at the community college level as an adjunct.

[lfp2n]

The community colleges in our area will definitely take people with Masters, for Biology teaching with no prior experience. They often sign up our graduate students (who have a default Masters for passing the Qualifying exam of their Ph.D) on a course by course basis. They have no teaching experience as they don't even TA here. Its getting competitive to get a lot of work, and nearly impossible to get a permanent position.

HIH

[mmommy]

Generally they'll hire you without a terminal degree if you are currently pursuing one and if they are needy. Simply to email your cv and a brief cover letter to the chair of the department you want to teach for. They'll contact you if they're interested.

[JElaineB]

I have taught adjunct in the past at 2 different community colleges. Here they require a master's or higher and a certain number of graduate hours in the field (I want to say 18 semester hours?) So if you majored or minored in something they teach you could generally teach that. If you have that many hours in already it may be possible that they would take someone working on a master's, you should check with the school(s) you are thinking of. Right now is a great time to try this, at least here community college enrollment is exploding because of the economy coupled with rising tution at 4-year schools.

ETA: To search for a position just look on the employment part of the website for the cc you are thinking of, or contact the dean of the college's office or the specific department office, depending on the size of the college. I also have been employed by a distance learning program at one of the colleges; they hired for themselves rather than through the departments (I taught over interactive television rather than online, though).

[o_mom]

I was able to teach when I was a MS student. It was the bottom of the barrel remedial classes and I had a strong science degree already, but I didn't have to have a MS yet to do it. I know plenty of HS math teachers here who teach part-time at the local university, most probably have a MS, but not all. Math teachers are always in high demand, at least here anyway. After teaching the class I know why :tongue5: (ummm... how did you graduate HS without being able to add, subtract, multiply and divide?... and no, it's not my fault you got a 40% on the first test which only covered those topics and which my 11 yo niece can do). Teaching an intro to stats class may be a bit harder to get into, depending on the demand for the class and how many sections they need to fill.

[cvanbrunt]

Hopefully Beth will chime in. She's the one with the masters in stats. In terms of looking for a position, searching the HR department site of the school will work. The rules associated with hiring faculty (as I have expereinced them) mean the search is very public. So the jobs are posted in multiple places. Good Luck! I'm going to teach undergrad stats in my department (psychology) next year and I'm nervous and excited about it. But a masters in stats? You have a big wrinkly brain! The theoretical stuff just kills me.....

[egoldber]

Have you talked to your department chair? When I was in grad school (a century ago....) local community colleges and smaller universities contacted our chair for recommendations for grad students to teach their less popular courses, typically nighttime intro classes. I did that several semesters for extra money.

Of course, these days, there may be no such thing as a less popular time slot to teach in! But these classes were often VERY challenging because of the types of things mentioned by o_mom. It was very difficult for me to deal with students who had no or poor basic math skills and were struggling in my class. And then they would get angry with me for not being willing to tutor them in basic math and basic algebra.

[lowrioh]

I think degree requirements vary a lot by location. My DH adjuncts around here and all the schools require a MA/MS and lot require you to be ABD. I think that part of it is that there is a really high density of PhDs in the DC metro area and they don't have a problem finding people to work for slave wages.
I agree about contacting your department. DH found both adjunct jobs through his department and probably got the jobs through their recommendation.

[justlearning]

I just wanted to chime in here to say that you may want to check out how much you would actually get paid teaching at a community college part-time before getting too excited about it. Every community college I've seen (in AZ and CO) pays hardly anything per class--much, much less than teaching adjunct at a university. Mainly you'd do it just because you love it or because you want the experience for your vita.

For example, our local community college here only pays adjunct faculty $32 per contact hour. When you factor in all the time you spend prepping for class and grading class work (not considered part of those "contact hours"), your actual hourly wage is ridiculously low given the education required for the position.

Edited to add that the minimum qualifications for adjunct faculty at our local CC are that you have a masters degree in your subject area and one year full-time or part-time teaching experience at the college level.

[ThreeofUs]

Sorry -- should have specified more. I'm working on my master's in statistics (it's taking a little while because I decided to have DS along the way) and am interested in teaching a basic introduction to statistics course at the community college level as an adjunct.


Community colleges in our area are hiring masters-level folks to teach basic math courses. If you're working on your masters in a mathematical field, and got a math bachelors, that's good enough.

Call the HR dept of your local CC's. They'll jump at the chance to tell you about their needs and openings.

[lowrioh]

I just wanted to chime in here to say that you may want to check out how much you would actually get paid teaching at a community college part-time before getting too excited about it. Every community college I've seen (in AZ and CO) pays hardly anything per class--much, much less than teaching adjunct at a university. Mainly you'd do it just because you love it or because you want the experience for your vita.

For example, our local community college here only pays adjunct faculty $32 per contact hour. When you factor in all the time you spend prepping for class and grading class work (not considered part of those "contact hours"), your actual hourly wage is ridiculously low given the education required for the position.

I totally agree. DH makes about $2500 per course/per semester. He actually just turned down a daytime course because between childcare and gas money it would have cost us money for him to work. (He is a SAHD)

[trales]

I have a Master's in Chem plus about 18 additional grad credit hours and 7 years teaching experience at high school and as a TA in grad school. I teach 12 hours a semester of gen chem at our local community college, about $700 per credit hour, and just got offered a job teaching gen chem as a adjunct at the nearby university, same money, more commute, I may turn it down.

I think it depends on the need. Our humanities/ Eng/ Education dept is all Phd's while chem, physics and math is mostly MS folks.

[mommyp]

I have a PhD in Biochem and this is my third year teaching adjunct. In our science depts, most adjuncts have PhDs, but some have MS degrees so if you're interested definitely contact departments in your area. Things happen all the time (maternity leave, sabbaticals, etc...) and fill-ins are needed, so even if they don't need you for spring semester, they'd have your name to call when they do!

[michellerw]

I totally agree. DH makes about $2500 per course/per semester. He actually just turned down a daytime course because between childcare and gas money it would have cost us money for him to work. (He is a SAHD)

Virginia's budget cuts have made a big impact on what the state schools are paying too (my DH hasn't taught at the local CCs), but I know there was something like a $400 difference in what he was offered last Spring and this Fall for a 3 credit hour course for a university here in Northern Virginia. I have to believe this is happening everywhere as well.

Knowing how tight the academic job market is right now, I will wish you luck in finding anything at all. I've seen a lot of searches entirely dry up in the last two years (DH is in the humanities) as budgets have been slashed.

[caheinz]

Not a whole lot to add here, but... do send in your information to the chair of any department you think you could teach for. Most will keep a file of people they can contact when courses become available.

Also, check the rules for your state and/or school. There could be degree or hour requirements.

Once you finish your masters, you might also check at local 4-year schools, too. We occasionally hire people with masters' for lab courses (biology).

[mommytotwo]

My DH has been considering going back to school to get a PhD in Business. Can anyone recommend any websites or other resources for investigating what the demand for professors are expected to be, any sites to watch for potential job openings available with or without a PhD (other than the specific college/university sites and contacts mentioned here), salary information, etc?

Thank you!

[michellerw]

Job sites would be the professional associations (my DH does best there), insidehighered.com, and chronicle.com. Business is broader than the humanities, so there are probably opportunities to, say, teach at the USDA graduate school, which is something that my DH isn't likely to be able to do, with his background. Others can probably help you out with job searching resources there.

[cvanbrunt]

PhDs in Business are set if they want to be in academics. That is my experience. Please don't flame me if yours differs. Pay scale is waaayyy higher than liberal arts and sciences. I would check out Chronicle of Higher Education (academy newspaper) and the American Association of University Professors website for general info. AAUP does a regular salary survey which depresses the hell out of me usually.

[SkyrMommy]

I agree with some of the PP about the pay/time factor. I taught at our local community college as a part-time adjunct in addition to my full time teaching at our public school. I was teaching two graphic design courses and the prep, travel time, and small headaches of not being on campus for important updates added up over time and I ended up quitting to focus on my full time classroom.

I would check the websites of the colleges that you are interested in, most will post adjunct positions prior the the start of each semester and will list any specific degree requirements for the positions. I had a masters for mine & field experience in design before teaching, but each position will be different.

Good luck.