Opportunities in Academia for those with Graduate Degrees

1. Opportunities in Academiafor those with Graduate Degrees Nancy Amato November 2006 (Based on a presentation by John Keyser)

2. Academia – Types of Schools • Research Universities • Research is a major part of the school’s function • Usually offer full range of graduate degrees • Teaching Universities • Primary focus is on the teaching aspects of education • Usually focused on undergraduate education • Academic Institutions Carnegie Classification • Doctoral/Research Universities – Extensive • Doctoral/Research Universities – Intensive • Master’s Colleges and Universities I • Master’s Colleges and Universities II • Baccalaureate Colleges – Liberal Arts • Baccalaureate Colleges – General • Baccalaureate/Associate’s Colleges • Associate’s Colleges

3. Academic InstitutionsCarnegie Classification • Doctoral/Research Universities – Extensive • Several Doctorates/Year over several subjects • TAMU, UT-Austin/Arlington, Texas Tech, North Texas, Houston, Rice, SMU • Doctoral/Research Universities – Intensive • Several Doctorates per year • TAMU-Commerce/Kingsville, UT-Dallas/El Paso, Baylor, TCU • Master’s Colleges and Universities I • Master’s Colleges and Universities II • Baccalaureate Colleges – Liberal Arts • Baccalaureate Colleges – General • Baccalaureate/Associate’s Colleges • Associate’s Colleges

4. Academic InstitutionsCarnegie Classification • Doctoral/Research Universities – Extensive • Doctoral/Research Universities – Intensive • Master’s Colleges and Universities I • Bachelor’s, Several Masters in 3 or more subjects • Remaining TAMU/UT schools, Sam Houston State, Houston – Clear Lake/Victoria, ACU, Trinity • Master’s Colleges and Universities II • Bachelors, several Master’s • LeTourneau, St. Edward’s, Texas Wesleyan • Baccalaureate Colleges – Liberal Arts • Baccalaureate Colleges – General • Baccalaureate/Associate’s Colleges • Associate’s Colleges

5. Academic InstitutionsCarnegie Classification • Doctoral/Research Universities – Extensive • Doctoral/Research Universities – Intensive • Master’s Colleges and Universities I • Master’s Colleges and Universities II • Baccalaureate Colleges – Liberal Arts • Mainly Undergrad, most in liberal arts • TAMU Galveston, Univ. of Dallas, Southwestern University • Baccalaureate Colleges – General • Mainly undergraduate, minority in liberal arts • Houston – Downtown, Texas Lutheran, McMurry, Lubbock Christian • Baccalaureate/Associate’s Colleges • Associate’s Colleges

6. Academic InstitutionsCarnegie Classification • Doctoral/Research Universities – Extensive • Doctoral/Research Universities – Intensive • Master’s Colleges and Universities I • Master’s Colleges and Universities II • Baccalaureate Colleges – Liberal Arts • Baccalaureate Colleges – General • Baccalaureate/Associate’s Colleges • 10-50% Batchelor’s, rest Associate’s • None in Texas • Associate’s Colleges • Associate’s but no or few Batchelor’s • Blinn, Texas State Technical College, most Junior/Community Colleges

7. Academic InstitutionsCarnegie Classification • Specialized Institutions • Theological seminaries • Medical Schools • Health Schools (e.g. nursing/chiropractic) • Engineering/Technology focused • Business and Management • Art, Music, Design • Law Schools • Teachers Colleges • Others (e.g military academies, maritime, etc.) • Tribal Colleges

8. Positions in Academia • Faculty • Tenured/Tenure-Track Faculty • Teaching Faculty/Lecturers • Research Faculty • Administration • For many upper-level positions, graduate degree is needed • Often move to administration from faculty • Support • Specialized services/technologies/knowledge

9. Tenure-Track/Tenured Faculty • Responsibilites include Research, Teaching, & Service • the “regular” faculty members • Titles of “X Professor” where X = {Assistant, Associate, (Full)} • Supervise graduate students • Tenure-track (pre-tenure) or Tenured • Requires a PhD

10. Teaching Faculty • Primary role is teaching • Most do not actively pursue research • Usually have ~2x teaching load of tenured faculty • Usually requires a PhD • Research Universities: • Lecturers (e.g., Daugherity, Hurley, Leyk, Peterson, Yurttas) • Not Tenure-Track • Teaching Universities • Faculty • Can be tenured

11. Research Faculty • Primary duty is research • Expected to be funded from grants • Sometimes coordinate rather than work directly on research topics • Requires a PhD • Limited other duties • Usually don’t teach, limited service • Might still serve on graduate student committees, but usually won’t chair

12. 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 • Tenure requires the candidate demonstrate “high level of scholarly accomplishment” • Research (publications/grants) often considered most important • Reviews from faculty outside of your own University • Teaching, Service also considered • Tenure comes with Freedom & Security • Freedom to choose research directions/express opinions • Economic security (Incentive for academic jobs)

13. The Role of Research • The role of Universities is the “the pursuit, understanding, and dissemination of knowledge” • Knowledge transfer is expected • Teaching in classes • Training Graduate students • Publications/Presentations to larger community • Cooperation with industry/government • Research plays a large role at Research Schools • A major part of a research institution’s funding comes from grants & the ‘overhead’ they come with • Research is a (THE) major part of graduate studies, particularly for Ph.D. and thesis masters degrees

14. 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/%7Earthur.hobbs/all.html • Tomorrow’s Professor Preparing for Academic Careers in Science and Engineering • Richard Reis, IEEE Press, 1997 • Carnegie Classification: • http://www.carnegiefoundation.org/Classification/