Question about college / university professors

[debtheaven]

What is a typical full-time work load for a college professor in the US or Canada?

I know that some of you teach, and some of you work at universities. Obviously there are different types of professors, but any info you could share would be helpful. Thanks!

I am asking because as most of you know I am a print journalist reincarnated into an ESL teacher. This year I did about 50% university teaching and 50% ESL teaching (to adults). Starting in September I will have nearly only university teaching. I find it far more rewarding, but also more time consuming because it requires much more prep work and marking.

So I'm just curious what a typical work load is.

I am not tenure-track of course. I guess I'd be considered an "adjunct" professor but I am on track to become permanent if all goes well next year.

Thanks for any info, I appreciate it!

PS I'm asking this because the university just gave me three more hours than planned, and may give me more. I do not want to refuse for several reasons (I don't want to say no to them, and DD is starting college in the fall so I need the money). But I am a little worried about taking too much on.

[debtheaven]

This message has been deleted.

[spruby]

based on friends who are lit professors - not tenured and have to string together jobs at multiple locations - 5 to 7 classes per week - each usually meets for 3 to 4 hours total (I long or 2 shorter classes) - they love what they do but they work a lot of hours

[debtheaven]

Spruby thanks SO MUCH for answering! So they are actually teaching over 20h per week, PLUS prep and grading? Wow, that seems like a lot to me!

[973beachbum]

DH is an adjunct prof at a local college. He is only part time and teaches 2-3 3 credit classes a week. It works out to 6-9 hours of teaching a week plus about an equal amount after that for planning and grading. He is an engineer but teaches college math. He is also big on having lots of quizzes and tests that he grades so I am sure that adds to his time load.

The FT prof normally teach 5 3 credit classes a semester for 2 semesters a year. Most of the FT prof don't teach 5 different classes though and most even teach the same classes every year so their planning time is cut way down. Some don't have any after the first time teaching a class.

The up side is that the semesters are only 14 weeks and FT professors only have to teach 2 semesters a year. He also finds it very rewarding. Hope it helps.

ETA one other thing I thought of. Around us it is common for colleges to give a to adjunct prof of a discount for college tuition for their kids. I tought you were in France, so I am not sure if that is the same, but it is something to check out if you have kids. Just a thought. ;D

[illinicheme]

DH is a tenure-track professor at a primarily undergraduate institution. It's a full-time job, and sometimes many more than 40 hours per week. He's often so busy teaching and meeting with students during the day that he has to do his prep/grading at night or on weekends. If it's a new prep (i.e. a class he hasn't taught before and therefore has to build notes from scratch), he often works all day, comes home for dinner, and then works again for 3-4 hours in the evening.

Teaching is most certainly a labor of love - even up to the college-level.

[gaultamort]

debthaven, I too came from the print world, but I left the editorial side for corporate communications and run a small freelance writing business. Thinking that I might want to teach down the road, I had my first semester of teaching last semester at a local community college. It was a for-credit class that meet 2x per week for almost three hours. It almost killed me. I loved my class, but I don't know how instructors/profs have multiple classes, especially if they're new to that class for the semester. It was way too much while working full time.

In the fall, I'm going to try teaching one night a week for three hours and then maybe next spring apply to a school closer to me. The one I"m at now is 45 minutes away both ways, but I love the experience. I'm not sure I could do it full time though.

[debtheaven]

Thank you so much for your answers! I really appreciate it! It seems like I'm most like Beachbum's DH, except that I'm doing it FT now.

Gaultamort, how interesting! I can imagine doing both at the same time was totally grueling. I guess teachers always hope they can use the coursework again the following semester or year. I spent AGES doing mine, but then the school closed so I have to start all over again. I love it too though! The ideal would be to work PT at your main job, but if you have your own business, that's probably difficult. Remember that if you can teach the same course next year / next semester, it will be much easier.

[debtheaven]

At my main job, I will be teaching eight short classes, which is a LOT of different classes. But, it's not as bad as it seems because some of them are repeat classes: in fact, there are three different classes.

In my second (more minor) job I have one long class but I teach the same class two weeks in a row to two different groups.

Beach, it's not like in the US where kids go to college and then decide what to do. Here you choose your field after HS, and apply to a specific college / university to study a specific field. But you're right, it's a good thing to keep in mind.

[debtheaven]

PS Gaultamort: I taught a night class this year and found it really hard to handle. I HATED going back out at night in the dark in the winter. Maybe a Saturday class would work better for you? Or maybe since you work for yourself you can free up a half-day during the week? Just a thought. Best of luck, let me know how it works out!

Illi: I agree, it is a labor of love! But I started this new career at 50. I'm sure your DH is significantly younger. I hope he gets tenure, that would be fantastic for both of you! What does he teach?

[seriousthistime]

My XH was/is a university professor. He taught one class per semester to upper level students (seniors/grad students). It would meet 2 or 3 times per week. Class sizes were relatively small, 20-30 students. He had some research grants and would spend a lot of time working with the Ph.D. students on those grants, writing papers, attending conferences, chasing down money for new research grants, and serving on department committees. Like most jobs, the budget crunch has really hit hard and research money is harder to get. I think he is teaching more classes now because some professors have left and everyone has to do more. But if he is researching less, it is only right that he should teach more.

In the big research universities, getting research grants is highly valued. In primarily undergrad places where research is not such a big deal, the work load is going to be much more geared toward teaching.

[973beachbum]

Debt DH does get into a "groove" with the teaching. He actually admits to making it harder on himself than it needs to be. Most of the prof who teach similar classes only do 2 tests and collect homework but don't grade the homework. He doesn't collect homework. He says it is for them and he doesn't care if they do it or not but he isn't grading it.

He just uses it to help them practice and if any part confuses them he sets aside time for questions on it. He does 3 take home quizzes that he uses as reviews. He grades them and returns them the week before the tests, which he gives 3 of also. He also gives a final exam. The grading of all that does take time. he won't use the exact same quizzes or tests from semester to semester for obvious reasons.

Prep for a new class does take a lot of time. Since he teaches something like algebra it doesn't change though so we keep hoping that he will get to a point that he is teaching no new classes. That will cut his prep time down to almost nothing.

He does work at an engineering office during the day. During the semester he leaves a couple of days early and heads to the college. For him he has been teaching from about 3:00 to 7:00ish 2 days a week so it isn't too bad.

DH was a returning student at 35 and went for his degree in engineering. He would rather have a night class full of 40 year old returning students than right out of HS kids any day! He doesn't want to do day classes for that reason but only you can decided what you can deal with. Good luck!

[illinicheme]

Jul 7, 2011 17:48:11 GMT -5 @debtheaven said:

Illi: I agree, it is a labor of love! But I started this new career at 50. I'm sure your DH is significantly younger. I hope he gets tenure, that would be fantastic for both of you! What does he teach?

DH is 34 and will be entering his third year on the TT this fall. It would definitely be great if he gets tenure! The stability would be nice even though the salary is still small for the amount of work it requires. He teaches chemistry.

[blackcard]

My retired father is adjunct faculty at our local Jr college. He teaches business and management classes. He says it is the easiest job he ever had, and he enjoys it a lot. For all his test grading he just uses scantrons. I don't know about his prep time though?

[debtheaven]

Blackcard, I admit I had to google scantrons LOL.

I'm concerned about grading 80 essays, two or three times a year. The rest doesn't worry me, but I'm afraid there's no way out of that. It is what it is ... it's still a great job, well-paid, so I'll just have to get used to it. I had essays to grade this year as well, but never more than 40 at one time, so 80 seems rather intimidating to me.

I'm sure I'll get used to it. :- I used to spend a boatload of time on prep. Now it looks like I'll be spending much less time on prep, and more on grading.