Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary
Overview
Salary
Demand
Core Tasks
Technology Skills
Tools Used
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Top 10 Skills
Top 10 Abilities
Top 10 Work Activities
Detailed Work Activities
Work Context
Education
Majors
Interests
Top 10 Work Styles
Work Values
Related Careers
Overview
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
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.
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).
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.
Examples
These occupations often involve coordinating, training, supervising, or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very advanced communication and organizational skills are required. Examples include pharmacists, lawyers, astronomers, biologists, clergy, neurologists, and veterinarians.
Teach courses in psychology, such as child, clinical, and developmental psychology, and psychological counseling. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Salary Salary
Salary at 10th Percentile: $41K
Salary at 25th Percentile: $57K
Median Salary: $78K
Salary at 75th Percentile: $108K
Salary at 90th Percentile: $155K
Demand
Core Tasks
Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as abnormal psychology, cognitive processes, and work motivation.
Evaluate and grade students' class work, laboratory work, assignments, and papers.
Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.
Supervise students' laboratory work.
Recruit and hire new faculty.
Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
Supervise the clinical work of practicum students.
Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
Provide clinical services to clients, such as assessing psychological problems and conducting psychotherapy.
Develop and use multimedia course materials and other current technology, such as online courses.
Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students.
Advise students on academic and vocational curricula and on career issues.
Collaborate with colleagues to address teaching and research issues.
Perform administrative duties, such as serving as department head.
Write grant proposals to procure external research funding.
Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
Serve on academic or administrative committees that deal with institutional policies, departmental matters, and academic issues.
Write letters of recommendation for students.
Participate in student recruitment, registration, and placement activities.
Select and obtain materials and supplies, such as textbooks.
Review books and journal articles for potential publication.
Compile bibliographies of specialized materials for outside reading assignments.
Act as advisers to student organizations.
Participate in campus and community events.
Provide professional consulting services to government or industry.
Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Psychology
100%
Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
English Language
97%
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Education and Training
86%
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Sociology and Anthropology
78%
Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
Mathematics
77%
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Therapy and Counseling
77%
Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
Computers and Electronics
68%
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Communications and Media
64%
Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
Administration and Management
60%
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Biology
60%
Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
Top 10 Skills
Learning Strategies
85%
Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Instructing
83%
Teaching others how to do something.
Reading Comprehension
83%
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Speaking
83%
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Listening
80%
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Writing
80%
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Active Learning
78%
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Critical Thinking
78%
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Complex Problem Solving
75%
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Judgment and Decision Making
75%
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Top 10 Abilities
Oral Expression
90%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Written Comprehension
83%
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Written Expression
83%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Oral Comprehension
80%
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Speech Clarity
80%
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Deductive Reasoning
78%
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Inductive Reasoning
78%
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Speech Recognition
75%
The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Fluency of Ideas
65%
The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
Near Vision
65%
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Top 10 Work Activities
Training and Teaching Others
99%
Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others
98%
Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
89%
Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
89%
Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Interacting With Computers
87%
Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Coaching and Developing Others
86%
Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
86%
Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Getting Information
85%
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
85%
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People
83%
Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
Detailed Work Activities
Teach social science courses at the college level.
Guide class discussions.
Evaluate student work.
Stay informed about current developments in field of specialization.
Attend training sessions or professional meetings to develop or maintain professional knowledge.
Administer tests to assess educational needs or progress.
Prepare tests.
Develop instructional materials.
Supervise student research or internship work.
Hire personnel.
Recruit personnel.
Evaluate effectiveness of educational programs.
Develop instructional objectives.
Research topics in area of expertise.
Write articles, books or other original materials in area of expertise.
Create technology-based learning materials.
Advise students on academic or career matters.
Direct department activities.
Write grant proposals.
Maintain student records.
Write reports or evaluations.
Serve on institutional or departmental committees.
Promote educational institutions or programs.
Perform student enrollment or registration activities.
Select educational materials or equipment.
Order instructional or library materials or equipment.
Supervise laboratory work.
Evaluate scholarly materials.
Compile specialized bibliographies or lists of materials.
Plan community programs or activities for the general public.
Advise educators on curricula, instructional methods, or policies.
Work Context
Face-to-Face Discussions
How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Electronic Mail
How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
Freedom to Make Decisions
How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
Structured versus Unstructured Work
To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
Work With Work Group or Team
How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
Deal With External Customers
How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?
Public Speaking
How often do you have to perform public speaking in this job?
Spend Time Sitting
How much does this job require sitting?
Education
Majors
Major
Interests
Social
96%
Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Investigative
91%
Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Artistic
62%
Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Conventional
43%
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Enterprising
43%
Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Realistic
19%
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Top 10 Work Styles
Achievement/Effort
96%
Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Dependability
96%
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Independence
96%
Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Initiative
95%
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Persistence
95%
Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Analytical Thinking
94%
Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Integrity
94%
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Attention to Detail
93%
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Leadership
91%
Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
Self Control
91%
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Work Values
Achievement
81%
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Independence
77%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Recognition
77%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
Relationships
77%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Working Conditions
77%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Support
53%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
