Entry-Level Positions For Aspiring Communication Studies Professors
For aspiring communication studies professors, gaining experience as a TA and then "put[ting] in...time as a part-timer" teaching at multiple colleges as an adjunct is key, and Cal State San Diego's Sadica fellowship program offers another avenue to gain experience as an intern with a full-time professor. Working as an adjunct allows for exposure to "different campuses" but may be challenging due to lack of benefits.
Adjunct Professor, Teaching Assistant, Higher Education, Fellowship Programs, Communication Studies
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
David Moss
Associate Professor of Communication Studies
Mt. San Jacinto College
Utah Technical College, BYU, Cal, State, Long Beach
Speech Communication, Cal. State., Long Beach, M.A., Education, Capella University, Ph.D.
Communications
Education
Education
Pell Grant Recipient, Took Out Loans
Video Highlights
1. Gain teaching experience as a TA during graduate studies, like at Cal State Long Beach, to build a foundation for future academic roles.
2. Consider adjunct positions at multiple colleges after graduate school to gain exposure to different campuses and teaching environments, acknowledging the importance of putting in time as a part-timer despite potential challenges.
3. Explore fellowship programs like the Sadica program at Cal State San Diego, which offers internships with full-time professors, as a valuable way to get 'in the door' and begin teaching.
Transcript
What entry-level positions in this field might an undergraduate or graduate student consider?
If you want to get into the field as a full-time, tenured professor, I really recommend what I did. As a grad student at Cal State Long Beach, I was a TA and worked as a teacher there. I taught various classes at Cal State Long Beach.
From there, I applied for other adjunct positions at different colleges, like Santa Ana College and Crafton Hills. I also worked at Cal State San Bernardino. We call them "freeway flyers" because we'd stop on the freeway to teach our classes.
You really need to understand that you need to put in your time as a part-timer. There are pros and cons to that. The pros are that you get involved in teaching and are exposed to different campuses.
It can be challenging because you don't have benefits or the full pay of a full-timer. But it's really good. I was an adjunct for five years before getting my current position, where I've been for about 27 years.
Another thing I would recommend is the Sadica program at Cal State San Diego. It's a fellowship program where you can be an intern with a full-time professor at one of the colleges.
I had an intern a long time ago who now teaches at our college. She was able to get in the door and start teaching through that program. That's another thing I would recommend.
Advizer Personal Links
linkedin.com/in/david-moss-ph-d-39171419, www1.msjc.edu/instructor/emoss/