Higher Education Lecturer

Higher education (HE) lecturers teach courses leading to Higher National Awards, degrees, and postgraduate and professional qualifications. They may teach academic or vocational subjects. Teaching may be in the form of lectures, seminars and tutorials, practical laboratory demonstrations and fieldwork.

The work may also involve:

• preparing teaching materials
• marking exams
• publishing their own research in books and journals
• helping individual students with their problems
• managing and supervising staff.

Working hours can be around 37 hours a week, but longer hours are common and some lectures and seminars take place at evenings and weekends. They may work in lecture theatres, classrooms, studios or laboratories.

Salaries may range from around €30,000 to €95,000 or more a year.

A higher education lecturer should:

• be capable of original thought
• have excellent verbal and written communication skills
• be able to carry out thorough research
• be able to explain things clearly to people
• be interested in teaching people of all ages.

Higher education lecturers work mainly for universities and colleges of further and higher education. Some work in other institutions such as law and business schools. Entry to the more popular arts subjects may be highly competitive, but there are shortages in subjects such as engineering, construction and IT.

Lecturers usually need a good first degree and a Masters degree and to have or be working towards a PhD. They may also be expected to have teaching experience and evidence of original research.

Most universities offer in-house training for their staff. This could cover research techniques, administration, management skills, personal development or IT. A formal postgraduate teaching qualification has been introduced for HE lecturers. This is now compulsory in many universities and is completed alongside the lecturer’s normal working duties.

During their first years, new lecturers normally concentrate on building up their teaching skills and experience. Progression to senior levels is to posts such as senior lecturer, reader, chair, dean, head of department and professor. There may also be opportunities to work outside the university in areas such as consultancy, the media, publishing and public speaking.

The work varies according to individual areas of responsibility and research, and may involve:

• designing, developing and preparing teaching materials
• assessing students’ coursework
• marking exams
• publishing their own research in books and journals
• helping students with their academic and personal problems (known as pastoral work)
• administrative tasks, such as student admissions and organising induction programmes
• managing and supervising staff
• working with other universities, industry, and other organisations.

Other duties can include:

• interviewing prospective students
• checking the marking done by other lecturers (called moderating)
• managing work placements for students
• attending meetings
• helping new lecturers to settle in
• working in consultancy
• helping to get more people in the community involved in education.