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Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary
Teach courses pertaining to the culture and development of an area, an ethnic group, or any other group, such as Latin American studies, women's studies, or urban affairs. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Other titles employers use
Adjunct Professor · American Studies Professor · Assistant Professor · Associate Professor · Black Studies Professor · Ethnic Studies Professor · Humanities Professor · Lecturer
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as race and ethnic relations, gender studies, and cross-cultural perspectives.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
- Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to helping, analytical and creative work.
- Analytical
- Investigating questions, testing ideas, and solving problems
- Creative
- Making, designing, writing, or performing without one set answer
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Instructing
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Active Learning
Subjects to know
- Education and Training
- English Language
- Sociology and Anthropology
- History and Archeology
- Foreign Language
Useful strengths
- Oral Expression
- Written Expression
- Oral Comprehension
- Written Comprehension
- Speech Clarity
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 2.7 | Largely your own space |
| On your feet | 2.7 | Mostly seated |
| Talking face to face | 4.7 | Continuous — the job is conversations |
| Working with your hands | 1.8 | Little of the day |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a doctorate or a professional degree. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- A doctorate or professional degree 69%
- A master's degree 31%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Word processing software
- Electronic mail software
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
- Presentation software
- Operating system software
- Computer based training software
- Information retrieval or search software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 2,220
- Job openings each year
- 40
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 22.0%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 2,220 | 40 | 22.0% |
| California | 1,500 | 120 | 7.1% |
| Maryland | 790 | 70 | 14.5% |
| Texas | 540 | 50 | 8.0% |
| New Jersey | 520 | 40 | 8.3% |
| North Carolina | 500 | 40 | 13.6% |
| Pennsylvania | 480 | 40 | 2.1% |
| Illinois | 410 | 30 | 2.5% |
| Ohio | 300 | 20 | 3.4% |
| Massachusetts | 270 | 20 | 12.5% |
| Arizona | 250 | 20 | 8.7% |
| Colorado | 250 | 20 | 19.0% |
| Georgia | 250 | 20 | 8.7% |
| Minnesota | 200 | 20 | — |
| Indiana | 190 | 20 | 5.6% |
| Oklahoma | 190 | 10 | −5.0% |
| Wisconsin | 190 | 20 | 11.8% |
| District of Columbia | 180 | 20 | 5.9% |
| Utah | 170 | 20 | 21.4% |
| Washington | 160 | 20 | 14.3% |
| Kentucky | 140 | 10 | 7.7% |
| Virginia | 130 | 10 | 8.3% |
| Missouri | 110 | 10 | — |
| Nebraska | 80 | 10 | — |
| Oregon | 70 | 10 | 16.7% |
| South Carolina | 60 | 10 | 20.0% |
| Florida | 50 | 10 | 25.0% |
| Maine | 50 | 0 | — |
| Mississippi | 40 | 0 | — |
| West Virginia | 40 | 0 | — |
| Alaska | 30 | 0 | — |
| Puerto Rico | 30 | 0 | — |
| Idaho | 20 | 0 | — |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
- Degrees each year
- 271
- Admit rate
- 43%
- Annual cost after aid
- $8,000
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Degrees each year
- 272
- Admit rate
- 19%
- Annual cost after aid
- $9,000
University of California-Los Angeles
- Degrees each year
- 434
- Admit rate
- 9%
- Annual cost after aid
- $10,000
University of California-Berkeley
- Degrees each year
- 259
- Admit rate
- 12%
- Annual cost after aid
- $10,000
Wesleyan University
- Degrees each year
- 114
- Admit rate
- 17%
- Annual cost after aid
- $6,000
University of California-Davis
- Degrees each year
- 309
- Admit rate
- 42%
- Annual cost after aid
- $12,000
Columbia University in the City of New York
- Degrees each year
- 133
- Admit rate
- 4%
- Annual cost after aid
- $6,000
California State University-Long Beach
- Degrees each year
- 203
- Admit rate
- 47%
- Annual cost after aid
- $10,000