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Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary
Teach languages and literature courses in languages other than English. Includes teachers of American Sign Language (ASL). Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Other titles employers use
Assistant Professor · Associate Professor · Foreign Languages Professor · French Professor · German Professor · Instructor · Modern Languages Professor · Professor
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as how to speak and write a foreign language and the cultural aspects of areas where a particular language is used.
- Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in scholarly journals, books, or electronic media.
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
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Learning Strategies
- Instructing
Subjects to know
- Foreign Language
- English Language
- Education and Training
- History and Archeology
- Philosophy and Theology
Useful strengths
- Speech Clarity
- Oral Expression
- Oral Comprehension
- Written Comprehension
- Written Expression
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 | 3.1 | Shared rooms, but not shoulder to shoulder |
| On your feet | 2.7 | Mostly seated |
| Talking face to face | 4.1 | A regular part of the day |
| Working with your hands | 2.2 | 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 73%
- A master's degree 18%
- A four-year degree 9%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Word processing software
- Graphics or photo imaging software
- Electronic mail software
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
- Presentation software
- Video conferencing software
- Computer based training 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
- 2,200
- Job openings each year
- 180
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 4.8%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 2,200 | 180 | 4.8% |
| New York | 2,130 | 40 | 21.0% |
| Texas | 1,550 | 130 | 8.4% |
| Pennsylvania | 1,480 | 120 | — |
| Florida | 1,260 | 100 | 8.6% |
| New Jersey | 900 | 70 | 7.1% |
| Virginia | 860 | 70 | — |
| Illinois | 770 | 60 | — |
| Ohio | 720 | 60 | −1.4% |
| North Carolina | 700 | 60 | 9.4% |
| Washington | 600 | 60 | 9.1% |
| Colorado | 590 | 50 | 15.7% |
| Tennessee | 590 | 50 | 18.0% |
| Michigan | 520 | 40 | 2.0% |
| Wisconsin | 510 | 40 | 6.3% |
| District of Columbia | 440 | 40 | 2.3% |
| Connecticut | 430 | 40 | 4.9% |
| Maryland | 420 | 40 | 10.5% |
| Indiana | 390 | 30 | 2.6% |
| Iowa | 390 | 30 | 8.3% |
| Massachusetts | 390 | 30 | 11.4% |
| Arizona | 380 | 30 | 5.6% |
| Missouri | 350 | 30 | 2.9% |
| Minnesota | 340 | 30 | — |
| Oregon | 340 | 30 | 6.3% |
| South Carolina | 290 | 20 | 11.5% |
| Georgia | 240 | 20 | 4.3% |
| Idaho | 210 | 20 | 5.0% |
| Louisiana | 190 | 20 | 5.6% |
| Puerto Rico | 190 | 20 | 11.8% |
| Alabama | 180 | 20 | 5.9% |
| Mississippi | 180 | 20 | 5.9% |
| Utah | 180 | 20 | 20.0% |
| Kansas | 170 | 10 | 6.3% |
| Arkansas | 160 | 10 | — |
| Delaware | 140 | 10 | 7.7% |
| Maine | 140 | 10 | — |
| Nebraska | 140 | 10 | 7.7% |
| New Hampshire | 140 | 10 | — |
| Kentucky | 120 | 10 | — |
| Rhode Island | 120 | 10 | — |
| Oklahoma | 100 | 10 | — |
| Montana | 90 | 10 | 12.5% |
| New Mexico | 80 | 10 | 14.3% |
| West Virginia | 80 | 10 | 14.3% |
| South Dakota | 50 | 0 | — |
| Nevada | 30 | 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.
Brigham Young University
- Degrees each year
- 444
- Admit rate
- 69%
- Annual cost after aid
- $13,000
Ohio State University-Main Campus
- Degrees each year
- 358
- Admit rate
- 51%
- Annual cost after aid
- $10,000
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College
- Degrees each year
- 408
- Admit rate
- 74%
- Annual cost after aid
- $20,000
University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Degrees each year
- 274
- Admit rate
- 43%
- Annual cost after aid
- $8,000
Virginia Commonwealth University
- Degrees each year
- 347
- Admit rate
- 93%
- Annual cost after aid
- $21,000
University of Kentucky
- Degrees each year
- 321
- Admit rate
- 92%
- Annual cost after aid
- $16,000
University of Arizona
- Degrees each year
- 222
- Admit rate
- 86%
- Annual cost after aid
- $16,000
University of Georgia
- Degrees each year
- 244
- Admit rate
- 37%
- Annual cost after aid
- $13,000
Compare every college offering slavic, baltic and albanian languages, literatures, and linguistics