Frequently Asked Questions
PhDUniversity
Roles
Openings
Programs
Salary
Teaching
Do I have to earn a PhD before applying for a teaching position?
No. Often with significant number of years of professional experience, a PhD is not required and you could teach either undergrad or graduate classes.
I will be retiring soon and am considering university teaching. Where could I teach?
The first place to start thinking about teaching is with universities that you’ve worked with in the past such as your local university, community colleges, your alma mater, schools where they have prior relationships or contacts either from recruiting or guest lecturing.
Many other schools may also be looking for a professional to join their faculty. If you participate in the American Accounting Association’s Career Center, you can search for and identify jobs for non-tenure track positions.
Can you define roles/ranks of teaching staff?
- Non-Tenure Track positions are generally for professionals who can bring strong industry knowledge to the classroom, as opposed to Tenure Track positions that have significant research expectations and require a PhD.
- AQ – Academically Qualified: This term is used by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) to designate faculty that have more of a academic role within the institution. Although Universities develop their own definition of what it takes to be “academically qualified,” given their mission, criteria often include terminal degrees (such as PhDs) and publications in peer-reviewed, academic journals.
- PQ – Professionally Qualified: This term is used by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business to designate faculty that have more of a practice/professional role within the institution. Although Universities develop their own definition of what it takes to be "professionally qualified," given their mission, criteria often include significant accomplishments in the profession and on-going maintenance of certifications. To remain professionally qualified, the faculty member is likely required to continue to participate in practice activities and to continue to engage in the profession.
- Adjunct faculty: This term is usually used to identify faculty who are not in a full-time position at the university.
How do I find out if there are openings for teaching positions?
We recommend checking out our job board at the AAA Career Center. Here is a direct link to the list of available positions: http://careercenter.aaahq.org/jobseeker/search/results/
When should I look for openings for teaching positions?
Universities normally hire full time positions to begin in the fall semester. To do this, their recruiting session will start in the prior spring, often extending into the summer. Schools may also look for people to teach individual classes throughout the year as needs arise.
What learning programs are available that could assist me in making a transition to teaching?
The AAA offers a number of opportunities for you to explore in making a transition to teaching.
- The Conference on Teaching and Learning in Accounting(CTLA) - designed for experienced and new faculty looking for opportunities to refine their teaching talents and perfect their craft in teaching accounting. This year the CTLA will take place in New York City http://aaahq.org/Meetings/2016/Annual-Meeting
- AAA Meetings – Throughout the year the AAA holds meetings that will help increase your exposure to the academic community and will offer valuable teaching resources, and CTLA sessions also take place at regional meetings http://aaahq.org/Meetings/AAA-Meetings
- AACSB Bridge Program was also created to provide a clear path for business leaders to move from the corporate office into the classroom. The program is open to senior-level business professionals of all industries and disciplines that meet the initial requirements for professionally qualified status (PQ) at AACSB accredited schools. This year the event will be held in May
http://www.aacsb.edu/events/bridgeprograms/aacsb-bridge-program
How much would I earn as a university professor?
Salary positions vary widely based upon the amount of teaching, experience, and university and whether you are looking for part-time or full time work.
What is teaching at the university level really like?
Teaching at a university is a multi-faceted role. It can be very rewarding and exciting – and you can make a big impact on tomorrow’s accountants.
Most non-tenure track, full-time faculty will teach between 6 and 10 course sections a year. This means that a faculty member is in the classroom between 9 and 15 hours per week (and you should count on being able to attend all of your class sessions – missing class can cause issues). This may sound like a university position doesn’t require much time, but to do it well, faculty will spend a significant amount of time preparing materials for class, meeting with students, and grading student assignments.
In addition to teaching, full-time faculty usually are expected to participate in service activities such as Beta Alpha Psi, faculty meetings, and committee meetings. They may also have administrative responsibilities such as being the program coordinator for the masters program or being an assistant chairperson for the department.
In some cases, non-tenure track faculty also have publication responsibilities. This is not as likely a requirement for someone with significant professional experience (rather than academic), but you may have opportunities to work with colleagues on projects that can inform practice.
In all cases, having a faculty role allows for a significant amount of independence and self-direction. With that flexibility, you are able to bring your experiences to the university and share them with colleagues and students. This also means, however, that you’ll likely be creating your own presentations, updating your student grade books, and making your own copies – tasks which you may not have done for a while in your professional career. Your colleagues will be a great resource to help you transition into academia!