If you are passionate about your field of study and want to educate others on what you know, a career as a Lecturer could be for you.
Career Overview
A career as a Lecturer is a relatively uncommon one. It is a career reserved for those truly passionate about knowledge and the passing of their knowledge onto others. As a Lecturer, you will engage thousands of eager students during your tenure. Being the field of academia often involves a consistent learning, updating your knowledge and writing reasrch papers. Often Lecturers will go on sabbatical (traditionally, this is one year off for every seven years worked) for the purpose of studying or travelling.
Required School Subjects
If you would like to pursue a career in Lecturing then you will need to study the necessary subjects at school to gain entrance to whatever it is that you will want to study at a Tertiary Institution and eventually Lecture in that field of study. Some examples include:
- Commerce: Mathematics, English
- Humanities: English
- Science: Biology, Physical Sciences
- Engineering: Mathematics, Physical Sciences
Recommended subjects:
- English
- Xhosa
- Afrikaans
Institution and APS
Again, you will need to gain entry to whichever degree you wish to eventually lecture in and excel at it if you are going to become a Lecturer. Many institutions will judge favorably on applicants who excelled in their field of study, have teaching experience and have completed Post Graduate studies and work.
Examples include:
- University of Cape Town (UCT) – Faculty Point Score (FPS) of 450 for guaranteed entrance in Humanities and Faculty Point Score (FPS) of 510 for guaranteed entrance in Law
- University of Stellenbosch – APS of 390 at minimum for consideration in Humanities and APS of 420 for minimum consideration in Law
Required Qualification/s
In order to become a Lecturer, you will need to have, at minimum, completed Undergraduate studies in the field in which you wish to lecture. It is highly advised that you study further, excel in these studies, and have teaching experience before beginning your career as a Lecturer.
Required Skills
The following skills are needed in order to be a successful Lecturer:
- An in-depth understanding of field of study
- An eagerness to teach
- The ability to listen attentively
- The ability to give clear and concise lectures
- The ability to guide students in their best interests
- To always remain calm in the event of any altercation with students and/or staff members
Where you can work
Lecturers are employed by tertiary institutions. These can vary from public Universities such as The University of Cape Town and The University of Stellenbosch to smaller private institutions such as Varsity College and Vega.
Working Hours
As a Lecturer, your working hours will vary from day to day. Your actual lecturing hours will be governed by the timetable as stipulated by your employers. In you non-lecturing time, you will more often than not be preparing lectures, marking assignments and researching in your field of teaching.
Expected Salary
Lecturers can expect salaries to vary from employer to employer and from field to field. To give you an estimate – the average yearly salary of a South African Lecturer is R355 000.
What to expect
As a Lecturer, you can expect a very fulfilling career. You will be lecturing in a field that you are very passionate and knowledgeable about so you should always enjoy your job. There is also the opportunity to take sabbatical leave which gives you the chance to study and travel. Your dress code need not be strictly formal at most institutions.
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