Picture this: You’re standing in front of an amphitheater-style classroom, engaging students in a fascinating discussion about human behavior, consciousness, and mental processes. As theories come alive through your explanations, you see the spark of understanding in your students’ eyes.
Think about those moments when you’ve tried to understand why people behave the way they do. Psychology professors guide students through these fundamental questions while conducting research that advances our understanding of human behavior and mental processes.
They serve as both educators and researchers, shaping the next generation of psychology professionals while contributing to the field’s body of knowledge.
Total employment: 51,500 (2023)
Common Names for Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary
- Adjunct Instructor
- Assistant Professor
- Associate Professor,
- Clinical Psychology Professor
- Faculty Member
- Instructor
- Lecturer
- Professor
- Psychology Instructor
- Psychology Professor
What Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary Do
Primary responsibilities include:
- Course Instruction: Plans and delivers comprehensive psychology lectures, facilitates classroom discussions, and implements effective teaching strategies to ensure students grasp fundamental psychological concepts and theories essential for their academic and professional development.
- Student Assessment: Develops and administers tests, assignments, and evaluations to measure student comprehension, providing timely feedback that helps students understand their progress and areas for improvement in psychological studies.
- Curriculum Development: Creates and updates course syllabi, learning objectives, and teaching materials to maintain current, relevant content that aligns with departmental standards and reflects contemporary psychological research and practices.
- Academic Advising: Provides guidance to students regarding course selection, career paths in psychology, and academic progress, helping them make informed decisions about their educational and professional futures.
- Research Engagement: Conducts and publishes research in psychological fields, contributing to the body of knowledge while staying current with developments in the discipline to enhance teaching effectiveness.
- Department Collaboration: Participates in faculty meetings, serves on academic committees, and contributes to departmental initiatives to maintain program quality and support institutional goals.
- Professional Development: Maintains current knowledge of psychology field developments through continuing education, conference attendance, and professional organization membership to ensure teaching remains relevant and effective.
- Student Support: Maintains regular office hours and provides additional assistance outside of class time to support student learning and address individual educational needs.
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