The Academics' Forum: Focus on Undergraduate Education:
A Fulfilling Academic Career
Sylvia G. Roch
University at Albany
Since starting this column, I have mostly concentrated on issues associated with academics in larger research-oriented institutions. This past summer I received an e-mail from Dr. Cynthia Prehar, associate professor of psychology at Framingham State College, who suggested that it might be of interest to focus on the benefits and challenges of those academics in psychology departments in smaller academic institutions that focus on undergraduate education. I thought that this was an excellent idea. My undergraduate institution, although also research oriented, had a strong focus on undergraduate education. I greatly valued the opportunity to be in small classes with instructors who not only knew my name but also knew who my sister was (my sister attended the same institution). However, often positions in smaller institutions that emphasize undergraduate teaching are overlooked. Thus, in this column, I would like to focus on the benefits and challenges associated with positions in smaller (at least relatively) institutions that place a strong emphasis on undergraduate teaching. In addition to Dr. Prehar, I also asked Dr. Carrie Bulger, professor of psychology at Quinnipiac University, and Dr. Elise Amel, associate professor of psychology at the University of St. Thomas, regarding their experiences. I thank them for their insightful responses.
What led you to choose an academic position working primarily with undergraduates?
Dr. Bulger: Beginning with my early experiences as a TA in graduate school, I have always loved being in front of the classroom. I wanted to find an institution that would value my dual commitment to teaching and research. I was fortunate during my job search to be interviewed at many types of institutions, both research oriented and teaching oriented. Although I found research universities that valued teaching, the fit with my orientation was better at the smaller institutions.
Dr. Prehar: When the time came to apply for academic positions, I thought carefully about the expectations and reward structures at various institutions (doctoral, master’s, and undergraduate). I also asked myself what I really enjoyed doing in graduate school (interests), what was important to me (values), and where my strengths lie (skills). After this period of career exploration and self-assessment, I knew I would be most satisfied at an institution that equally valued teaching, service, and scholarship. Positions at smaller undergraduate institutions, as well as some lecturer positions, were the best fit.
Dr. Amel: I loved doing my undergraduate work at a similar type of college where the classes were small, the professors were mentors, and lively debate was the norm. Also, the cheerleader in me likes to get students fired up about their futures. I cherish the opportunities to meet with freshman and help them explore the disciplinary and career opportunities, help them figure out how to adapt to so many new circumstances, and pass along a passion for the field of I-O.
How do your responsibilities (teaching, service, scholarship) compare with faculty at larger institutions that stress graduate education?
Dr. Bulger: In a nutshell, I teach more courses per semester, am required to produce less scholarship, and probably am expected to perform a bit more service. Excellence in teaching is the primary consideration in evaluations for promotion and tenure, and my institution also recognizes the interconnections between the three areas. That is, we argue that excellence in teaching is influenced by one’s scholarship.
Dr. Prehar: I teach more courses in a given term and may also teach more courses overall. As both a generalist and a specialist, I teach our 3-semester research sequence, social psychology, general psychology, and various I-O courses. The class sizes are smaller, but, with more papers and no TAs, they are also more time consuming to teach than large lecture courses. We also advise 25–30 undergraduates and are expected to engage in meaningful departmental and college service. Scholarship expectations exist as well, though our contract allows for a broader definition of scholarship than typically exists at research institutions.
Dr. Amel: As our institution grows, the expectation to be a triple threat increases. Teaching still gets top billing, but excellence in research and service is expected. For me, the benefit of this model is that I’m evaluated based on including undergraduates in my research, and some of my research can be about pedagogy, so teaching and research are truly integrated. The hardest aspect of the model is conducting meaningful research in a timely manner without graduate students.
Are there any particular challenges that come with working at a smaller undergraduate institution?
Dr. Bulger: Time and other resources to do research are scarce. For instance, we don’t have individual lab spaces, we compete for sabbatical leaves, and we apply for course release time. We also have a smaller participant pool, so achieving large sample sizes can be a challenge. We are not (so far) required to apply for major grants, but neither are we simply given funds with which to do research.
Dr. Prehar: As Dr. Bulger noted, time and resources are our biggest research challenges. Within my department, supervising student research projects (required of all our majors) is a top priority, leaving little time for independent scholarship. In addition, we do not have a general psychology participant pool or a college-wide IRB (yet).
Dr. Amel: I don’t get to teach as many special topics courses as I would like.
What is the most rewarding aspect of an academic position in a smaller undergraduate institution?
Dr. Bulger: I am able to devote a significant portion of my teaching and research time to working with and developing undergraduate researchers. Working with students at this very early stage in their career is exciting. Watching someone realize their love of the field is the best! This happens in the classroom and in doing research. I have also been fortunate to have opportunities to collaborate with colleagues in I-O psychology at other institutions and on a fruitful interdisciplinary project with a colleague at my university.
Dr. Prehar: The most rewarding part of my job is witnessing students’ personal and professional growth. This can happen within one semester but also across years, as I typically have “repeat” students. Also, when teaching our research sequence, I work with the same cohort of students for 3 semesters. It is exciting seeing them develop into budding scientists! Lastly, as a faculty advisor, I typically advise the same students for 4 years. I find it quite rewarding to guide them through academic and career planning.
Dr. Amel: Engaging students in varied ways over long periods of time is fascinating and rewarding. I’m also grateful for the professional development support that my institution offers, as well as the broad scope of proposals that are accepted for internal grant money and sabbaticals.
What advice do you have for graduates interested in academic positions at an undergraduate institution?
Dr. Bulger: Squeeze in as much teaching experience as you can while still a graduate student, but NEVER, NEVER let it interfere with your scholarly activities. Even at teaching institutions, what you produce as a graduate student is used as a hiring criterion. Furthermore, once you do land a job, it’s a great idea to bring as much data with you as you can, given that resources can be tight at smaller schools. Smaller institutions will also look favorably on experience teaching core psychology courses, such as Statistics, Methods, or Intro Psych, as well as I-O courses.
Dr. Prehar: After being on both sides of the job search (seeking & hiring), I think it is important to remember that there is always variability within groups. In other words, some undergraduate institutions have higher scholarship expectations than others, some expect more service than others, and so on. In general though, I would recommend seeking out as many teaching opportunities as possible. In my experience, applicants who have only served as TAs are rarely in our list of top candidates. Also, be flexible with the courses you are willing to teach; most undergraduate institutions will want you to contribute to their core courses as well as teach specialized ones in I-O. With respect to scholarship, be prepared to explain how you can involve undergraduates in your research. You may also want to think about how you could be “creative” in conducting research with limited resources. Lastly, evidence of undergraduate advising and/or service to your department can help you stand out from other doctoral candidates. Look for little ways to demonstrate activity in these domains as well (e.g., giving a talk at Psych Club, serving in a graduate organization).
Dr. Amel: Take advantage of workshops and programs that teach about teaching. Also, find out whether there are mentoring programs at your graduate institution. These programs often match you with award-winning teachers, as well as offer observation, feedback, and recommendations about your pedagogy.