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Career Exploration

Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary

Also called: Computer Information Systems Instructor (CIS Instructor), Computer Science Professor, Instructor, Professor

What they do:

Teach courses in computer science. May specialize in a field of computer science, such as the design and function of computers or operations and research analysis. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

On the job, you would:
  • Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
  • Compile, administer, and grade examinations or assign this work to others.
  • Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as programming, data structures, and software design.
On the job, you'll need:

Engineering and Technology

  • computers and electronics
  • product and service development

Education and Training

  • teaching and course design

Arts and Humanities

  • English language

Business

  • customer service

Basic Skills

  • reading work related information
  • talking to others

Problem Solving

  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

People and Technology Systems

  • thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
  • figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it

Verbal

  • communicate by speaking
  • listen and understand what people say

Ideas and Logic

  • make general rules or come up with answers from lots of detailed information
  • use rules to solve problems

Math

  • add, subtract, multiply, or divide
  • choose the right type of math to solve a problem

Social

People interested in this work like activities that include helping people, teaching, and talking.

  • Integrity
  • Dependability
  • Persistence
  • Independence
  • Achievement/Effort
  • Analytical Thinking

Object or component oriented development software

  • C#
  • Oracle Java

Computer based training software

  • Learning management system LMS
  • Moodle

Development environment software

  • C
  • Microsoft Visual Basic

Video courtesy of CareerOneStop.

Job Outlook

The job outlook for this position is Bright.

New job opportunities are very likely in the future. This career will grow rapidly in the next few years.

Median Annual Salary: $84,760

Education

Master's degree or doctoral degree is usually needed.