The Essential College Professor: A Practical Guide to an Academic Career [Paperback]

The Essential College Professor is about the how and why of being a faculty member today. Based on the author's series of highly successful faculty development workshops, each chapter deals concisely with the most important information college professors need at their fingertips when confronted by a particular challenge or faced with an exciting opportunity. Written both as a comprehensive guide to an academic career and as a ready reference to be consulted whenever needed, The Essential College Professor emphasizes proven solutions over untested theories and stresses what faculty members have to know now in order to be successful in their careers.

Each chapter is concluded by a short exercise that faculty members can perform to help them, for instance, completely revise a course by restructuring the syllabus and course materials, bring new life to a research project by reframing it as a book proposal or grant application, and so on.

The Author ix

Introduction xi

Part I: The College Professors Career

1. Applying for a Faculty Position 1

2. Interviewing for a Faculty Position 14

3. What Kind of Professor Are You? 28

4. Career Planning for College Professors 38

5. The Tenure and Promotion Process 47

6. Special Challenges for Junior Faculty 57

7. Special Challenges for Midcareer Faculty 67

8. Special Challenges for Senior Faculty 75

9. Taking the Next Step in Your Career 82

Part II: The College Professor as Teacher

10. Assessing Student Learning 87

11. Writing an Effective Course Syllabus 102

12. Developing Creative Course Materials 114

13. Teaching Small Classes 124

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