Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach languages and literature courses in languages other than English. Includes teachers of American Sign Language (ASL). Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

Also Known As:

Assistant Professor Associate Professor Foreign Languages Professor French Professor German Professor Instructor Modern Languages Professor Professor Spanish Instructor Spanish Professor

Wages

Annual wages for Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary in United States

Job Outlook Below Average

New job opportunities are less likely in the future

United States 2033 Projected Employment

26,400

1% Change From 2023

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Tasks you might complete in a day.

Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as how to speak and write a foreign language and the cultural aspects of areas where a particular language is used.
Compile bibliographies of specialized materials for outside reading assignments.
Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in scholarly journals, books, or electronic media.
Organize and direct study abroad programs.
Keep abreast of developments in their field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional organizations and activities.
Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
Perform administrative duties, such as serving as department head.
Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in scholarly journals, books, or electronic media.
Serve on academic or administrative committees that deal with institutional policies, departmental matters, and academic issues.
Develop and maintain Web pages for teaching-related purposes.
Act as advisers to student organizations.
Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
Write letters of recommendation for students.
Keep abreast of developments in their field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional organizations and activities.
Write grant proposals to procure external research funding.
Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
Select and obtain materials and supplies, such as textbooks.
Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students.
Write letters of recommendation for students.
Participate in campus and community events.
Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
Advise students on academic and vocational curricula and on career issues.
Participate in student recruitment, registration, and placement activities.
Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.
Select and obtain materials and supplies, such as textbooks.
Collaborate with colleagues to address teaching and research issues.
Participate in student recruitment, registration, and placement activities.
Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.

Subject areas you may need to master.

Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Foreign Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
Administrative - Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
Public Safety and Security - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Chemistry - Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Personnel and Human Resources - Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
Economics and Accounting - Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Food Production - Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Law and Government - Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Medicine and Dentistry - Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
Transportation - Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
Therapy and Counseling - Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
Philosophy and Theology - Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
Physics - Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
History and Archeology - Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
Sales and Marketing - Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Fine Arts - Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
Communications and Media - Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
Building and Construction - Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
Psychology - Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Sociology and Anthropology - Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
Geography - Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
Telecommunications - Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

Strengths you may need in this role.

Technology Design - Making equipment and technology useful for customers.
Equipment Maintenance - Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.
Quality Control Analysis - Testing how well a product or service works.
Social Perceptiveness - Understanding people's reactions.
Persuasion - Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.
Complex Problem Solving - Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
Installation - Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.
Management of Material Resources - Managing equipment and materials.
Critical Thinking - Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
Writing - Writing things for co-workers or customers.
Troubleshooting - Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.
Repairing - Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.
Monitoring - Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
Negotiation - Bringing people together to solve differences.
Instructing - Teaching people how to do something.
Time Management - Managing your time and the time of other people.
Learning Strategies - Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.
Speaking - Talking to others.
Mathematics - Using math to solve problems.
Reading Comprehension - Reading work-related information.
Active Listening - Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
Operations Analysis - Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.
Coordination - Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
Operations Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.
Systems Evaluation - Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
Management of Financial Resources - Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.
Science - Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.
Active Learning - Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.
Management of Personnel Resources - Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.
Judgment and Decision Making - Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
Service Orientation - Looking for ways to help people.
Programming - Writing computer programs.
Systems Analysis - Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
Operation and Control - Using equipment or systems.
Equipment Selection - Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.
Sound Localization - Noticing the direction that a sound came from.
Information Ordering - Ordering or arranging things.
Control Precision - Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
Static Strength - Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.
Gross Body Equilibrium - Keeping your balance or staying upright.
Far Vision - Seeing details that are far away.
Category Flexibility - Grouping things in different ways.
Perceptual Speed - Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
Hearing Sensitivity - Telling the difference between sounds.
Inductive Reasoning - Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.
Gross Body Coordination - Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.
Deductive Reasoning - Using rules to solve problems.
Arm-Hand Steadiness - Keeping your arm or hand steady.
Trunk Strength - Using your lower back and stomach.
Reaction Time - Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.
Peripheral Vision - Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.
Finger Dexterity - Putting together small parts with your fingers.
Written Comprehension - Reading and understanding what is written.
Dynamic Flexibility - Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.
Depth Perception - Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.
Problem Sensitivity - Noticing when problems happen.
Number Facility - Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.
Selective Attention - Paying attention to something without being distracted.
Night Vision - Seeing at night or under low light.
Speech Clarity - Speaking clearly.
Originality - Creating new and original ideas.
Mathematical Reasoning - Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.
Spatial Orientation - Knowing where things are around you.
Multilimb Coordination - Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.
Dynamic Strength - Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.
Speech Recognition - Recognizing spoken words.
Near Vision - Seeing details up close.
Visualization - Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
Response Orientation - Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.
Visual Color Discrimination - Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.
Oral Comprehension - Listening and understanding what people say.
Oral Expression - Communicating by speaking.
Speed of Closure - Quickly knowing what you are looking at.
Manual Dexterity - Holding or moving items with your hands.
Speed of Limb Movement - Quickly moving your arms and legs.
Memorization - Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.
Wrist-Finger Speed - Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.
Glare Sensitivity - Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.
Rate Control - Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
Stamina - Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.
Time Sharing - Doing two or more things at the same time.
Extent Flexibility - Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.
Auditory Attention - Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.
Written Expression - Communicating by writing.
Flexibility of Closure - Seeing hidden patterns.
Fluency of Ideas - Coming up with lots of ideas.
Explosive Strength - Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.