This document summarizes a report on becoming an adjunct English professor, specifically at Reading Area Community College (RACC). It finds that a master's degree is required to teach as an adjunct, and teaching experience is highly preferred. The responsibilities and salary of an adjunct position are less than those of a full-time professor. While adjunct positions are more readily available, full-time hiring at RACC has been limited in recent years. Overall employment prospects for adjunct English professors are expected to continue growing in Pennsylvania and nationwide.

1. JOB FUTURES REPORT: ADJUNCT ENGLISH PROFESSOR 1
TO: Professor Leight
FROM: Chloe Joyce
DATE: February 13, 2013
SUBJECT: Job Futures Report: Adjunct English Professor
Abstract
This study delivers an overview of the career definition and education requirements
needed to obtain a professional teaching position as an Adjunct English Professor at a
community college, specifically Reading Area Community College, RACC, while
highlighting the differences between the adjunct (part-time) and full-time position. Other
aspects and qualifications for occupational success in the field are also covered including
necessary experience, salary range, employment projections, requirements and pro and
cons of adjunct and full-time, and recommendations. Obtaining a master’s degree is
necessary for hire, as is experience (K. Jacobson, personal communication, February 8,
2013). Pennsylvania is one of the higher paying states for the full-time position.
Employment availability for the position of post-secondary English professor in the state
of Pennsylvania is expected to continue growing (Occupational profile, 2013). Salary for
an adjunct at RACC has a maximum of $17 thousand without benefits for teaching the
maximum twenty-two credits, while a full-time professor begins at $55 thousand with
full benefits teaching a minimum of thirty credits (K. Jacobson, personal communication,
February 8, 2013).
Introduction
The purpose of this report is to narrowly focus on a course of action for obtaining the
position of Adjunct English Professor at RACC, and also to compare the adjunct
professor to the full-time professor, because this would be the goal of obtaining a master
degree education. The study briefly touches on other local colleges as means of
employment.
The study is organized beginning with the necessary education to begin teaching at the
collegiate or post-secondary level; the candidate does not need to secure state
certification (as one would for elementary or secondary level education), the applicant
must have minimum qualifications, usually a master’s or master’s of fine arts degree, to
obtain a position as an adjunct or full-time professor. The decision to continue the
education goal beyond the master’s degree to doctoral degree for either candidacy will be
discussed and recommendations prescribed for the English Professor vocation.

2. JOB FUTURES REPORT: ADJUNCT ENGLISH PROFESSOR 2
Discussion
Education
Education is of utmost importance to become an English Professor at an accredited two
year college requiring a master’s degree. Education for a community college should be
broad, including many writing and teaching courses, because that is what you are going
to be doing—at the basic level (Jaschik, 2010, para. 9-11). Yet, according to Dr.
Jacobson, she has hired at least one person to RACC with only a Bachelor’s Degree, but
with the understanding that they would be starting graduate work on their master’s degree
(personal communication, February 8, 2013). Three of RACC’s newest hires in the
Humanities Department have Master of Fine Arts, MFA’s (D. Leight, personal
communication, February 11, 2013).
At a four year college or university, education can be somewhat stricter, but more and
more colleges and universities are hiring MFA’s for their English Departments. Some
schools still want a doctorate degree; the necessary educational level will depend on the
hiring school. Dr. Jacobson has seen candidates have no problem obtaining employment
with a master’s degree once they had experience teaching; she feels that the employment
market is flooded with English PhD’s and therefore, a waste of time and money (personal
communication, February 8, 2013).
Effortlessly finding employment with a doctoral degree solely in English is declining. A
survey of Doctoral Programs by Arizona State in 2007 only shows two PhD programs
based solely in English (of course not all schools responded to the survey) but sixty-
seven did respond. Thirty-nine other programs offered an English PhD, but with an
additional concentration (Brown, S. C., Enos, T., Reamer, D., & Thompson, J., 2008, p.
331). The English PhD is slowly evolving with the changing pedagogy that is being
demanded from teaching institutions.
Kimberly Pierceall (2007) wrote an enlightening article about graduate school that causes
one to question whether the return for a doctoral degree is indeed the correct choice. She
questioned what new skills and knowledge one would gain for the cost and years it would
take to earn the degree. Having strong goals and a plan is important, and taking into
account the debt load one will be carrying is equally important in correlation to the salary
one expects to earn.
While education is important, it is not the only item that an applicant needs to have on
their resume to look appealing to be hired, nor is it the only factor to influence possible
earnings.
Experience
Teaching experience is preferred as well as a minimum of a master’s degree. While in
graduate school, students studying for their master’s degree sometimes perform the task
of Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) teaching freshmen classes and assisting their
professors, thus obtaining valuable teaching experience. While applying for adjunct
positions one of the first things an employer will look for is experience (K. Jacobson,
personal communication, February 8, 2013).

3. JOB FUTURES REPORT: ADJUNCT ENGLISH PROFESSOR 3
Dr. Jacobson also recommends taking “socio-linguistic and ESL, [English as a second
language], courses [as well as getting] reading certifications.” She says that “if you ever
have any choices for community college coursework, opt to take them, [because] they
will show what you are interested in” (personal communication, February 8, 2013).
Future employers want to see a level of commitment, dedication and interest in your
chosen career path.
Responsibilities Comparison
Adjunct Professor
 Follow provided curriculum, teach and instruct class(es)
 Grade papers and provided tests
 Interact positively and effectively with students and peers
 May opt to publish personal creative or research work which is completed
on personal time
 Effective communication in both oral and in written form
 Be creative with “office hours” by meeting with students before and after
class
Full-Time English Professor
 Create curriculum, teach and instruct classes
 Grade papers and created tests
 Interact positively and effectively with students and peers
 Review and choose textbooks for courses
 May opt to publish personal creative/research work
 Effective communication in both oral and in written form
 Keep regular office hours
 Institution duties
(K. Jacobson, personal communication, February 8, 2013)
Employment Prospects
Per Dr. Jacobson, being hired as an adjunct is promising as long as the credentials and
experience are there. Six former RACC graduates currently work as adjuncts, but there
have been no new full-time hires in the Humanities Department for the past six years
(personal communication, February 8, 2013).
Looking outside the scope of RACC, but staying true to the narrow focus of the report,
adjunct positions are available at other local colleges in the immediate Reading area,
because Dr. Jacobson mentioned other adjuncts teaching at other campuses (personal
communication, February 8, 2013).

4. JOB FUTURES REPORT: ADJUNCT ENGLISH PROFESSOR 4
The hiring of adjuncts, especially in the English department, is going to continue as the
part-time faculty fulfills the need of the bottom line—low-pay and no benefits (K.Kroll,
The End, 2012, p.121).
The chart below predicts a steady growth of employment for postsecondary instructors
with a 15% increase.
(Occupational profile, 2013)
This chart from acinet.org shows that Pennsylvania is expected to continue to have an
increase in job openings due to growth and net replacement: More people are going to
school, returning to school, and teachers are retiring. The projections are not adjunct
English professor exclusive, but the trend is for colleges to save money, so one can only
conclude that there will be many positions for adjunct available (Occupational profile,
n.d.). Historically, adjunct positions have been more plentiful at a two-year college, but
due to less state funding or less private endowments, four-year colleges have found that
the alternate benefit of employing adjuncts solves the problem of less funds and a larger
student body (Jones. 2002-3. P.32).
Location
The location of this report focuses on Reading Area Community College, RACC, located
in Southeastern Pennsylvania and its immediate surrounding area. There are reasons to
focus on this area including: family in the area, the warm, family-like atmosphere of the
college, and believing in the premise of community college. Though committed to
RACC, there are several local colleges located nearby if the need arises to instruct
elsewhere. Awareness that Reading has recently been reported as the poorest city in the
US by The New York Times and the knowledge that this location is where the report is
focused, along with an unwillingness to look outside this scope is necessary when taking
salary into consideration (Tavernise, 2011, para. 5).

5. JOB FUTURES REPORT: ADJUNCT ENGLISH PROFESSOR 5
Salary Expectations
Salary expectations vary widely depending on the position, the level of experience, and
the degree attained. In order to attain a teaching position at RACC, fundamental teaching
experience is necessary (K. Jacobson, personal communication, February 8, 2013). An
applicant may work their way through the system by starting as an adjunct, making a
commitment to teaching at a school, and hopefully, working their way into the position of
full-time; however, Mr. David Leight noted , “that of the [current] eight full-time faculty
teaching writing at RACC, only two were adjuncts first” (personal communication,
February 11, 2013). The annual salary range is approximately $17 thousand to start for an
adjunct, if they are able to teach the full twenty-two credits. A full-time English
Professor starts at $55 thousand depending on the level of experience (K. Jacobson,
personal communication, February 8, 2013).
It is not uncommon for an adjunct to teach classes at more than one college to cobble
together a manageable salary. Teaching as an adjunct offers a great amount of flexibility,
but the flexibility comes at the cost of an annual salary below $20 thousand (June, 2009,
para. 1,4, 9-11).
(Occupational profile, 2013)
This wage chart from acinet.org shows the wage variance between the low, high, and
median which most likely reflects the amount of education, experience, and type of
institution an instructor is employed at. Pennsylvania seems to be a little above average
with the United States as a whole in the low, and median category (Occupational profile,
n.d.).
Security
Tenured positions are those where the holder is protected from termination. A tenure-
like status is granted to professors who have fulfilled their probation trial time. At
RACC, this tenure-like “job-security” is granted after three years of employment (K.
Jacobson, personal communication, February 8, 2013). Job security is unheard of for an
adjunct professor, because they are hired as needed on a semester to semester basis (June,
2009, para.1).

6. JOB FUTURES REPORT: ADJUNCT ENGLISH PROFESSOR 6
Recommendation
Obtaining a master’s degree or MFA is the first priority in becoming an adjunct
instructor, but there are important steps to include while completing this important piece
of education. The opportunity to teach while earning a degree is one that should not be
passed upon. Finding a program that offers a GTA is paramount (K. Jacobson, personal
communication, February 8, 2013).
While completing the undergraduate and master’s degree, should the occasion ever arise
that coursework or a conference is available for reading certification, ESL, or how to
teach (in community college)—these should be acted upon with a sense of immediacy (K.
Jacobson, personal communication, February 8, 2013) . Any and all extra bits and pieces
that would show the direction of interest pertaining to teaching at community college
should be pursued. Having attended community college is already a positive—the
understanding of the culture and diversity is already in place (Jaschik, 2010, para. 8).
A candidate must understand from day one of this pursuit that to teach is not to become
wealthy. Working at a single campus as an adjunct will not provide a salary ($17
thousand maximum) that exceeds poverty level, nor will it provide any benefits. Like a
private contractor taking on jobs, some adjuncts string together a course-load by working
at two or three campuses to build up a more comfortable salary, but this does not provide
benefits or job security.
A successful plan would be to become hired as a full-time professor with a benefits
package—to become entirely self-sufficient, but there are no guarantees of that position,
that base $55 thousand salary or the security it brings, because full-time positions are not
always available and more colleges are hiring adjuncts.
Most people go into teaching because someone made a difference in their life and they
want to give back—make a difference in somebody else’s life (Cherwin, n.d. para. 2-3).
This is not for monetary gain, but this is their calling, their religion.
If a person is looking for flexibility in employment, has health benefits through a partner,
and is not overly concerned about being financially independent then teaching as an
adjunct would be a perfect position, because they are working in academia on campus,
interacting with students and peers, keeping their skills sharp, and earning some spending
money. They will not have that much responsibility allowing them the freedom to pursue
their own interests—this is possibly a win-win situation for some.
Choosing to remain and work in Reading, the poorest city in the nation, has drawbacks,
but if this is the choice, then the answer remain the same. The candidate can apply for
full-time positions, and if those positions are not available there is adjunct work available
(but it does not pay very well).

7. JOB FUTURES REPORT: ADJUNCT ENGLISH PROFESSOR 7
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