Occupation · SOC 25-1064
Geography Teachers, Postsecondary
Teach courses in geography. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Median wage
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Projected growth
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Annual openings
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per year
Employed (US)
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Job Zone 5
Typical preparation
Extensive preparation
Stackable credential programs
407 mapped
Core skills
WritingSpeakingInstructingReading ComprehensionActive ListeningLearning StrategiesCritical ThinkingComplex Problem SolvingActive LearningTime ManagementJudgment and Decision MakingSocial PerceptivenessScienceMonitoringSystems AnalysisPersuasionCoordinationSystems EvaluationService OrientationNegotiationManagement of Personnel ResourcesMathematicsOperations AnalysisProgrammingManagement of Material ResourcesManagement of Financial ResourcesTechnology DesignOperations MonitoringQuality Control AnalysisTroubleshootingRepairingOperation and ControlInstallationEquipment SelectionEquipment Maintenance
Knowledge areas
English LanguageGeographyEducation and TrainingHistory and ArcheologyMathematicsComputers and ElectronicsSociology and AnthropologyCommunications and MediaLaw and GovernmentPhysicsPhilosophy and TheologyAdministrativeBiologyPsychologyCustomer and Personal ServiceAdministration and ManagementChemistryForeign LanguagePersonnel and Human ResourcesDesignPublic Safety and SecurityTransportationTherapy and CounselingEconomics and AccountingTelecommunicationsFine ArtsEngineering and TechnologySales and MarketingBuilding and ConstructionMechanicalMedicine and DentistryFood ProductionProduction and Processing
Technology & tools
Adobe Acrobat ReaderAdobe Creative Cloud softwareBlackboard LearnCalendar and scheduling softwareCaliper MaptitudeClark Labs CartaLinxClark Labs IDRISICollaborative editing softwareCourse management system softwareDOC CopDesire2Learn LMS softwareESRI ArcGIS Geostatistical AnalystESRI ArcGIS softwareESRI ArcViewESRI ArcView 3D AnalystEmail softwareGeographic information system GIS softwareGeographic information system GIS systemsGeographic resources analysis support system GRASSGoogle DocsHEC-RASIBM SPSS StatisticsITT Exelis Visual Information Solutions ENVIImage scanning softwareInsightful S-PLUSInterface definition language IDLLearning management system LMSLeica Geosystems ERDAS IMAGINEMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Internet ExplorerMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft PublisherMicrosoft WordMozilla FirefoxSakai CLEThe MathWorks MATLABTibco S-PLUSWeb browser software
Representative tasks
Working with ComputersInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeProcessing InformationGetting InformationAnalyzing Data or InformationTraining and Teaching OthersThinking CreativelyCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsDocumenting/Recording InformationMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesCoaching and Developing OthersEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationScheduling Work and ActivitiesGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersDeveloping and Building TeamsMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicAssisting and Caring for OthersCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersPerforming Administrative ActivitiesResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsSelling or Influencing OthersMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesInspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsControlling Machines and ProcessesStaffing Organizational UnitsOperating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentDrafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and EquipmentPerforming General Physical ActivitiesHandling and Moving ObjectsRepairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Course syllabi and assignment handouts — draft and organize under faculty mentorship for undergraduate geography sections at a research university.Foundational lecture content on urbanization and environmental systems — prepare and deliver with structured notes to small undergraduate cohorts in a supervised teaching role.Current geography literature and peer-reviewed journals — read and summarize to stay abreast of disciplinary developments during an early faculty or postdoctoral appointment.Student assignments and short-answer papers — evaluate and return with written feedback following departmental grading rubrics in a postsecondary classroom setting.Classroom examinations — compile and administer according to course policies, escalating grading decisions to supervising faculty when edge cases arise.Student attendance records and grade entries — maintain accurately in the institution's learning management system as required by departmental administrative standards.Geographic information system software — apply at a basic level to illustrate spatial concepts during introductory lab sessions under senior faculty guidance.Classroom discussions on cultural geography topics — participate in facilitating with structured prompts, progressing toward independent moderation under observation.Word processing and document management tools — use to produce course materials and correspondence consistent with departmental formatting expectations.Research data and disciplinary findings — begin collecting and organizing in support of a faculty mentor's project, developing foundational scholarly habits in an academic geography department.
developing
Undergraduate and graduate course syllabi — design independently, aligning learning objectives with departmental curriculum standards and student needs across multiple geography sections.Lectures on topics such as cultural geography, environmental systems, and geospatial analysis — prepare and deliver with consistent clarity and engagement to mixed undergraduate and graduate audiences.Original research manuscripts — draft and revise for submission to peer-reviewed geography journals, incorporating reviewer feedback within an active faculty research program.Student papers and project-based assignments — evaluate with calibrated, criterion-referenced feedback that promotes critical thinking in a postsecondary geography course.Midterm and final examinations — compile, administer, and grade with partial delegation to teaching assistants, maintaining assessment integrity across course sections.Professional conferences and disciplinary workshops — attend and engage regularly to integrate emerging geographic scholarship into course content and personal research agenda.Classroom discussions on complex spatial and societal topics — facilitate with targeted questioning strategies that encourage student analysis beyond surface-level responses.Geographic information system and map creation software — apply routinely in course instruction and research to produce spatial analyses and instructional visualizations.Student grade records and required institutional reports — maintain and submit accurately on schedule using the university's administrative information systems.Active learning strategies — deploy across varied lesson formats, adapting instructional approaches to student comprehension levels and course modality in a postsecondary environment.
proficient
Advanced topical lectures integrating geospatial technology, quantitative methods, and theoretical frameworks — develop and deliver autonomously to graduate seminars and upper-division courses at a research university.Multi-course curriculum — design and revise across undergraduate and graduate levels, ensuring coherent scaffolding of geographic knowledge domains and transferable skills.Peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and electronic scholarly media — produce and publish independently, advancing knowledge within a specialized geography subdiscipline.Complex student research projects, theses, and dissertations — evaluate with expert judgment, providing substantive mentorship that guides graduate students through non-routine scholarly challenges.Comprehensive examination programs — architect, administer, and assess at the program level, delegating components strategically to teaching assistants while preserving academic standards.Emerging developments in geography — synthesize continuously from literature, conferences, and collegial networks, translating new knowledge directly into instructional and research practice.Seminar-level scholarly discussions — initiate and moderate on contested geographic problems, drawing on social perceptiveness to balance participant dynamics and deepen intellectual inquiry.GIS platforms and analytical or scientific software — apply at an expert level to conduct original spatial research and teach advanced geospatial methods to graduate students.Interdisciplinary problem sets integrating geography, sociology, mathematics, and environmental science — construct and guide students through, modeling complex problem-solving in an academic research context.Student performance data and institutional assessment records — analyze systematically to identify learning gaps and refine course effectiveness across an entire geography program.
advanced
Departmental or programmatic curriculum vision — articulate and lead, shaping the strategic direction of geography education across multiple degree levels at a postsecondary institution.Research agendas in geography — establish and lead at a programmatic or center level, securing external funding and guiding teams of junior faculty, postdoctoral scholars, and graduate researchers.Scholarly publications, edited volumes, and funded research portfolios — produce at a level that defines or advances a subdisciplinary conversation within the national and international geography community.Faculty pedagogical development — mentor and evaluate junior colleagues in instructional design, assessment practice, and scholarly writing within a research-intensive geography department.Academic conference programs, journal editorial boards, and professional association committees — lead or serve in governance roles that shape disciplinary norms and standards.Institutional policies on academic standards, assessment integrity, and curriculum approval — influence and draft through faculty governance bodies and administrative partnerships.Innovative instructional methodologies integrating geospatial technology, field-based learning, and digital scholarship — champion and institutionalize across the department to elevate teaching quality.Cross-institutional and interdisciplinary collaborations in geographic research and education — initiate and sustain, negotiating partnerships with government agencies, NGOs, and peer universities.Strategic enrollment, resource allocation, and program accreditation processes — advise senior administration using data-informed judgment grounded in deep knowledge of geographic education needs.Emerging societal challenges such as climate change, urbanization, and geopolitical shifts — translate into publicly engaged scholarship, policy briefs, and media contributions that extend the university's influence beyond the academy.
Also known as
22 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Assistant ProfessorAssociate ProfessorCartography ProfessorCartography TeacherCollege Faculty MemberCollege ProfessorCultural Geography Faculty MemberGeographic Information Systems Faculty Member (GIS Faculty Member)Geographic Information Systems Professor (GIS Professor)Geography Faculty MemberGeography InstructorGeography ProfessorGeomatics ProfessorGeospatial InstructorHuman Geography Faculty MemberHuman Geography InstructorHuman Geography ProfessorInstructorLecturerPhysical Geography ProfessorProfessorUniversity Faculty Member