Occupation · SOC 25-1067
Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary
Teach courses in sociology. 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
541 mapped
Core skills
SpeakingWritingReading ComprehensionLearning StrategiesInstructingActive ListeningMonitoringCritical ThinkingSocial PerceptivenessActive LearningTime ManagementJudgment and Decision MakingComplex Problem SolvingService OrientationSystems EvaluationSystems AnalysisManagement of Personnel ResourcesCoordinationSciencePersuasionOperations AnalysisNegotiationMathematicsManagement of Material ResourcesManagement of Financial ResourcesQuality Control AnalysisProgrammingTechnology DesignOperations MonitoringTroubleshootingRepairingOperation and ControlInstallationEquipment SelectionEquipment Maintenance
Knowledge areas
English LanguageSociology and AnthropologyEducation and TrainingComputers and ElectronicsHistory and ArcheologyPsychologyPhilosophy and TheologyLaw and GovernmentMathematicsCommunications and MediaCustomer and Personal ServiceAdministrativeGeographyPersonnel and Human ResourcesAdministration and ManagementTherapy and CounselingTelecommunicationsPublic Safety and SecurityMedicine and DentistryForeign LanguageEconomics and AccountingFine ArtsSales and MarketingTransportationProduction and ProcessingEngineering and TechnologyBiologyPhysicsMechanicalDesignChemistryBuilding and ConstructionFood Production
Technology & tools
Blackboard LearnBlackboard softwareCalendar and scheduling softwareCentre for Multilevel Modeling MLwiNCollaborative editing softwareCourse management system softwareDOC CopDesire2Learn LMS softwareEconometric Software LIMDEPEmail softwareGoogle DocsIBM SPSS StatisticsImage scanning softwareLearning management system LMSMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WordMuthen & Muthen MplusRSASSakai CLEScientific Software International HLMSocial network analysis softwareStataCorp StataThe MathWorks MATLABWeb browser softwareiParadigms Turnitin
Representative tasks
Processing InformationAnalyzing Data or InformationInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersTraining and Teaching OthersWorking with ComputersThinking CreativelyIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesGetting InformationOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsDocumenting/Recording InformationJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleScheduling Work and ActivitiesDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersCoaching and Developing OthersGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesPerforming Administrative ActivitiesResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersAssisting and Caring for OthersDeveloping and Building TeamsCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationSelling or Influencing OthersPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesStaffing Organizational UnitsPerforming General Physical ActivitiesControlling Machines and ProcessesInspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsHandling and Moving ObjectsOperating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentDrafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and EquipmentRepairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Student assignments and papers — evaluate and return with written feedback under faculty mentorship in an undergraduate sociology course.Classroom discussions on foundational sociological topics — initiate and facilitate with structured prompts under the guidance of a supervising professor.Course examinations — compile and administer according to departmental templates and established grading rubrics in a postsecondary setting.Introductory lectures on race, ethnic relations, and social stratification — prepare and deliver to undergraduate students using provided course frameworks.Syllabi and homework assignments — draft and distribute following departmental guidelines and accreditation requirements for sociology courses.Current sociological literature and peer-reviewed journals — read and summarize to remain current with emerging field developments under faculty direction.Preliminary research data — collect and organize using analytical software in support of a faculty-led research project at a university setting.Existing course content and instructional materials — review and identify areas for revision with guidance from department curriculum committees.Grading criteria and rubrics — apply consistently to student class work using institutionally approved assessment tools in a postsecondary classroom.Word processing and office suite software — use to produce instructional handouts, correspondence, and course documents in a department office environment.
developing
Student papers and class work across multiple course sections — evaluate and grade independently using self-developed rubrics aligned to learning outcomes in a postsecondary sociology program.Seminar and lecture-format classroom discussions on topics such as measurement, data collection, and workplace social relations — moderate and redirect with reduced supervisory oversight.Midterm and final examinations — compile, administer, and score autonomously, delegating proctoring tasks to teaching assistants when appropriate.Undergraduate and graduate lectures on sociological theory and research methods — prepare and deliver with increasing depth, integrating current scholarship into course content.Comprehensive course materials including syllabi, reading lists, and assignment sequences — develop and refine independently across recurring course offerings.Professional conferences and colloquia — attend and participate to sustain engagement with disciplinary developments and apply insights to classroom instruction.Independent research projects — design and conduct within a defined area of sociological inquiry, submitting findings to peer-reviewed journals for publication.Course curricula for assigned sections — evaluate and revise periodically based on student performance data and evolving disciplinary standards.Database and information retrieval software — use to locate peer-reviewed sources and manage bibliographic data in support of teaching and research activities.Student learning progress across a course term — monitor using gradebook and learning management systems, adjusting instructional pacing as needed.
proficient
Graduate and undergraduate student work across diverse course formats — evaluate with sophisticated analytical judgment, providing substantive written commentary that advances student scholarly development.Complex seminar discussions on contested sociological topics such as intersectionality, globalization, or social movement theory — facilitate and moderate autonomously, fostering rigorous intellectual exchange.Full examination cycles including design, administration, grading, and grade appeals — oversee independently across multiple courses, delegating to and supervising graduate teaching assistants.Advanced graduate seminars and undergraduate lecture courses — prepare and deliver with scholarly authority, integrating original research and cutting-edge literature into every instructional session.Adaptive course materials responding to emerging sociological events and new empirical findings — develop and deploy rapidly without supervisory input, maintaining syllabus coherence and rigor.Peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, and book chapters — produce consistently as a recognized contributor within a defined subfield of sociology.Multi-semester research agendas — design, fund through grant applications, and execute using analytical and scientific software, producing findings that inform both scholarship and teaching.Program-level curricula — plan, evaluate, and revise collaboratively with departmental faculty, ensuring alignment with accreditation standards and disciplinary best practices.Diverse student populations with varying learning needs — assess using social perceptiveness and adaptive instructional strategies to promote equitable academic outcomes in postsecondary settings.Complex interdisciplinary questions bridging sociology, psychology, law, and philosophy — address through critical thinking and inductive reasoning in research and graduate-level instruction.
advanced
Departmental academic standards for grading and student assessment — establish and institutionalize, ensuring consistency and scholarly rigor across all faculty and course offerings.Department-wide pedagogical culture — shape by modeling exemplary discussion facilitation practices and mentoring junior faculty in evidence-based instructional methods.Institutional examination and assessment policies — lead the design and evaluation of, aligning departmental practices with university accreditation and regional academic standards.University-wide or consortium-level curriculum reform initiatives — spearhead, drawing on deep expertise in sociological theory, research methodology, and learning science to drive transformative change.Scholarly book manuscripts, edited volumes, and major journal articles — produce and shepherd to publication, establishing a nationally or internationally recognized research identity within sociology.Professional conference programs, editorial boards, and disciplinary task forces — lead and shape, advancing the field's intellectual agenda and representing the institution in national scholarly communities.Cross-institutional research collaborations and externally funded research centers — direct, integrating teams of faculty, postdoctoral scholars, and graduate students around high-impact sociological questions.Graduate program design including admissions criteria, degree requirements, and mentorship structures — architect and steward, ensuring the production of future sociological scholars and educators.Strategic instructional technology adoption across the department — champion and guide, evaluating computer-based training software and analytical platforms for integration into faculty teaching practice.Departmental vision, faculty development priorities, and resource allocation — set and lead at the executive level, cultivating a culture of intellectual curiosity, integrity, and scholarly achievement.
Also known as
24 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Adjunct InstructorAdjunct ProfessorAdjunct Sociology ProfessorAssistant ProfessorAssociate ProfessorCollege Faculty MemberCollege ProfessorComparative Sociology ProfessorFaculty MemberInstructorLecturerMarriage and Family TeacherProfessorRace Relations ProfessorSocial Organization ProfessorSocial Science InstructorSocial Science ProfessorSociology Adjunct InstructorSociology Adjunct ProfessorSociology Faculty MemberSociology InstructorSociology LecturerSociology ProfessorUniversity Faculty Member