What Are the Main Types of Lecturers?

If you want to become a lecturer in the UK, you must meet a set of educational and professional requirements. Lecturers in the UK can be generalists or specialists who work in universities, further education colleges and professional training centres. Types of lecturers are:

• University Lecturer: Lectures at universities and other higher education institutions, teaching undergraduate and postgraduate students. May teach students for part of the time, research their field, and publish subject specialists’ journals.
• Further Education (FE) Lecturer: FE lecturers teach in colleges and other adult education centres. They teach vocational courses, A-levels, BTECs, and other qualifications. They teach the skills and knowledge needed for the workplace or higher education.
• Senior lecturer: This is a more senior university teaching and research position. Senior lecturers are expected to do more research, supervise junior staff, and possibly take on other management duties in the department.
• Visiting or Adjunct Lecturer: These lecturers work at universities or colleges on a temporary contract or part-time basis to teach particular courses. They may be employed elsewhere and/or undertake academic work elsewhere.
• Professor: Senior academics who often supervise large research teams and projects, as well as university students, are considered the university’s highest academic role.

What Does a Lecturer Do?

A lecturer’s main responsibility is to teach students in higher education or vocational training settings. However, the role involves much more than just delivering lectures. Here’s a breakdown of a lecturer’s key responsibilities:

• Teaching and Lecturing: Lecturers deliver educational content through lectures, seminars, and workshops. They prepare lesson plans, create presentations, and ensure that the material is engaging and accessible to students.
• Curriculum Development: Lecturers play a significant role in developing the curriculum for their subject area. This may involve designing new courses, updating materials, and ensuring that content meets the academic standards of the institution.
• Student Support: Lecturers provide academic support to students, guiding them through coursework, helping with assignments, and offering advice on research projects. They also provide feedback on student progress and assess exams and essays.
• Research: University lecturers are often involved in research projects within their field of expertise. This includes conducting studies, publishing academic papers, and presenting findings at conferences. Research helps universities advance knowledge and reputation in their respective fields.
• Administrative Duties: Lecturers often have administrative responsibilities, such as attending departmental meetings, serving on academic committees, and contributing to university policy development.
• Supervising Postgraduate Students: For those teaching at the postgraduate level, lecturers often supervise students pursuing master’s degrees or PhDs, helping them with their research projects and guiding them through their academic journey.

Average Lecturer Salary

The salary of a lecturer in the UK depends on factors such as the level of education they are teaching, their experience, and the institution they work for. Here’s an overview of typical lecturer salaries:

• FE Lecturer: Salaries in FE vary from £24,000 to £40,000 depending on experience and type of institution.
• University Lecturer: £35,000 to £50,000 University lecturers earn a salary between £35,000 and £50,000. Salaries are determined by the years of experience and whether or not they have done research and published their results, which is known as an ‘academic’ salary. Their salary also depends on how the university is ranked.
• Senior lecturer: Salaries for senior lecturers are between £45,000 and £60,000 (some senior positions at elite universities go above £70,000).
• Teacher: On average, professors earn more than £70,000, with senior professors in top universities earning more than £100,000 yearly.

Lecturer Skills

To be a successful lecturer, one must demonstrate a good knowledge of the subject, have good teaching skills and be able to do research. Here is a brief list of what is required to build a career as a lecturer:

• Subject mastery: Lecturers need to know much about their subject area (hence the PhD or other advanced qualification), which is how they can teach it. They also need to be able to engage in academic research.
• Communication skills: To present conceptual material to students in a clear and accessible manner, a lecturer must have good verbal and written communication skills.
• Research Skills: Research and publishing are important elements of a university lecturer’s role. Lecturers must have research skills, including the ability to design a study, analyse data, and present the findings.
• Organisational Skills and Time Management: Lecturers must have organisational and time management skills to teach classes, research, and perform administrative tasks.
• Public speaking and presentation skills: It is important to be able to deliver lectures and seminars to large numbers of students and communicate effectively.
• Mentoring and Leadership: Lecturers help students with academic issues and reach their full potential. Senior lecturers and professors mentor junior staff and manage research teams.

Lecturer Tips

Here are some practical tips for aspiring lecturers:

• Study Further: If you want to work as a university lecturer, you will likely need a PhD. A teaching qualification, such as a PGCE (a Postgraduate Certificate in Education), is usually required for FE lecturers.
• Get Teaching Experience: Try to work as a teaching assistant (TA) during your postgraduate studies or, better still, get some lecturing experience at further education colleges or universities.
• Develop Research Skills: University lecturers need to conduct research. They can start by publishing articles, giving presentations, and collaborating with other academics.
• Networking in the Academy: Go to academic conferences, join academic associations, and speak to other academics in your field. A strong professional network can help you advance your career and hire you for research and teaching jobs.
• Keep up to date with teaching practices: Lectures at the higher education level are becoming more innovative and reliant on technology and online learning. You must stay updated with new teaching practices and educational technologies to improve your lecturing ability.

Lecturer Requirements

If you want to be a lecturer in the UK, you must meet a set of educational and professional requirements. The requirements depend on the level of education you will be teaching.

Further Education (FE) Lecturer Pathway:

• Degree in your subject: If you want to teach FE, you will need a degree in a relevant subject. Some subjects may require industry experience, especially when the course is vocational.
• Qualifications: You must obtain a postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE) or other teaching qualifications to work as a lecturer in further education (FE). Alternatively, you can sometimes get into FE with a Diploma in Education and Training (DET).
• Hands-on experience: Many further education lecturers come from an industry background. Hands-on experience in the industry sector you are keen to teach can be advantageous, especially for vocational subjects such as engineering or business.

University Lecturer Pathway:

• Get a PhD: A PhD is usually required to become a university lecturer. A PhD shows that you know what you are doing and demonstrates that you can make an original contribution to scholarship.
• Post-doctoral research: Many prospective lecturers spend some years working as post-doctoral researchers to build an academic portfolio and gain teaching experience.
• Get some teaching experience:  Many PhD programmes and postdocs have or require you to have a teaching assistantship (TA). Some universities offer graduate teaching positions so that you can learn to teach while you work on your research.
• Publish: You won’t be able to get a university lectureship without publishing in academic journals, so try to do so regularly, even presenting at conferences and co-authoring with other academics.

How to Become a Lecturer

Here’s a step-by-step guide to becoming a lecturer in the UK:

• Earn a Degree in Your Field: Complete a degree at your college and university level. If you want to teach in a high school, you will need at least a bachelor’s degree in the subject you want to teach. If you’re looking at university teaching, you will likely have to get a PhD.
• Get a teaching qualification: If you want to teach in further education, you will need a teaching qualification, such as a PGCE or Diploma in Education and Training (DET).
• Gain experience: Develop your teaching experience by working as a teaching assistant, lecturer or researcher. For more vocational subjects, develop practical industry experience.
• Get Researching (University Lecturer): Universities demand that you’ve published papers, undertaken research studies, and generally become known in your field (i.e., by attending conferences and meetings and collaborating on projects with other researchers).
• Apply for Lecturing Positions: Once you have the qualifications and experience, apply for lecturer positions in universities, colleges, and adult education centres.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Should You Become a Lecturer?

Being a lecturer means passing on your knowledge and inspiring students. It is a prestigious job for those who are passionate about their field of study and wish to share their knowledge with future generations. In addition, it allows individuals to pursue satisfactory avenues of research and development. Furthermore, lecturers have the luxury of a flexible timetable and an optimal work-life balance.

Is Being a Lecturer a Good Career Choice for You?

If you like teaching and working with students and really care about research, then being a lecturer is probably a great choice for you. You need to talk well, multitask, and keep up-to-date with your research area.

Lecturer Salaries

In the UK, the salary of a lecturer is reliant on the type of institution – either further education (FE, which includes colleges of further education and adult education colleges) or higher education (HE, which includes universities and other higher education institutions). FE lecturers earn between £24,000 and £40,000, while a university lecturer earns between £35,000 and £50,000. Senior lecturers earn **£60,000 and above. Professors and top-level academics earn more than £70,000 to £100,000+, depending on experience, institution and research performance.

Which Qualifications Can Help with a Career as a Lecturer?

You will need a postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE) or a Diploma in Education and Training (DET) for further education. You will usually need a PhD in your subject, a strong research record, and publications for university. You can also take continuing professional development (CPD) courses to keep abreast of new academic teaching methods and trends.

Do I Need Experience to Get Started as a Lecturer?

Yes, teaching experience is essential before you get a lecturer’s post. Lecturers at universities tend to have acquired experience as a teaching assistant or through a post-doctoral research position. FE lecturers often acquire experience by working in an industry relevant to their subject matter, especially for courses that are primarily vocational. Experience in mentoring students, research, and curriculum development is valuable, too.

Lecturer Career Outlook

The requirement for lecturers in the UK is constant, especially in STEM, business and vocational subjects, and emerging fields such as technology, environmental science and health. The increasing trend of online education and blended learning has also raised a demand for lecturers with skills in digital teaching methods.

Lecturer Hierarchy and Progressing Within the Role

A lecturer can progress through the ranks and attain more senior positions, such as senior lecturer, principal lecturer or reader (a research-focused position). The ultimate academic position is professor, usually earned by those with a large body of research work, leadership in the subject field, and proven teaching credentials.

Lecturer Exit Options and Opportunities

Lecturers could also exit academia into administrative or leadership roles such as head of or director of studies. Others might find routes into education consultancy, corporate training, or industry jobs that benefit from academic expertise. Those who are gifted writers could potentially pursue careers in academic publishing or textbook writing.