Academic Careers
If you are considering an academic career, you are probably
thinking of working in the Higher Education sector, either in the
UK or overseas. Academic careers include a large range of different
roles and activities, depending on where you are employed and the
nature of your contract. It is worth noting that a position with
the same job title (e.g. Lecturer or Research Associate) can
involved quite different responsibilities from one University to
the next.
Academic careers typically involve a combination of teaching and
research activity, along with administrative duties to support
these. Academics can have a greater focus on one of these areas,
depending on the nature of the position and the University. In some
cases, there are positions which are solely teaching or research
based.
Often included within the scope of 'research' activity includes
making applications for funding, attending conferences and building
collaborations with external partners - either other Universities
or relevant non-academic organisations. Increasingly, knowledge
transfer, enterprise and 'impact' work is also becoming a feature
of academic roles.
We strongly encourage you to discuss the nature of academic
careers with your supervisor, and/or a member of the Careers &
Employability team. Life as an academic does vary depending on your
subject/discipline, and whether you are keen to have more of a
focus on research or on teaching.
The following websites aer very useful in providing more
information and support about academic careers:
An
Academic Career - a site full of information about progressing
an academic career. Although it is hosted by the University of
Manchester, this is recognised across the UK as being a useful
central resource for PhD students - much of the information on
there is very relevant for YSJ students.
Vitae - a UK organisation
established to champion the personal, professional and career
development of doctoral students. This includes guides to
applying for academic jobs and creating
an academic CV.