Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary

What the job really is

Teach courses in drama, music, and the arts including fine and applied art, such as painting and sculpture, or design and crafts. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

At a glance

• Sector: Education & Library
• O*NET-SOC code: 25-1121
• O*NET job zone: 5 — extensive preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Explain and demonstrate artistic techniques.
• Evaluate and grade students' class work, performances, projects, assignments, and papers.
• Prepare students for performances, exams, or assessments.
• Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
• Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as acting techniques, fundamentals of music, and art history.
• Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
• Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
• Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
• Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
• Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
• Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students.
• Select and obtain materials and supplies, such as textbooks and performance pieces.

Tools and technology

Adobe Acrobat, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Creative Cloud software, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Cascading style sheets CSS, Google Docs, Hypertext markup language HTML, JavaScript, Learning management system LMS, Linux

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Self-Enrichment Teachers
• English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary
• Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary
• Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary
• Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary
• Communications Teachers, Postsecondary
• Instructional Coordinators
• Music Directors and Composers

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 5 (extensive preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

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Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.