The Academic Job Market in Technical Communication, 2002-2003

• Published in: Technical communication quarterly Vol. 13; no. 1; pp. 49 - 71
• Main Authors: Rude, Carolyn, Cook, Kelli Cargile
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc 01.01.2004; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Academic Education; Advertisements; Careers; College faculty; Colleges & universities; Communication; Communication (Thought Transfer); Content Area Writing; Creative writing; Doctoral Programs; Employment prospects; Graduate studies; Higher education; Institutional Research; Interviews; Labor market; Masters Programs; Occupations; Program Descriptions; Research Methodology; Response rates; Search Committees (Personnel); Search Strategies; Selection Criteria; Specialization; Students; Teaching; Teaching Methods; Technical communication; Technical Writing; Writing; Writing Across the Curriculum; Writing instruction; United States > US; Virginia; Utah
• ISSN: 1057-2252; 1542-7625
• DOI: 10.1207/S15427625TCQ1301_7

Analysis of the academic job market in 2002-2003 reveals that 118 nationally advertised academic jobs named technical or professional communication as a primary or secondary specialization. Of the 56 in the "primary" category that we were able to contact, we identified 42 jobs filled, 10 unfilled, and 4 pending. However, only 29% of the jobs for which technical or professional communication was the primary specialization were filled by people with degrees in the field, and an even lower percent (25%) of all jobs, whether advertised for a primary or secondary specialization, were filled by people with degrees in the field. Search chairs report a higher priority on teaching and research potential than on a particular research specialization, and 62% of all filled positions involve teaching in related areas (composition, literature, or other writing courses).