What is a Foreign Language and Literature Professor?
Foreign Language & Literature Professor Job Description Teach languages and literature courses in languages other than English. Includes teachers of American Sign Language (ASL). Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Foreign Language & Literature Professor Responsibilities
- Serve on academic or administrative committees that deal with institutional policies, departmental matters, and academic issues.
- Collaborate with colleagues to address teaching and research issues.
- Advise students on academic and vocational curricula and on career issues.
- Evaluate and grade students’ class work, assignments, and papers.
- Participate in student recruitment, registration, and placement activities.
- Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students.
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Things a Foreign Language & Literature Professor Should Know How to Do
When polled, Foreign Language and Literature Professors say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Learning Strategies: Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Instructing: Teaching others how to do something.
Other Foreign Language & Literature Professor Job Titles
- French Teacher
- Russian Teacher
- College or University Faculty Member
- Bilingual Teacher
- Arabic Teacher
Job Demand for Foreign Language and Literature Professors
In the United States, there were 35,000 jobs for Foreign Language and Literature Professor in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 11.7% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 4,100 new jobs for Foreign Language and Literature Professor by 2026. The BLS estimates 3,200 yearly job openings in this field.

The states with the most job growth for Foreign Language & Literature Professor are Utah, Colorado, and Oregon. Watch out if you plan on working in Wyoming, Vermont, or Nebraska. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Foreign Language & Literature Professor Salary
The average yearly salary of a Foreign Language & Literature Professor ranges between $38,910 and $137,860.

Foreign Language and Literature Professors who work in California, Rhode Island, or New Jersey, make the highest salaries.
How much do Foreign Language and Literature Professors make in each U.S. state?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $58,720 |
Arizona | $69,820 |
Arkansas | $66,410 |
California | $114,690 |
Colorado | $65,040 |
Connecticut | $73,360 |
District of Columbia | $72,050 |
Florida | $86,580 |
Georgia | $61,650 |
Illinois | $70,480 |
Indiana | $72,500 |
Iowa | $76,110 |
Kansas | $72,070 |
Kentucky | $67,020 |
Louisiana | $62,190 |
Maine | $70,040 |
Maryland | $78,960 |
Massachusetts | $84,890 |
Michigan | $75,020 |
Minnesota | $70,130 |
Mississippi | $59,690 |
Missouri | $80,020 |
Montana | $54,310 |
Nebraska | $64,840 |
Nevada | $57,030 |
New Jersey | $92,110 |
New Mexico | $26,760 |
New York | $87,670 |
North Carolina | $65,540 |
North Dakota | $60,860 |
Ohio | $70,140 |
Oklahoma | $54,560 |
Oregon | $72,020 |
Pennsylvania | $78,240 |
Rhode Island | $85,670 |
South Carolina | $68,850 |
South Dakota | $65,280 |
Tennessee | $67,560 |
Texas | $71,920 |
Utah | $85,810 |
Virginia | $68,850 |
Washington | $67,950 |
West Virginia | $41,930 |
Wisconsin | $73,400 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Foreign Language and Literature Professors
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Foreign Language and Literature Professors may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Web browser software
- Data entry software
- Email software
- Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
- Google Docs
- Adobe Systems Adobe Illustrator
- Blackboard
- Calendar and scheduling software
- Learning management system LMS
- Blackboard Learn
- Collaborative editing software
- Sakai CLE
- iParadigms Turnitin
- Course management system software
- Desire2Learn
Becoming a Foreign Language & Literature Professor
Education needed to be a Foreign Language and Literature Professor:

How many years of work experience do I need?

Where Foreign Language and Literature Professors Work

Below are examples of industries where Foreign Language and Literature Professors work:

Related Careers
Those thinking about becoming a Foreign Language and Literature Professor might also be interested in the following careers:
Career changers with experience as a Foreign Language and Literature Professor sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
References:
Image Credit: Susana Freixeiro via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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