Colloquium: Thinking beyond tenure

Discussing and workshopping alternative careers inside and outside of academia

Thursday, March 14, 2024 7:30 PM EDT
Horizon Hall, 4225

Presenter: Dr. Karen Foltz, Term Assistant Professor of English, GMU

Finding a tenure line position in higher ed within any field can be rather difficult and a daunting task especially with the number of these lines seeming to decrease each year.

According to AAUP, the number of tenure line positions held in the US in the fall of 2023 was about 25% compared to fall 1987 which was around 40%. The statistic is not meant to scare students about trying to find a job after they finish their PhD, but to help them think about what might the other possibilities be beyond a tenure line position.

For this colloquium talk, I want graduate students to think about what other jobs/careers are possible and what marketable skills they are developing while working on their PhD. I plan discuss my own experience of completing a PhD and looking for a job and help students to workshop and consider their own job prospects.