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Do you have a passion for helping students in higher ed organizations?
As an academic dean, you're a leader who makes important decisions in regard to student success within higher education organizations. Learning more about the career can help you determine if it's the right path for you.
What does an academic dean do?
Academic deans (ADs) are often responsible for:
Understanding learning needs by doing, observing, and researching to help with the needs of students.
Pitching the right learning solutions, making changes for the best way to meet learning needs.
Managing stakeholders. ADs will often coordinate with different departments when creating different policies to help students.
Photo by Antenna on UnsplashHow do I become an academic dean?
There's a relatively set path for becoming an academic dean:
Earn a bachelor's degree and master's degree in education-related studies (ie. higher education, educational leadership).
Get involved with your school community.
Create your resume (focus on any experience in leadership skills).
Gain experience working in administrative positions under an academic dean as an academic advisor or professor (working for an academic dean will help you understand the job).
Apply for opportunities at colleges.
Quiz
What are some ways you can gain experience during college that would help you become an academic dean? Select all that apply:
Finding experiences in teaching and understanding the policies within your college can help you gain leadership and guidance skills you can use as an academic dean. You won't be able to work on those skills at the college bookstore.
Did you know?
Rumie is a nonprofit community dedicated to making innovative learning free for everyone.
What's the salary?
Photo by Jon Sailer on UnsplashThe average salary for an academic dean in the US is $169,665 per year based on full-time employment. Some academic deans can be part-time as well.
Photo by Praveen Kumar Nandagiri on UnsplashIn Canada, the average salary for an academic dean is $124,042 CAD. Canadian Academic deans are also full-time for the most part.
What are the pros & cons?
Understanding the pros and cons of a job will help you make sure this job is the right fit for you. When looking at these pros and cons, reflect on what you are looking for regarding a position and how it would fit within your lifestyle and personality.
Pros
Rewarding to help students, staff and the school
Recognition as an expert in higher education
Being able to make changes that will better the school
Cons
Constant change with school policies (often set by governments) that need to be followed
Job responsibilities can change to meet the needs of the students or staff
Pressure to lead different staff departments and guide students
No set schedule
Take Action
Photo by Pang Yuhao on UnsplashDoes it sound like being an academic dean could be a good path for you?
If it does...
This Byte has been authored by
Ellie Froschmayer
Educator
MET