What Is a Computer Science Professor and How to Become One

By ZipRecruiter Marketplace Research Team

A computer science professor teaches at a technical college or university. You create and teach courses in computer science (CS) or related programming or technology subjects. In this career, you prepare the syllabus for each class, deliver lectures and instructions, and use exams and quizzes to assess the performance of students. In many computer science classes, your responsibilities include allowing students to practice the subject matter in a computer lab. You facilitate this practice and offer guidance during lab sessions. In addition to your teaching duties, you sometimes give academic or career advice to students in CS degree programs.

A computer science professor teaches computer science (CS) classes at a college or university. As a CS professor, your job duties involve teaching students about computers, software, and related technology. Your lessons may also go into the information technology (IT) and programming fields. You develop lesson plans, lead lectures, assign homework and exams, and give your students a grade at the end of the class. This career requires an extensive background in computer science. While exact requirements may vary, most employers prefer professors to hold a doctorate. Additional qualifications for this career are relevant professional experience in the industry, a publication record in scholarly journals, and strong communication skills. A computer science professor must have extensive experience with programming, network administration, and security.