Day in the life
A Day in the Life of a Cultural Studies Professor
What cultural studies professors actually do from the start of a shift to the end: the tasks, tools, schedule and realities of the job.
What is a typical day like for a cultural studies professor?
Teach a Latin American history seminar. From there, the day usually includes teach interdisciplinary courses, develop curricula, and mentor students. Teaching, research and service with flexible hours.
Hour by hour: a typical shift
No two days are identical, but this timeline reflects a realistic day for a cultural studies professor working full time.
- Teach a Latin American history seminar.
- Hold office hours.
- Plan a community speaker event.
- Write a book chapter.
- Teach a gender studies course.
- Advise a student thesis.
- Attend a campus event.
Where cultural studies professors work
Faculty work in classrooms, offices, archives and communities.
Hours and schedule
Teaching, research and service with flexible hours.
Tasks you’ll do most often
- Teach interdisciplinary courses
- Develop curricula
- Mentor students
- Conduct research
- Publish articles and books
- Engage communities
- Serve on committees
Tools you’ll use every day
- Archives and databases
- Learning management systems
- Qualitative analysis software
- Presentation tools
- Library resources
- Video platforms
The best and hardest parts of the job
What people like
- Meaningful subjects
- Interdisciplinary work
- Community engagement
- Research freedom
What’s hard
- Few positions
- Funding challenges
- Political pressures
- Long training
You’ll likely thrive if…
- I care about culture and identity
- I enjoy discussion
- I like research and writing
- I want community engagement
- I’m interdisciplinary
- I’m willing to earn a doctorate
Not sure? Take the free Cultural Studies Professor fit quiz or the Career Match Quiz.
Staying safe on the job
- Set respectful classroom norms
- Protect student privacy
- Follow research ethics
- Follow campus safety