How Do I Become a Mathematics Lecturer?

The requirements to become a mathematics lecturer can vary according to where you intend to teach. A lecturer generally works in a college or university setting, but depending on where you intend to teach, as a lecturer you may be considered a full-time educator at the beginning of his or her professorial career. In other regions, a lecturer is a person who is not eligible for tenure and is not responsible for doing research at the university. If you want to become a mathematics lecturer, the first step is finding out which role is applicable to your area.

Regardless of the kind of lecturer you want to become, you will need to complete a high school education and enroll in a college degree program in mathematics or a related field. Once you finish your bachelor's degree studies, it is likely that you will need to move on to your master's degree studies if you want to become a mathematics lecturer, though there are other ways to avoid additional education. Most lecturers, however, do earn master's degrees, and many even move on to earn a PhD in the field.

If you do not earn a master's degree, you can still become a mathematics lecturer by gaining prolific experience in the field or by making important and noted contributions to the field of mathematics. Colleges and universities will sometimes hire lecturers who are simply experts in the field rather than people who hold the relevant degrees, though this is a more difficult path to becoming a mathematics lecturer. The more commonly traveled path includes earning the appropriate college degrees that will qualify you for most positions. Taking teaching classes is also a good way to boost your resume and make you a more attractive job candidate.

Some colleges and universities will require you to earn specific teaching credentials. You will need to do some research to find out what the appropriate credentials are, if any exist. At the very least, you may need to take part in a lecturer orientation program or a teacher training program offered by the school at which you intend to work. Again, the requirements can vary by location as well as by school, so be sure to inquire about such requirements. You may also need to spend some time working in the mathematics field in some capacity before you can be considered for a lecturer position. Schools generally want to hire experienced and knowledgeable staff, so boosting your resume as much as possible will increase your chances of getting hired.