On Track for Tenure
In this course you'll go from “I have no idea what I’m doing” to “I’ve got this!” by learning how to create an actionable pre-tenure roadmap that gives you the clarity and direction you need to feel confident in your ability to earn promotion and tenure
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Raise your hand if you have ever thought...
Holy Toledo! I landed a tenure-track job!
Now what?
I'm feeling so overwhelmed. Grad school didn't prepare me for any of this!
There is so much that I want to accomplish in the next few years, but I have no clue what's the best use of my time!
I really want to get tenure, but I also want a life outside of my job. Is it possible to have both?
I am working all of the time but I'm not making significant progress. What am I doing wrong?
Wondering if this course is right for you?
the insider scoop on how to succeed as an assistant professor so you can stop second guessing yourself and feel a greater sense of control over your academic career
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Effective project planning and time management techniques that give you the freedom to spend your evenings, weekends & holidays doing something other than working
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a strong scholarly identity so you can ditch the self doubt and feel empowered to make decisions about which projects & professional opportunities to pursue
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a Practical framework for identifying what is getting in your way and what resources or support you need to be successful on the tenure track
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a concrete and actionable plan for achieving your professional goals that gives you confidence in your ability to earn promotion & tenure
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clarity about your tenure requirements and what you need to do to achieve them
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By the end of this course you will have:
Anna Blakney
University of British Columbia
The course offers a straightforward, tangible process to put your best foot forward for tenure by emphasizing 'working smarter' instead of 'working harder'. It breaks down overwhelming tasks, such as coming up with a strategic plan, into reasonable, approachable steps.
"This is a great tool to take the mystery out of tenure, and set yourself up with a reliable framework to achieve your academic goals and limit distractions.
Margaret Bryer
University of Wisconsin Madison
This course threads the needle on being general enough to be useful to academics across disciplines with different departmental tenure requirements, while also facing specific pre-tenure challenges head-on and empowering you to develop and propose a specific plan early.
"Thanks to this course I have a framework in which to develop my own strategic plan for pre-tenure.
noelle held
university of southern California
This course will help you to develop a plan that can direct your energy and decision-making to make the most of your time and avoid trying to "do it all." Having such a plan is invaluable and this course provides you with an efficient and thorough way to get there.
"The course was efficient and motivating, and I like that I left with a definitive action plan including for re-evaluating my goals in the years to come.
kind words
real results from pre-tenure faculty
In this module, you'll learn what a pre-tenure strategic plan is, and why creating one is so important for assistant professors on the tenure track. You'll learn the 6 key components of a pre-tenure strategic plan so that you can define your professional direction, and clearly identify what you need to accomplish to get from your current state (where you are now) to your desired state (being a tenured, Associate Professor).
Strategic Planning 101
module three
module two
module one
I'll guide you through each step of creating your pre-tenure strategic plan, starting with identifying a vision for your academic career, and the values that guide you as a scholar. You'll learn how to clearly identify your tenure requirements, and how to create long- and short-term goals that bring your tenure requirements into alignment with your vision and values. By the end of this module, you'll have a concrete and actionable plan for how you will achieve tenure and promotion, and realize your professional vision.
How to create your pre-tenure strategic plan
module three
module two
module one
module three
module two
module one
Creating your pre-tenure strategic plan is one thing, and using it to achieve your professional goals is another. In this module, I'll show you how to get feedback on your strategic plan so you can be confident that you've created long-term goals that are accurately aligned with your tenure requirements. Once you're confident that your pre-tenure strategic plan sets you up for success, you'll learn how to create action plans that empower you to accomplish your short-term goals. By the end of module 3, you'll know what you need to do to earn tenure, and exactly how you'll do it.
How to implement your pre-tenure strategic plan
Inside On Track for Tenure you get:
10+ bite-sized lessons designed to help you identify and achieve your professional goals
A complete, step-by-step framework for creating your pre-tenure strategic plan
Project planning and time management strategies to keep you accountable
More than a dozen downloadable resources and templates to help you make a little bit of progress every day
It's never too early to start working on your pre-tenure strategic plan. Even if you won't start your tenure-track job for another 6 to 12 months, if you can arrange to meet with your future chair or dean, and faculty colleagues before your start date, you have everything you need to complete On Track for Tenure. Plus, you'll have lifetime access to the program, so you can always review and revise your plan in the future.
I don't start my tenure-track faculty position until next year. Will this course work for me?
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This course is designed to fit into even the busiest schedule with bite-sized videos and short activities you can do quickly and easily between classes or meetings. You can complete the lessons at your own pace in as little as two hours per week for six weeks.
Is this course going to take a lot of time to complete? I already have a lot on my plate.
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Look, you're a smart cookie. You probably could figure this stuff out on your own. (I did!) But figuring it out on your own takes time, and that's one thing tenure-track faculty don't have a lot of. I created this course to give you the information you need plus an easy-to-follow process so you can focus on research and teaching. Plus, there is no shame in asking for help.
Is the course worth the investment? Can't I just figure this stuff out on my own?
1
I bet you're wondering...
your questions answered
Many pre-tenure assistant professors have access to institutional funding which can be used for activities that enhance their effectiveness as teachers and scholars. Ask your chair or dean if the university can fund the cost of this program.
I hold a tenure-track position at a teaching institution. Will this course work for me?
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It depends. This course is ideal for faculty whose institutional tenure requirements place an emphasis on research productivity in the form of scholarly books, peer-reviewed articles, funded research, or artistic work. Many teaching institutions still consider research in tenure and promotion decisions.
I'm not sure I can afford the course right now. Can I get my institution to cover it?
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No. This course provides general information about how to create a pre-tenure strategic plan that is suitable for faculty in any discipline. However, the course will teach you how to discover information about tenure requirements and expectations that are specific to your discipline and institution.
Will this course give me discipline-specific information about earning tenure?
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Know exactly what you need to do to achieve promotion and tenure so you don't spend countless worrying about whether you're doing enough
Imagine if you could...
Have a personalized, step-by-step plan for accomplishing your goals so you can earn tenure without sacrificing friends, family, or whatever else enriches your life outside of work
Feel empowered and motivated to to pursue your professional goals on your own terms rather than overwhelmed and unsure about how to successfully navigate the tenure track
One of the biggest mistakes that I made as a pre-tenure assistant professor is that I tried to do everything instead of just doing the right things.
I could have saved myself hours of work and even more stress if I had taken the time to set clear goals for what I wanted to accomplish and made intentional decisions about the best ways to spend my time on the tenure track.
By setting clear goals, and directing your energy toward the most meaningful and high-impact activities, you can accomplish more faster and with less stress.
In a short amount of time, this course helped me to develop a solid roadmap for tenure. With stepwise goals in hand, I feel secure & re-motivated.
I find it easier to talk with my colleagues about the tenure process and have a plan in place that will help me to make strategic decisions along the way.
I didn't think it would be possible for a course about securing tenure to be enjoyable, but it was!
Noelle Held
Assistant Professor
University of Southern California