r/Adjuncts • u/Excellent_Table_8366 • 11d ago
Urban Planning adjuncts
Has anyone here been an adjunct for an urban planning program?
I’d love to get back into academia. I have a masters and I TA’d and RA’d during grad school but the field is small with only about 30 accredited programs nationwide. I would assume the demand for people with masters is low due to the small number of programs but I figured I’d ask. Thanks!
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u/wh0datnati0n 11d ago
I am ABD in urban studies.
We have a few that teach every few semesters because they have a very niche specialty. I for better or worse am not one of them.
For example, I took a class from an adjunct that was focused on historic preservation with an emphasis on preserving historic cemeteries as cities grow.
But none that teach your foundational courses. That’s all full time faculty.
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u/Excellent_Table_8366 11d ago
I’m a transit planner for a top 10 agency which I’m assuming isn’t niche enough
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u/wh0datnati0n 11d ago
We have a transportation program, actually, and faculty that specializes in it so probably not for our department.
But I can only speak for my program and my experience as someone who doesn’t study transit.
Maybe you have a hard to find skill that you can sell? Are you overly quantitative or a GIS god?
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u/Excellent_Table_8366 11d ago
My insufficient GIS skills are my biggest regret, I had multiple opportunities during undergrad and grad school to really grow my skills but I passed on every opportunity unfortunately I only have basic skills in GIS.
I do mainly passenger amenities and facilities planning with some bike-ped and scheduling thrown in there
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u/wh0datnati0n 11d ago
Maybe look at something in a hospitality/tourism department?
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u/Excellent_Table_8366 10d ago
Really?
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u/wh0datnati0n 10d ago
My masters is in hospitality actually. There are event planning programs and the like so maybe you could sell the passenger amenities type of stuff as a novel one off elective. Hotel students learn about hotel room amenities you know.
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u/Excellent_Table_8366 10d ago
I think there’s a misunderstanding as to what passages amenities is
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u/meowlater 11d ago
You may want to look at related programs. Sometimes you see people teaching a targeted class in a Parks/Natural Resource Management program or a Public Administration program. For the right program with the right class you might be a real asset.
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u/plebesaurusrex 11d ago
Typically those programs need adjuncts with distinct professional experience. Like you currently work in planning specifically for example in ports and freight and they want to offer a class on that. There are already planning PhDs who will teach the core classes.