A graphic design lecturer’s responsibilities vary greatly depending on the type of work they do, such as teaching or working at a speaking engagement. A “lecturer” is often used to describe someone who is employed by a college or university to teach, but who is not on the tenure track. In this role, a graphic design lecturer typically prepares and teaches lessons on a wide range of graphic design topics to students. There are also lecturers who do not teach in a classroom and instead present information at conferences or workshops, which are similar but often targeted at a different audience.
Many of the responsibilities of a graphic design lecturer at a college are similar to those of a professor. However, depending on the school where he or she teaches, such a lecturer is unlikely to be considered for tenure. This means that a graphic design lecturer is likely to stay at a school and teach, but he or she will not usually gain tenure unless they advance to a professorship.
A graphic design lecturer’s responsibilities often revolve around the classes he or she teaches, as well as the preparation for teaching lessons in those classes. Depending on the school, a lecturer may create his or her own curriculum or use the school’s overall plan for the course. Individual unit and lesson plans are frequently created by the lecturer, who then instructs the class using various methods. A graphic design lecturer typically creates and administers tests as well as assigns various assignments for students to demonstrate their understanding and mastery of various design principles.
Other types of graphic design lecturers include those who give talks at conferences or workshops on a variety of topics related to graphic design. Depending on the nature of his work, a lecturer in this type of setting will usually create a presentation or lesson to provide new information to those in attendance. A lecturer at a conference, for example, might discuss recent advancements in graphic design software or assist new designers in learning different ways to break into the industry.
A graphic design lecturer at a workshop, on the other hand, is more likely to present a lesson and work like a teacher. Attendees are usually aware of the workshop’s topic ahead of time and choose to attend based on their needs. The lecturer provides information to those attending the workshop, providing individual instruction as needed and providing handouts and other materials to assist them in further developing their skills.