Extra Credit

Mental health professionals share their knowledge and display their skill set in health care agencies, nonprofit organizations and even in Fortune 500 corporations. While these settings are excellent places to demonstrate your skills and make money, teaching college courses as an adjunct instructor can also prove to be lucrative.

To expand my money-making potential, I ventured into teaching and landed an adjunct position at George Mason University teaching second-year master's level social workers. My experience was great, which is why I encourage you to consider a teaching position at a community college or four-year university. If you are like me, you probably have a few questions, such as how do I get started as an adjunct professor, what is the application process and what are the professional and financial benefits? For answers, I interviewed Indira Harris, Ph.D., a licensed clinical social worker and chief of the behavioral health unit for the Immigration Health Services Corps within the Department of Homeland Security. Following are Harris' edited responses to my questions. How does one start as an adjunct professor? "It's best to start small and work your way to larger academic settings once you gain teaching experience," says Harris. "I started at a relatively small university in Ohio with an even smaller satellite mini-campus in South Florida, where I lived while teaching in their bachelor of social work program. They had a distance learning program, which was an excellent start for someone without teaching experience. "After this role, I transitioned to an HBCU, where I served as an adjunct professor in social work in their BSW program. I also taught introductory courses in their MSW program. After this experience, I was ready for prime time! I secured adjunct positions at three major universities across the country, and with larger academic institutions come bigger paydays." What is the process, from applying to getting hired? "For the larger universities, I applied online first. The online applications required my CV, a document describing my course teaching preferences and teaching style, three references, a cover letter and a one-page document detailing my teaching philosophy. "(Know that) it can take a few months and up to a year to be contacted by the hiring authorities for an interview. Many universities have different philosophies and preferences so be careful who you apply to and if you support the overall stance of the academic institution. For example, you wouldn't apply to a conservative Christian university if you're a practicing Buddhist or Hindu because they expect you to incorporate Christian thought and sensibilities into your teaching."What are the professional and financial benefits? "Professionally, you remain at the forefront of the direction the field is going in because you know the curriculum the students are using and some of the things they're doing in the field. You also stay current on issues the profession faces. One of the most impactful aspects of being an adjunct is you have a hand in training the future of your profession and helping instill the profession's values, and stoke (students') passion about the field. "Regarding your money-making potential, depending on the university or college, you can make on the bachelor's level $250 per student or a certain amount per credit hour. On the master's level, you can earn upwards of $2,800 to $6,500 per semester/per class depending on the length of the semester (i.e., eight to 14 weeks). "On the doctorate level, you can make as much as $7,000 to $8,000 per semester/per class, depending on the school. It is definitely a way to enhance your professional development, stay current in your profession, impact adult students lives and simultaneously make great money."Serving as an adjunct professor is a great option for mental health professionals who want to make extra money and educate students on how to move forward in their careers.

First published in Black Mental Health Today, Winter 2023 (Vol. 6).