A survey of the preparation and qualifications of marketing instructors in Illinois public junior colleges

Includes bibliographical references.The purpose of this study is to obtain information about the preparation and qualifications of marketing instructors in the public junior colleges of Illinois. The implementation of Guidelines for faculty development as stated by the Illinois Joint Council on Higher Education may be facilitated, as suggested by the findings. The first sub-problem dealt with the educational preparation of the public junior college marketing instructors. The second sub-problem reported the teaching experience and the third sub-problem reported the kinds of business experience of the marketing Instructors. The fourth sub-problem proposed desirable kinds of preparation and qualifications for effective junior college instructors. The data for this study was obtained through use of a questionnaire which was mailed to the forty-two Illinois public junior colleges in operation for the 1968-6? school year. Two questionnaires were sent to each public junior college Business Department chairman. He was requested to forward the questionnaires to two members of the staff who taught a marketing subject. The information from the returned questionnaires was tabulated and organized for either rhetorical or tabular presentation. Each of the twenty-seven reporting marketing instructors had earned the baccalaureate and master's degree. Almost all of the respondents had majored in a business related subject area at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Marketing was the most frequently mentioned major at both levels. None of the instructors sampled currently held the doctorate, but eight were presently working toward the doctorate and one toward the Certificate of Advanced Study. The educational preparation of the respondents included a variety of marketing courses, such as principles of marketing, marketing analysis, marketing research, advertising, retailing, salesmanship, and sales management. Two marketing instructors had no undergraduate courses in marketing. Marketing preparation at the graduate level was somewhat less in terms of the number and kinds of courses taken. Three respondents had no marketing preparation at the graduate level. Five marketing instructors reported they had no courses in professional education. Eighteen had no special professional preparation which specifically qualified them to teach at the junior college level. Twenty-three respondents had taught marketing courses at the junior college level iron one to three years. Opinions expressed by the marketing instructors indicate that previous teaching experience is not necessary in order to teach at the junior college level. The marketing instructors had more business experience in marketing areas than in non-marketing areas. Eighteen respondents felt that it was necessary to have marketing related business experience prior to teaching marketing at the junior college level. A strong background in business, particularly marketing, several courses in education, and some courses in the humanities were suggested as appropriate requirements for preparing prospective junior college marketing instructors. Sixteen respondents recommended that the master's degree should be the minimum requirement for teaching in Illinois public junior colleges. Fourteen instructors recommended accumulation of credit hours beyond the master's degree. Nineteen respondents were in favor of state certification for junior college instructors. A general implication suggested by this study for the implementation of Guidelines is a need to recommend minimum standards in marketing and professional education for prospective junior college instructors of marketing.M.S. (Master of Science