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Company Description
Columbia University has been a leader in higher education in the nation and around the world for more than 250 years. At the core of our wide range of academic inquiry is the commitment to attract and engage the best minds in pursuit of greater human understanding, pioneering new discoveries, and service to society.
The School of Professional Studies at Columbia University offers innovative and rigorous programs that integrate knowledge across disciplinary boundaries, combine theory with practice, leverage the expertise of our students and faculty, and connect global constituencies. Through twenty professional master's degrees, courses for advancement and graduate school preparation, certificate programs, summer courses, high school programs, and a program for learning English as a second language, the School of Professional Studies transforms knowledge and understanding in service of the greater good.
Job Description
Columbia University School of Professional Studies (SPS) seeks candidates for the role of Adjunct Lecturer to develop and teach Raising Capital, a graduate-level course in the M.S. in Technology Management program.
The course development process is online (remote) and requires 2 semesters, beginning at the start of the Fall 2026 semester and concluding at the end of the Spring 2027 semester. The course will first potentially be taught in either the Summer 2027 semester or the Fall 2027 semester. The course will be developed for both Online (remote) and On-Campus instruction.
The Raising Capital course equips graduate students with a practical understanding of fundraising for early-stage startups and scale-ups, including strategies for partnering with venture capitalists and other key investors. The course will begin with a survey of the state of the current fund-raising market and the types of capital available in the market along with their relevant terms. The course will then dive deeper into the various aspects of the fund-raising process including 1) fund-raising strategy development, 2) engagement tactics with the fund-raising community, and 3) understanding term sheets and financing agreements. Students will also develop their pitch materials as they progress through the course and be expected to present or submit their pitch materials along the way.
Course Development Responsibilities
- Develop course objectives that align with program-wide learning outcomes
- Create activity maps tying course activities to objectives, ensuring industry relevance
- Draft a detailed syllabus (course description, schedule, grading rubric, and assessments) for review and approval by the Program Curriculum Committee and the Committee on Instruction (COI)
- Collaborate with Instructional Design to develop course materials through a consultative process. This includes partnering on course development (aligning objectives, materials, and assessments), creating dynamic instructional media (videos, infographics, and interactive resources), maintaining established courses with updates and troubleshooting, and receiving just-in-time assistance for targeted needs
Instruction Responsibilities
- Lead class lectures, instructional activities, and classroom discussions
- Evaluate student work and assignments
- Monitor student concerns and inquiries and serve as the first point of contact for student questions
- Hold weekly office hours
- Prepare, maintain, and enhance the course in Canvas, Columbia University’s learning management system
- Adjunct Lecturers who are new to SPS must complete Canvas training
- Attend program faculty meetings
Serving as an Adjunct Lecturer provides an outstanding opportunity to educate and mentor students as well as to form a rewarding professional relationship with Columbia University’s world-class faculty.
Qualifications
Columbia University SPS operates under a scholar-practitioner faculty model, which enables students to learn from faculty who have outstanding academic training as well as a record of accomplishment as practitioners in an applied industry setting.
Requirements
- Extensive experience in raising capital for start-ups and/or working in a senior position in a venture capital firm.
- Graduate degree in IT (e.g., computer science, software engineering, AI), business management, finance, or other related disciplines
- At least 15 years of industry experience with a focus on driving digital transformation and innovation processes in large corporations
- Strong academic foundation in a relevant discipline
- Demonstrated proficiency in subject matter relevant to the course
- Professional experience and demonstrated success in an applied industry setting
Preferred Skills & Experience
- 10+ years of relevant professional experience
- 2+ years of teaching experience, ideally at the graduate level
Additional Information
Compensation Range
- $5,000 - $6,000 for Course Development (split across 2 semesters)
- $13,000 - $16,000 for Instruction
Note: Columbia University’s Policy on Remote Work states that anyone teaching online classes must reside in one of the following states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.
Review of applications begins immediately and will continue until positions are filled. All applicants must provide:
- A CV inclusive of university teaching experience
- A cover letter describing your interest in this course and relevant teaching experience
Columbia University is an Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran
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