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Computer Science Lecturer

Education

Teach courses in computer science. May specialize in a field of computer science, such as the design and function of computers or operations and research analysis. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

Computer ScienceEducation

Picture the job

Where you'd usually workA lecture hall

  • Mostly indoors
  • Sitting for most of the day
  • Dealing with customers or the public
  • Regular working hours

An illustration of a typical workplace, not a photo. The work-style notes come from US O*NET data, so read them as a guide.

In Malaysia

In Malaysia computer science lecturers teach at public universities, private universities (e.g. APU, Taylor's, Sunway, UTAR, MMU) and polytechnics. Competition from industry is strong: tech employers pay experienced software staff far more than a starting DS11 lecturer, so universities increasingly hire PhD holders and industry practitioners on contract.

How people get into it here
SPM → Matrikulasi/Asasi/STPM/Diploma → Bachelor's in computer science, software engineering or IT (usually CGPA 3.00+ / second-class upper) → Master's → PhD. Public universities appoint Master's holders as DS11 lecturers but now strongly prefer PhD holders; many start as a tutor or 'pensyarah pelatih' sponsored for postgraduate study.
Demand
MASCO 2311 (University and higher education teaching professionals) is flagged as a critical occupation in eMASCO. eMASCO (KESUMA) – MASCO 2311 flagged 'Kritikal'

Sources:pengambilancns.uitm.edu.myappsmu.ukm.myapps.ump.edu.mydocs.jpa.gov.my

Pay in Malaysia

Government starting pay

RM3,320 – RM3,650

per month

Senior grade

RM6,210 – RM14,370

per month

Official basic pay for the government grade, before allowances. Private-sector pay can differ.

UiTM academic job advertisement (Pensyarah Universiti DS11/DS13, SSPA) · Dec 2025

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. 3

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. 4

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. Typical entry

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationMaster's degree

Quick answers

How do you become a Computer Science Lecturer in Malaysia?

SPM → Matrikulasi/Asasi/STPM/Diploma → Bachelor's in computer science, software engineering or IT (usually CGPA 3.00+ / second-class upper) → Master's → PhD. Public universities appoint Master's holders as DS11 lecturers but now strongly prefer PhD holders; many start as a tutor or 'pensyarah pelatih' sponsored for postgraduate study.

What should I study to become a Computer Science Lecturer?

Related fields of study: Computer Science and Education. SPM subjects that help most: Computer Science / ICT, Electrical & Electronic Eng. Studies, English and Additional Mathematics.

How much does a Computer Science Lecturer earn in Malaysia?

The official pay scale put starting pay at RM3,320 – RM3,650 a month, and RM6,210 – RM14,370 with experience (source: UiTM academic job advertisement (Pensyarah Universiti DS11/DS13, SSPA), Dec 2025).

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
  2. 2Compile, administer, and grade examinations or assign this work to others.
  3. 3Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as programming, data structures, and software design.
  4. 4Evaluate and grade students' class work, laboratory work, assignments, and papers.
  5. 5Direct research of other teachers or of graduate students working for advanced academic degrees.
  6. 6Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
  7. 7Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.
  8. 8Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
  9. 9Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, and course materials and methods of instruction.
  10. 10Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
  11. 11Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students.
  12. 12Supervise students' laboratory work.
  13. 13Advise students on academic and vocational curricula and on career issues.
  14. 14Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
  15. 15Develop and maintain Web sites for online courses.
  16. 16Participate in student recruitment, registration, and placement activities.
  17. 17Write grant proposals to procure external research funding.
  18. 18Perform administrative duties, such as serving as department head.
  19. 19Collaborate with colleagues to address teaching and research issues.
  20. 20Select and obtain materials and supplies, such as textbooks and laboratory equipment.
  21. 21Maintain computer equipment used in instruction.
  22. 22Serve on academic or administrative committees that deal with institutional policies, departmental matters, and academic issues.
  23. 23Compile bibliographies of specialized materials for outside reading assignments.
  24. 24Participate in campus and community events.
  25. 25Provide professional consulting services to government or industry.
  26. 26Act as advisers to student organizations.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • Lecturer
  • Professor
  • Instructor
  • IS Professor
  • IT Professor
  • C++ Professor
  • CIS Professor
  • IT Instructor
  • CIS Instructor
  • Faculty Member

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

Computer Science / ICTDraws directly on Computers and Electronics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Electrical & Electronic Eng. StudiesDraws directly on Computers and Electronics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
EnglishDraws directly on English Language — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Additional MathematicsDraws directly on Mathematics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
MathematicsDraws directly on Mathematics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Computers and Electronics96%

    Computer Science / ICTElectrical & Electronic Eng. Studies

  • Education and Training95%
  • English Language84%

    English

  • Customer and Personal Service81%
  • Mathematics78%

    Additional MathematicsMathematics

  • Engineering and Technology76%

    PhysicsAdditional MathematicsDesign & Technology (RBT)

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleConstant contact
  • Dealing with customers or the publicHigh
  • Leading or coordinating othersVery high
  • Handling conflict situationsRarely
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
  • Noisy environmentRarely

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points, not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

14%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023, already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

0.01%

Of Malaysian Claude conversations, about this kind of work

Measures how much people use Claude for this work, not how many Malaysians do this job, and more AI use can mean people relying on it, not that it's replacing them.

Growing role in the US

US Bureau of Labor Statistics data, not Malaysian. Shown because it's the only forward-looking demand estimate we have for this job.

What beginner adverts asked for

We read 82 internship and fresh-graduate adverts in related fields (August 2026). A small sample from one job site, not every vacancy.

56 of 82 were internships

Allowance or pay, when stated

RM800 – RM2,900

47 of 82 adverts printed an amount: usually between RM800 and RM2,900 a month. Many print none.

Minimum CGPA asked

2.00 to 3.50

Stated in 8 adverts. Others did not state one.

Languages named

Bahasa Malaysia, Mandarin

An empty line means the adverts did not say, not that employers have no requirement. Check each employer's own advert before you plan around it.

Related careers

If this interests you, these are worth a look too.

About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary

Source: UiTM academic job advertisement (Pensyarah Universiti DS11/DS13, SSPA) · as of Dec 2025

Check the salary figures yourself:UiTM academic job advertisement (Pensyarah Universiti DS11/DS13, SSPA)

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org