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Claire Major

Blurred image of the arch used as background for stylistic purposes.
PhD, 1998

Claire Howell Major is a Professor of Higher Education and Chair of the Department of Educational Leadership, Policy, and Technology Studies at the University of Alabama.

Early in her career, she taught more than forty sections of English, including developmental studies, freshman composition, and sophomore literature. During this time she worked at two-year institutions; including a two-year historically black college, a two-year technical institution, and a large urban community college; and four-year institutions, including a comprehensive university and a large research university. After completing her Ph.D., she worked as director of a center for teaching at a small private four-year religious institution.

Now at the University of Alabama, she teaches masters and doctoral level courses in the Higher Education Administration program. She also conducts research on pedagogical approaches and student engagement. She has authored and co-authored several books, including Learning Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Faculty (with Elizabeth Barkley), Online learning: A guide to theory, research, and practice, Teaching for Learning (with Michael Harris and Todd Zakrajsek), and Collaborative learning techniques: A handbook for college faculty (with Elizabeth Barkley and Pat Cross). 

News Featuring Claire Major

by Mary Harrison

Claire Major (McBee PhD), professor of higher education and faculty director of The University of Alabama Teaching Academy, is UA’s recipient of the 2024 Southeastern Conference Faculty Achievement Award.

by Jewel Caruso

Graduates of the Louise McBee Institute of Higher Education excel in many different areas of our field. Below are the alumnae that we are aware of who are currently teaching in higher education classrooms across the United States.

Karley Riffe, PhD 2018…

Betz Kerley

Claire Howell Major believes her position of professor in the Department of Higher Education at the University of Alabama is the “best job ever.” And who’s to say that she’s wrong?

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