Are adjunct faculty called professors?

Yes, adjunct faculty are also called professors. Otherwise known as adjunct professors, this is a part-time faculty position. However, universities have nuances in the specific terminology allocated for part-time faculty.

How do I become an adjunct professor with no experience?

To become an adjunct professor with no experience, you will need to have the right educational background. Having a strong GPA and excellent teacher recommendations can improve your odds, along with any related work experience.

How long does it take to become an adjunct professor?

It takes 4 to 8 years to become an adjunct professor. It depends on the type of adjunct professor position. Most schools require a graduate degree in the field you wish to teach. However, there are some cases where just having a bachelor's degree is enough.

What is the difference between adjunct faculty and part-time faculty?

There is no difference between an adjunct faculty and a part-time faculty. An adjunct faculty is a part-time faculty member. An adjunct faculty teaches part-time at a university, usually no more than ten credits hours.

Why are adjuncts paid so little?

Adjuncts are paid so little to help universities and colleges save money. Higher education institutions are businesses looking to lower overhead costs and generate revenue. Ultimately colleges save a lot of money by hiring several part-time adjunct instructors rather than full-time tenure-track faculty positions.

How To Become An Adjunct Faculty: What It Is and Career Path

What is an adjunct faculty and how to become one

Updated June 25, 2024

6 min read

Quoted Experts

Rodney Foster,

Dr. Kathleen Keller Ph.D.

Adjunct faculty are professors or lecturers who teach students based on the limited-term of their contract. They often teach preparatory or introductory courses by semester arrangement for the entire academic year, primarily in higher education. They are responsible for planning and creating lectures, providing in-class discussions and assignments, and grading papers, exams, and quizzes. Adjunct faculty members may also be involved in developing curriculum, ensuring it meets college and departmental standards, and maintaining records of student progress. They must be detail-oriented, punctual, and possess excellent communication skills. A Master's degree in a related academic field is typically required.

What general advice would you give to an Adjunct Faculty?

Rodney Foster

Instructor - Aviation Maintenance Technology Instructor - Airframe & Powerplant Technology, Orange Coast College

Orange Coast College (OCC) teaches Aircraft Maintenance Technology (AMT) and Avionics. Although the Government has dampened air travel by putting up restrictions to prevent a Covid-19 spread, there is still a certified mechanic/skilled labor shortage. I believe all our students will have permanent jobs within a six-month search. OCC AMT is listed as an essential workforce by the state of California and is back in classes full-time, Face-to-face labs, and online lectures. Our next semester registration maximum filled in two days and still has over 35 additional students per class on the waiting list.

How long does it takes to become an adjunct faculty?

It typically takes 4-6 years to become an adjunct faculty:

Year 1-2: Obtain an associate's degree in a relevant field, such as education or a specific subject area.
Year 3-4: Gain work experience in teaching or a related field. This can include roles such as a teaching assistant or substitute teacher.
Year 5-6: Continue to accumulate work experience and potentially complete additional training. This can include on-the-job training or on-site training, which may take less than a month.

ScoreAdjunct FacultyUS Average

Salary

6.5

Avg. Salary $83,069

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

6.9

Growth Rate 2%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

5.2

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.28%

Asian 11.24%

Black or African American 7.23%

Hispanic or Latino 10.30%

Unknown 4.95%

White 66.00%

Gender

female 59.09%

male 40.91%

Age - 46

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 46

Stress Level

6.9

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

6.1

Complexity Level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

10.0

Work Life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

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Adjunct Faculty career paths

Adjunct faculty often move into roles like consultants, project managers, or managers. Some become assistant directors or directors of centers. They may also take on roles like supervisors, training managers, or directors of training. In education, they might become principals, directors, or education directors.

Key steps to become an adjunct faculty

Explore adjunct faculty education requirements

The educational requirements for an adjunct faculty typically include an Associate degree (49.16% although some positions may require a Bachelor's (20.21%) or even a Master's (7.58%) degree. According to Tillman W. Nechtman Ph.D., Professor and Chair of the Department of History at Skidmore College, "History Majors learn to take lots of data... and synthesize it. We give it two frames. First, we weave it into a narrative form, a story, if you will. Second, we give that narrative analytical meaning." This highlights the importance of not just acquiring knowledge, but also being able to analyze and communicate it effectively, which are crucial skills for an adjunct faculty.

Most common adjunct faculty degrees

Bachelor's

48.3 %

Master's

33.4 %

Doctorate

9.3 %

Start to develop specific adjunct faculty skills

An adjunct faculty's most important skills include professionalism, critical thinking, and written/oral communication. As Dr. Kathleen Keller Ph.D., Professor and Chair in History at Gustavus Adolphus College, puts it, "Our history majors develop all these skills. They work incredibly hard, engage in critical thinking in both specific and broad ways, and spend a lot of their time as students writing papers and giving presentations." Proficiency in technology is also vital, as it allows instructors to keep students engaged and actively learning.

Skills	Percentages
Student Learning	10.59%
Syllabus	7.90%
Philosophy	6.50%
Professional Development	5.76%
Course Syllabus	4.65%

Complete relevant adjunct faculty training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New adjunct faculties learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an adjunct faculty based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real adjunct faculty resumes.

Gain additional adjunct faculty certifications

Adjunct faculty certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific adjunct faculty certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for adjunct faculties include Certified Professional - Human Resource (IPMA-CP) and Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR).

More About Certifications

Research adjunct faculty duties and responsibilities

An adjunct faculty's responsibilities include developing and teaching courses, creating engaging curricula, and assessing student progress. They must also ensure their instructional methods and course materials stay up-to-date and relevant. As David McMahan Ph.D., Charles A. Dana Professor of Religious Studies at Franklin and Marshall College, puts it, "Keep open to possibilities beyond the narrow range of what your diploma lists as your major or minor. Whatever job you get trained for today, in 10-20 years, it may be very different. Or it may not exist. Focus on obtaining and maintaining flexibility, critical thinking, creativity, and passion for learning."

Lead early childhood program initiatives.
Provide detail academic instruction for college students in anatomy & physiology, and medical terminology.
Prepare lectures, in-class exercises, and collect entirely new course materials to create a personalize syllabus
Inform students about course requirements, evaluation procedures, attendance and participation requirements in a course syllabus.

Prepare your adjunct faculty resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your adjunct faculty resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an adjunct faculty resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

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