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Adjunct professor skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

5 min read

Quoted experts

Lee Braver,

Lee Braver

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical adjunct professor skills. We ranked the top skills for adjunct professors based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 11.4% of adjunct professor resumes contained course curriculum as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills an adjunct professor needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 adjunct professor skills for your resume and career

1. Course Curriculum

Here's how adjunct professors use course curriculum:

Developed course curriculum for COM001 Survey of Mass Communication.-Lectured college students weekly.-Assigned and graded work to develop students' communication skills.
Delivered informative lectures, oversaw hands-on laboratory practicums, and created in-depth course curriculum and lecture materials for all classes.

2. Syllabus

Here's how adjunct professors use syllabus:

Provide instructions to seminary students in Contextual Ministry including development of syllabus, inclusive of reading materials and placement sites.
Course syllabus development * Course instruction * Student examinations * Student clinical internship supervision and evaluation

3. Semester

A semester is a calendar that divides an academic year into sections of fifteen to eighteen weeks. The time system adopted by schools and countries differ. While the half system divides the academic year into two sessions, the quarter system divides the academic year into four sessions.

Here's how adjunct professors use semester:

Develop classes for Hospitality Management Program Instruct students in Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management Teach semester long classes on wine education
Devised semester curriculum and direction of each course given which reflected the general description of applicable academic course.

4. Blackboard

Blackboard Learn is a web-based learning management system or virtual learning environment that provides information management for courses and learning materials. It is a scalable software with a customizable open architecture and strong security authentication protocols. Blackboard Learn is used by various Universities around the world to provide course management for their students.

Here's how adjunct professors use blackboard:

Facilitate weekly online and campus based college-level courses covering all facets of Accountancy utilizing the Web based Blackboard Learning Management System.
Employed teaching and learning through the usage of blackboard, and fostered/encouraged consistent motivation and utilization of advanced technology.

5. Student Learning

Here's how adjunct professors use student learning:

Conduct undergraduate lectures to facilitate student learning, challenge students, encourage participation and attendance, and communicate ideas effectively.
Introduced and incorporated existing and emerging technologies into the curriculum and classroom environment to actively promote and advance student learning.

6. Course Materials

Here's how adjunct professors use course materials:

Foster effective delivery and reception of course materials through regular student interaction and periodic assessment of student response and academic performance.
Implemented multimedia technology in the presentation and application of course material including the Internet, digital cameras and scanners.

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7. Philosophy

Philosophy is the study of our current reality and existence and the questions and knowledge surrounding it.

Here's how adjunct professors use philosophy:

Developed and taught introductory and advanced undergraduate courses in Philosophy and Logic.
Teach basic to advanced levels of Philosophy to undergraduate college students

8. Undergraduate Courses

Undergraduate courses usually refer to the first studies undertaken at university.

Here's how adjunct professors use undergraduate courses:

Prepared and delivered lectures for undergraduate course for Information Systems Management and Criminal Justice in Information Systems.
Develop and teach graduate and upper division undergraduate courses in cultural and political ecology and cultural geography.

9. Mathematics

Here's how adjunct professors use mathematics:

Course instructor for Mathematics and Business Administration departments, primarily teaching Probability and Statistics, but also Corporate Finance courses as needed
Collaborate with the Director of Mathematics & Technical Communication and other instructors to develop rubrics and set evaluation standards.

10. Ethics

Ethics is a branch of knowledge that involves recommending, defending, and systemizing aspects of right and wrong behavior.

Here's how adjunct professors use ethics:

Maintain academic integrity by upholding the ethics and principle guidelines mandated by the university.
Instructed adult students in Biblical Ethics studies in preparation for Ministerial Certificate Program.

11. Literature

Here's how adjunct professors use literature:

Facilitated instruction for developing the thesis topic statement, qualitative and quantitative research design, and conducting a review of literature.
Researched and analyzed site design principles based on literature and lectures provided by recognized academia and industry leaders.

12. Professional Development

Professional development means to have the essential training certification or education with the purpose of earning and having a successful career. Every job requires a different set of skills. However, new skills may be needed in the future. Professional development, in this regard, helps people to develop and polish the skills and become efficient workers.

Here's how adjunct professors use professional development:

Teach and facilitate discussions on professional development including civic engagement, communication oral advocacy, moral reasoning, and critical thinking.
Provide quality education and learning experiences to executive and graduate level students encouraging growth and professional development through innovative instruction.

13. Course Syllabus

Here's how adjunct professors use course syllabus:

Developed course syllabus, curriculum, lecture material and multimedia presentations for an introductory hospitality class offered at a local University.
Designed and facilitated course syllabus and lesson plans, while regularly evaluating students' progress and maintaining accurate attendance records.

14. Course Objectives

A course objective allows students to know all that a course is about, why it is taught, where it is going, and what is required of them to be successful in the course. It forms the basis of the class and establishes a behavior, skill, or action that a student can demonstrate if they have achieved mastery of the objective. The objectives must be observable, measurable, valid, and also aligned with the expectations of the course.

Here's how adjunct professors use course objectives:

Coordinated with students about assignments, exercises and lectures, effectively communicating course objectives and supporting students' academic success.
Develop comprehensive assessments for course objectives, including exams, quizzes and laboratory experiments to satisfy ABET accreditation requirements.

15. Anatomy

Anatomy is the comprehensive study of the internal structure and functions of a thing (living or nonliving). In the body, it's referred to as human anatomy which is the study of the body's internal structure and how they function with one another. There's also plant anatomy and animal anatomy for studying the structures of both.

Here's how adjunct professors use anatomy:

Teach General Biology I lecture/laboratory, Anatomy and Physiology II lecture/ laboratory, and Human Biology lecture/laboratory.
Lecture in Human Anatomy, histology, pathology and laboratory dissection of animal and cadaver pro-section.

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What skills help Adjunct Professors find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on adjunct professor resumes?

Lee Braver

Professor, University of South Florida

Colleges and universities fall into different categories which value different skills and accomplishments. The most obvious division is between schools that emphasize research and those that pride themselves on their teaching. Research institutions are looking for scholars who can publish a lot in exclusive journals and presses, thereby enhancing their reputation. They are looking for evidence of research skills: publications, awards, letters of recommendation that praise the candidate's writing and thinking. Teaching schools, on the other hand, are looking for excellent teachers. In the buyer's market we now have, they can require high research ability as well, but some will actually be scared off by too much research. They will worry that the candidate will focus on their research instead of their teaching and that they will seek to leave as soon as they can. These schools are typically looking for teaching experience, high student evaluations, and letters that single out these qualities for praise, whereas research schools typically don't care a lot about these sorts of things. Thus, the qualities one type of institution values, the other can be apathetic towards or even avoid. Teaching schools far outnumber research schools, so there are far more jobs in the former than in the latter.

What soft skills should all adjunct professors possess?

Lee Braver

Professor, University of South Florida

Soft skills are most important to working once one has gotten a job rather than important to getting a job since those are quite difficult to discern from applications and brief interviews. That is one of the reasons schools can be wary of hiring with tenure; a person could look great on paper but be a nightmare to work with, and you're stuck with them.

I believe that tenacity, organizational skills and time management, and the ability to work long hours are crucial to getting tenure and succeeding in academia more broadly, in some ways more important than raw intelligence (if such a notion is coherent). Failure and rejection are endemic to the job; anyone who gets discouraged easily will do so. One must persevere in the face of sometimes harsh criticism and hostile conditions (especially now that much of the country has turned against higher education and the humanities in particular), and one must be able to juggle multiple responsibilities that make considerable time demands. In this, the tenure track resembles other early-career positions, such as medical residency or working towards partnership in a law firm. The untenured often must do the scut work that no one else wants to do, made more difficult by the fact that they are frantically trying to learn on the job with little to no guidance. It is not at all unusual for early-career professors to teach 4 classes per semester, at least some of which are new and/or large, do all the grading for them, serve on multiple committees, and write for elusive publications, all at once.

What hard/technical skills are most important for adjunct professors?

Lee Braver

Professor, University of South Florida

Well, a Ph.D. is necessary, although one can sometimes be hired within striking distance of it. The ability to teach so as to bring students to the major and get high student evaluations are often requirements at teaching schools while writing well enough to publish, often in journals with single-digit acceptance rates, is crucial to research schools. Comfort with technology is becoming more and more important.

What adjunct professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Dr. Margaretha Rudstrom

Lecturer, University of Minnesota Crookston

I am taking this from the perspective of an agribusiness major.

If a student isn't able to land a position within their field of study, I would suggest they work on their people skills and stay up to date with what is happening in the markets, ag policy, and agriculture. Staying up to date means following the popular press in the areas you have a career interest in. That could mean following the news from places like Drovers, local and national producer associations, or congressional or senate ag committees. This will help keep you up to date on what's happening in the areas you have an interest in or are looking for a career.

I seem to be harping on the people skills piece. Get experience in working with customers, customer service, customer complaints. These experiences will help you develop critical thinking skills, problem-solving skills, and communication skills sought after by employers.

What type of skills will young adjunct professors need?

Dr. Radhika Grover

Adjunct Lecturer, Santa Clara University

Graduates entering the workforce will need strong critical thinking skills and the ability to wear multiple hats. For example, the data scientist may need to understand, or even work on, web programming. Job seekers will need strong programming skills in one or more of these programming languages - Python, Java, C, C++, and Javascript. Graduates should also consider getting a second degree in another field, such as bioengineering or electrical engineering, because the intersection of disciplines can provide new research and development opportunities. A student once asked me, "If machines can do everything we do and do it better, what will we do in the future?" Graduates have to be ready to refresh their skill sets periodically so that they are irreplaceable.

What technical skills for an adjunct professor stand out to employers?

Barbara Wolfe Ph.D.

Dean and Professor, The University of Rhode Island

Health care is rapidly changing, and the pandemic has contributed to some of these changes (e.g., the use of telehealth). Employers are looking for nurses who are able to adapt, innovate, and apply not only their technical skills, but also their knowledge and critical thinking to a variety of settings--particularly since most of health care is delivered in non-hospital environments.

Do you want to know more?

List of adjunct professor skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for an adjunct professor resume and required skills for an adjunct professor to have include:

Course Curriculum
Syllabus
Semester
Blackboard
Student Learning
Course Materials
Philosophy
Undergraduate Courses
Mathematics
Ethics
Literature
Professional Development
Course Syllabus
Course Objectives
Anatomy
Physiology
Economics

Abnormal Psychology
Course Content
Student Performance
Chemistry
Sociology
Public Speaking
Organizational Behavior
PowerPoint
Healthcare
Learning Environment
Instructional Materials
Business Management
Learning Objectives
Curriculum Development
Seminar
Photoshop
Political Science

Courses Taught
Student Attendance
Business Administration
International Business
ESL
Class Discussions
Moodle
Windows
Criminal Law
Business Law
Graduate Level Courses
Intro
Mentoring Students
Human Development
Homework Assignments

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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Updated January 8, 2025

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