If you're hoping to pursue a career in academia, you may be surprised to learn that not all college professors have the same job classification. The most prestigious positions are those which offer tenure, a contractual right not to have the position terminated without just cause. Tenure track positions include those of assistant professor, associate professor, distinguished professor, endowed chair, or professor emeritus jobs. Unfortunately, the bulk of positions available in academia today are adjunct professor jobs.
The exact number of adjunct professors at a particular college or university will vary, although it is estimated that nearly 50 percent of all instructors in the United States are classified as adjunct professors and that 60 to 70 percent of available positions at any given time are adjunct professor jobs. Adjunct professor jobs are typically non-tenure track positions that are part-time. The instructor is paid for each class he teaches instead of receiving a set salary. Depending upon the institution, an adjunct professor may be called an adjunct lecturer, adjunct instructor, or faculty associate.
The popularity of adjunct professor jobs at colleges and universities of all sizes is simply a matter of cost effectiveness. Since adjunct faculty are part-time employees, they may not receive employment benefits. They can be hired and fired depending upon the course needs of the institution for a particular semester.
For the most part, adjunct professor jobs involve teaching undergraduate courses. These are the large lecture classes that freshman and sophomores must complete in order to begin advanced coursework in their chosen major. Adjunct jobs do not normally involve conducting research, unless the position is specifically outlined as a research professor job.
Despite their lack of job security and the fact that they typically earn significantly lower salaries than their tenure track counterparts, the majority of adjunct faculty must meet the same requirements as an assistant or associate professor. They generally have advanced degrees in their subject area and relevant professional work experience. At most colleges and universities, the process for hiring adjunct professors is similar to that of selecting candidates for any other professional position within the institution.
Adjunct professor jobs have generated a fair amount of controversy in recent years, due to allegations that the system is abusive and unfair. It is true that many adjunct professors would prefer to be teaching in full-time tenure track positions. However, others say they actually prefer the flexibility of the part-time teaching gig. Adjunct professor positions allow them to indulge their passion for a particular subject area while still allowing time to pursue other projects, such as film-making or writing a novel.
