Academic Careers
Tenure-track, lecturer, adjunct, research professor — the academic ladder explained.
Academia is a small ecosystem with very different paths. Tenure-track positions concentrate in research universities; teaching-track and adjunct roles sit elsewhere on the security/workload trade-off.
16 careers in this collection
Law Professor
Teach courses in law.
Architecture Professor
Teach courses in architecture and architectural design, such as architectural environmental design, interior architecture/design, and landscape architecture.
Health Sciences Professor
Teach courses in health specialties, in fields such as dentistry, laboratory technology, medicine, pharmacy, public health, therapy, and veterinary medicine.
Business Professor
Teach courses in business administration and management, such as accounting, finance, human resources, labor and industrial relations, marketing, and operations research.
Expedition Cruise Lecturer
Deliver specialized lectures aboard expedition cruises on geology, wildlife, and cultural history
MBA Professor
Teach graduate business students
Chemistry Professor
Teach courses pertaining to the chemical and physical properties and compositional changes of substances.
Agricultural Sciences Professor
Teach courses in the agricultural sciences.
Biology Professor
Teach courses in biological sciences.
History Professor
Teach courses in human history and historiography.
Adjunct Professor
Teach university courses on contract
Math Professor
Teach courses pertaining to mathematical concepts, statistics, and actuarial science and to the application of original and standardized mathematical techniques in solving specific problems and situations.
Art, Drama, and Music Professor
Teach courses in drama, music, and the arts including fine and applied art, such as painting and sculpture, or design and crafts.
Library Science Professor
Teach courses in library science.
University Professor
Shape the next generation of thinkers through research, teaching, and academic leadership
University Professor (Tenure Track)
Research, teach, and publish at a university
Not sure which path fits you?
Take our Career Match quiz — 3 minutes, built on Holland (1959) RIASEC theory. Get personalized recommendations from 2,521 career paths.
Take the Career Match quiz →