An adjunct professor is a part-time, non-tenure-track academic who is contracted to teach one or more courses at a college or university, usually on a semester-by-semester basis. They are not full-time employees and typically do not have the same responsibilities as full-time professors, such as conducting research, publishing, or participating in faculty meetings. Instead, their primary role is teaching and directly engaging with students
. Key characteristics of adjunct professors include:
- Employment on a limited-term or contractual basis, often paid per course taught
- Usually requiring at least a master’s degree, though some positions may only require a bachelor's degree plus relevant experience; many adjuncts hold doctoral degrees
- They often teach introductory or specialized courses within their field of expertise
- Adjuncts generally receive lower pay than full-time faculty and typically do not receive benefits like health insurance or office space
- Their role is common in North American higher education, where adjuncts make up a significant portion of teaching staff, but the position is less common or differently titled in other systems like the Commonwealth countries
Adjunct professors provide flexibility for institutions and can bring practical, professional experience to their teaching. They play an important role in higher education by filling teaching needs without the long-term commitment of tenure-track positions
