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Academic Credentials—What They Mean

Employment as a scholar indicates an ability to both analyze critically and speak frankly about one's area of expertise—an ability that people employed at nonacademic institutions often don't have.

• What Faculty Ranks Mean
• What Academic Degrees Mean

What Faculty Ranks Mean

Faculty rank indicates how long someone has been a scholar and the extent to which colleagues have recognized a scholar's work as being high quality. Although what exactly a particular rank means can vary, below is a list of common ranks and what they typically mean.

Adjunct

A faculty member whose status is usually part-time.

Lecturer

Usually someone whose primary responsibility is teaching, not research, and is typically part-time. At European universities, however, it is a rank comparable to assistant professor.

Instructor

A full-time, junior faculty member who has not yet completed the terminal degree.

Assistant Professor

A full-time, junior faculty member with the terminal degree.

Associate Professor

A full-time, regular faculty member who has tenure but has not achieved the rank of (full) professor. Qualifying for tenure is usually a seven-year process during which the individual must demonstrate excellence in teaching, research and service.

Professor (Full Professor)

A full-time, regular faculty member of the highest rank, usually bestowed after a substantial period as an associate professor, during which the individual has continued to demonstrate an excellent record of teaching and research. When "Professor" is used formally as a part of a title, e.g., "Professor of Sociology," the implication is that the scholar is a full professor; however, when "professor" is used informally, e.g. "a sociology professor," the scholar could be any rank.

Professor Emeritus

A retired professor (though some individuals continue serving as faculty part-time). The title is often bestowed in recognition of a distinguished academic career.

Visiting Professor

Someone whose faculty appointment is only for a specified period. The scholar could be any rank. Sometimes, but not always, visiting professor refers to someone who is temporarily with one institution while on leave from a regular faculty position at another.

What Academic Degrees Mean

Doctoral degrees, which are terminal degrees, typically require five or more years full-time to complete.

Master's degrees typically require one or two years full-time to complete (the M.Div. requires three).

Professional degrees emphasize the training needed to practice a particular profession.

Research degrees emphasize the skills one needs to add to the body of knowledge in a particular field.

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), a research degree, is "the highest academic degree," requiring both "mastery within a field of knowledge and demonstrated ability to perform scholarly research," according to the National Center for Education Statistics. The Ph.D. includes training in research methods and years conducting research—resulting in an exceptional ability to assess particular viewpoints, and the evidence offered in support of them, on subjects falling within one's academic expertise.

D.Min.  Doctor of Ministry - a professional doctorate in ministry

Ed.D.  Doctor of Education - a research doctorate in education

J.D.  Juris Doctor - a professional degree for practicing law

LL.B.  Bachelor of Laws - a law degree, equivalent to the J.D.

M.A.  Master of Arts - a master's degree in a particular field

M.B.A.  Master of Business Administration - a professional degree in business

M.D.  Doctor of Medicine - a professional degree for practicing medicine

M.Div.  Master of Divinity - a professional degree for practicing ministry

M.Phil.  Master of Philosophy - a research degree, sans dissertation, in the British Commonwealth

M.S.  Master of Science - a master's degree in a particular field

M.S.W.  Master of Social Work - a professional degree for practicing social work

M.T.S.  Master of Theological Studies - a master's degree in theological disciplines

Ph.D.  Doctor of Philosophy - a research doctorate in a particular field

Th.D.  Doctor of Theology - a research doctorate in theology