Ranks and career timelines
Faculty ranks
Faculty members move through ranks as they accumulate professional accomplishments in the areas of teaching, research and service. The ranks include Assistant Professor, Associate Professor and Professor.
Learn about expectations at each rank
Expectations for each rank vary from campus to campus, depending upon the type of institution and the degrees it confers. Expectations are generally outlined either in a faculty handbook or as guidelines called retention, tenure and promotion documents or some iteration of those terms. These guidelines spell out the types of activities expected from a faculty member at each rank.
Timelines for promotion
A typical timeframe for moving from Assistant to Associate Professor is six years, at which time tenure may be conferred. There are exceptions for early promotion and for extending the timeframe. A general timeline of another six years of accumulated expertise is appropriate to submit paperwork to move from Associate to full Professor. These are only guidelines, however, and in practice the timing may vary considerably from campus to campus, and for individuals at the same campus.
Faculty Ranks and Expectations
Faculty Ranks
Oregon State University
This faculty handbook excerpt outlines expectations for OSU.
