What Is a Visiting Assistant Professor? Roles, Careers & Comparison

A visiting assistant professor is a temporary faculty member that colleges and universities bring on board to handle teaching and research for a set period—sometimes just a semester, sometimes a few years. These gigs bridge the gap between grad school and landing a permanent academic job, giving fresh PhDs a shot at real higher-ed experience.

Understanding what a visiting assistant professor role involves can help you decide if it's worth pursuing. Unlike tenure-track jobs, these positions are always temporary and typically come with their own set of teaching loads and research expectations.

If you're thinking about applying for these roles—or just want to get a sense of how academia works—knowing the qualifications, responsibilities, and likely outcomes can really help. The world of visiting faculty varies wildly depending on the school and subject, so it's worth digging into the details.

Defining a Visiting Assistant Professor

A visiting assistant professor is a temporary faculty member appointed to perform the duties of an assistant professor at a college or university. Schools use these roles to fill teaching and research gaps, but they come with a built-in expiration date and a different set of expectations.

Temporary Academic Appointments

Visiting assistant professors step in temporarily to fill the professor role at another college or university. You might work full-time or part-time in these positions.

Key appointment features:

• Duration: Each appointment is set for a term, usually not more than a year
• Total service: You can't serve more than two years consecutively in a visiting title
• Renewal: You can renew, but only within that two-year max

You’ll need all the credentials required for that rank or must have held that rank somewhere else. Translation: you need the same qualifications as a regular assistant professor.

The role covers a few bases. Sometimes you’re filling in for a professor on leave or sabbatical. Other times, you’re just helping the university meet a short-term need without them making a long-term commitment.

Typical Responsibilities and Duties

As a visiting assistant professor, you’re expected to take on teaching, research or creative work, and some university service. Your day-to-day isn’t too different from what permanent faculty do.

Primary responsibilities include:

• Teaching both undergrad and grad courses
• Doing research in your specialty
• Serving on committees and pitching in with university service
• Advising students about their studies

Your teaching assignments come from the department head and might include academic advising. You could also end up supervising grad assistants or undergrads.

The department head supervises you, but you might also supervise grad assistants, undergrad majors, or student workers. So you get a mix of guidance and autonomy.

Differences from Assistant Professor Roles

The biggest difference between you and a regular assistant professor is job security and your career path. A regular Assistant Professor is on the tenure track, which means a permanent spot at the university.

Key differences:

Visiting Assistant Professor	Regular Assistant Professor
Temporary, non-permanent role	Tenure-track, permanent position
Max two years in the role	No time limits
Limited long-term prospects	Clear path to advancement
Same duties, less stability	Same duties, more security

Regular assistant professors get more stability and a shot at moving up the ranks. They can work toward tenure and promotions.

You, on the other hand, face uncertainty once your term ends. VAP gigs aren’t as secure, but they’re great for experience and networking.

The evaluation standards look similar at first, but schools might cut you a little slack since you’re only there temporarily.

Visiting Assistant Professor in the Academic Hierarchy

Visiting assistant professors sit in a weird spot between adjunct faculty and tenure-track professors. You’re a temporary replacement, but you’ve got more on your plate than adjuncts and less job security than the folks on the tenure track.

You usually take on a full teaching load and research, all while navigating a tough job market.

Comparison with Adjunct Professor and Lecturers

Compared to adjunct professors, visiting assistant professors have a very different setup. Adjuncts work part-time for a term or two, while you usually get a full-time appointment that runs for the whole academic year.

Key Differences:

Position	Appointment Length	Teaching Load	Benefits
Visiting Assistant Professor	1-2 years	Full-time	Usually included
Adjunct Professor	Per semester/term	Part-time	Limited or none
Lecturer	Varies	Full or part-time	Depends on institution

As a VAP, you’re expected to do research and serve on committees, not just teach. Adjuncts mostly just teach their classes and that’s it.

Lecturers are somewhere in the middle. Sometimes they get renewable contracts, but they usually don’t have to do research.

Role in the Academic Job Market

The academic job market isn’t easy for visiting assistant professors. You’re up against brand-new PhDs and seasoned scholars, all looking for a limited number of tenure-track jobs.

Liberal arts colleges often hire VAPs to cover for faculty on leave or to fill gaps. These jobs give you teaching experience, but there’s always that question about what comes next.

Market Realities:

• Lots of competition for permanent jobs
• Not a lot of room for advancement
• You might have to move around a lot
• Good chance to network with established faculty

A lot of people use visiting roles to build up their CV while they keep searching for something more permanent. It’s a stepping stone, really.

Relationship to Tenure-Track Positions

It’s rare for a visiting assistant professor job to turn into a tenure-track position at the same school. Landing a permanent spot where you’re a visiting professor is tough.

Your time as a VAP is more about professional growth than a direct path to tenure. You’ll teach, publish, and make connections, but you’ll generally need to apply separately for any permanent roles.

Tenure-Track Considerations:

• You have to go through a separate application process
• There’s no guarantee you’ll get a permanent job
• You’ll compete with outside candidates
• The experience does help your future applications

If you’re in a VAP role, look at it as a way to build your academic resume, not as a guaranteed way into tenure. The workload and research you do, though, can prep you for future success elsewhere.

Qualifications and Pathways to Becoming a Visiting Assistant Professor

Most VAP roles require you to have an advanced degree in your field—usually a master’s or doctorate. Getting teaching experience and building a strong network are both key to landing one of these positions.

Educational Requirements

A master’s degree is pretty much the bare minimum for most visiting assistant professor gigs, but most schools really want a doctorate. Your degree needs to match the subject you’ll be teaching.

Grad school gives you the background you’ll need for higher-ed teaching. You’ll pick up research chops and a deeper understanding of your field.

Common degree requirements include:

• Master’s in a relevant field (at least)
• Doctorate (preferred at most places)
• PhD for research-heavy roles
• Sometimes specialized certifications

Some community colleges or specific programs might take a bachelor’s, but most four-year universities want advanced degrees for these roles.

Career Pathways after Graduate School

Once you finish grad school, there’s a few ways into a VAP job. Doing a postdoc can build your research experience and make you a stronger candidate.

A lot of folks move into visiting professor roles from other academic jobs. Maybe you’ve been a teaching assistant, adjunct, or even full-time faculty somewhere else.

Typical career progression:

• Graduate teaching assistant
• Postdoc researcher
• Adjunct professor
• Lecturer or instructor
• Visiting assistant professor

The average salary is somewhere between $41,000 and $125,000, depending on your background and the institution. Publishing and presenting at conferences can really boost your prospects.

Networking and Gaining Teaching Experience

Teaching experience goes a long way when you’re trying to get a VAP job. You might start by tutoring, volunteering, or picking up teaching gigs during grad school.

Building a solid professional network can open doors to jobs that never even get advertised. Go to conferences, join academic associations, and keep in touch with your mentors.

Essential networking moves:

• Attend conferences
• Join professional groups
• Work on research projects with others
• Get involved in committees

If you want to move up, leadership experience helps. Organizing events or leading teams shows you can handle more than just teaching.

Honestly, a lot of visiting jobs come through someone you know. Your network can tip you off to sabbaticals or temporary needs before they’re public.

Career Prospects and Professional Development

Taking a visiting assistant professor job can lead to more permanent roles and help you sharpen your skills. It’s a stepping stone that lets you build up your teaching and research experience.

Opportunities for Permanent Positions

Sometimes, VAP roles can lead to tenure-track jobs—but it’s not a sure thing. Universities do look at internal candidates who’ve already proven themselves.

How well you teach and the research you do as a visiting faculty member can make a big impression on hiring committees. Being familiar with the department is a plus if a permanent job opens up.

What helps your chances:

• Good student evaluations
• Active research and publishing
• Strong relationships with faculty
• Helping out with department service

Some visiting jobs are set up to transition into tenure-track roles after a trial run, but that’s not the norm. Still, the experience makes you more competitive for jobs at other schools.

Skill Development and Future Outlook

In these roles, you’ll pick up leadership skills as you mentor students and juggle classroom duties. Supervising grad assistants or undergrads is pretty common.

You’ll probably teach a wide range of courses, which helps you become a more versatile instructor. That variety is good practice for permanent academic jobs.

Networking with experienced faculty can lead to research collabs or even job leads.

Professional skills you’ll build:

• Designing courses and planning curriculum
• Advising and mentoring students
• Managing research projects
• Writing grants and applying for funding

Schools like to see candidates who’ve taught at different places. A VAP role shows you’re adaptable and committed to your field.

You’ll also get the chance to beef up your research portfolio while staying active in your discipline. That combo of teaching and research is a big plus for future job searches.

Frequently Asked Questions

Visiting assistant professor jobs come with their own set of duties, requirements, and time limits. They fill a particular need at colleges and universities.

What responsibilities does a visiting assistant professor typically have?

Your main job as a visiting assistant professor is teaching students in the courses you’re assigned. You’ll prep lesson plans, give lectures, and grade assignments.

You’ll develop and organize courses based on what your institution needs. That usually means creating syllabi and picking out course materials.

You might also run seminars or give special lectures for students—sometimes weekly, sometimes less often.

In some cases, you’ll get involved in research projects or case studies, and you might even interview prospective students applying to your university.

How does the role of a visiting assistant professor differ from that of a tenure-track assistant professor?

A visiting assistant professor holds a temporary and non-permanent position. Tenure-track roles, on the other hand, offer a shot at long-term job security.

Tenure-track professors work through the tenure process, hoping for permanent employment. Visiting assistant professors rarely transition to tenure-track.

Most visiting appointments don’t lead to permanent faculty status. If you’re a visiting professor, you’ll probably focus more on teaching than research.

Tenure-track faculty need to juggle teaching, research, and service all at once. Departmental governance and long-term planning usually involve tenure-track professors more deeply.

Visiting assistant professors often have limited say in committee work or big institutional decisions. That’s just how these roles tend to shake out.

What qualifications are required to become a visiting assistant professor?

You’ll need a degree in your teaching field, but the exact requirement depends on the college. Some schools will take a bachelor’s, while others want a master’s.

Most universities look for candidates with some teaching experience. Tutoring, grad assistant gigs, or previous instructor roles can all help you build that up.

It’s important to show research skills and problem-solving abilities. A lot of positions expect you to know your way around academic research.

Strong communication and leadership skills really matter too. You’ll need to guide students and keep a classroom running smoothly.

How does a visiting assistant professor position compare to a postdoctoral appointment?

Visiting assistant professors mainly focus on teaching. Postdocs, meanwhile, spend most of their time on research and trying to get published.

A visiting position might be part-time or full-time. Postdocs usually work full-time on a specific research project.

Visiting professors typically earn between $41,000 and $125,000 per year. Postdoc stipends are often lower and don’t vary as much.

You’ll probably interact with students a lot more as a visiting professor. Postdocs tend to stick to the lab or dive deep into independent research.

In what ways do visiting assistant professors contribute to academic institutions?

You might cover classes when regular professors go on leave. That way, students still get the courses they need.

Departments benefit from your fresh perspective and outside experience. You can introduce new teaching styles or academic approaches, even if you’re only around for a while.

When departments face staffing shortages, you help keep courses running. That prevents gaps in the program and keeps things moving forward.

If you’ve got specialized expertise, you can fill in knowledge gaps for the department. Sometimes you end up teaching courses that regular faculty just can’t cover.

What is the typical length of a visiting assistant professor appointment?

Most visiting appointments last one semester or one academic year.

Sometimes, positions stretch to two years if the institution needs it.

Your contract length really depends on why they hired you. If you’re covering for someone on sabbatical, it usually runs for a year.

Filling a vacant spot? That might be a shorter gig.

A few places do offer renewable contracts that can go for several years. Still, you can’t count on renewal—departments change their minds based on what they need.

Honestly, you probably won’t get much warning about whether you’ll be renewed. Most folks find out pretty late, right near the end of their current appointment.