Did you know that the Lecturer and Professor are both different professionals? Many people use them as synonyms without knowing that both are them are completely different positions. In the following article, we are focusing on Lecturer vs Professor. It will include major details about both professions, such as job roles, responsibilities, salaries, and more.
Both lecturer and professor work in the same environment. However, there are many differences between them. Scroll down the page and get detailed information regarding the Lecturer vs Professor.
Lecturer vs Professor
Candidates who are interested in making a career as a professional in the educational field, preferably in college or university, must learn about two professions i.e., Lecturer and Professor. Both positions are available in the different universities and colleges. However, one must know the differences between Lecturer vs Professor to know which position is best to choose.
We will commence the article by understanding the profession and then moving forward with other aspects like salaries, educational qualifications, and more.
What is a Lecturer?
The lecturer is a professional who gives instructions in college as much as the Professor. However, both of them teach undergraduate as well as graduate teachers. Please note that there is no requirement to hold a PhD or master’s degree in the respective job role. The post of lecturer needs respective training from a recognized educational institute, experience in the relevant field and knowledge in the respective subject. One of the highlighted points of the Lecturer position is that the Lecturer is a job on a contract basis.
The work of the lecturer is little to research responsibilities. People with lecturer posts can simultaneously pursue other careers and interests. People usually with Lecturer positions work part-time in the respective college or educational institute and they also work outside according to their interests such as business ventures, pursuing further education and more.
What is a Professor?
Professors are full-time lecturers whose role is to work in any college or university under the academic department. They instruct student who is pursuing any course in their field of expertise. The professor teaches at the undergraduate as well as graduate levels. To advance the respective field and to choose the speciality, applicants can also proceed with their education further and can also research on their own.
Individuals publish the reports regularly along with the results in the form of various teaching resources. The respective educational institutes check out the professional merit, educational qualification, and others to choose the candidates for the Professor position. The professors can be selected permanently as well as tenure basis in which the selected ones work for a limited period. They get the option of a permanent position after the completion of 5 to 7 years.
Job Responsibilities of a Lecturer
Considering the job roles of Lecturer vs Professor, it can be said that the duties of a lecturer include more tasks apart from teaching, such as organising campaigns, queries, listening, and more. Below are some of the job duties that a lecturer has to do:
| Individuals will have to apply learnings from their field to classroom lessons as well as exercises. |
| If a lecturer has an extra job role asked by the educational institute, then they will also have to fulfill the expectations of that job daily after completing the regular job. |
| Lecturers have to conduct lectures on specific topics which will be discussed in the next class in the classroom. |
| Lecturers will have to teach a single subject or class at various times in the same semester or year. |
| If a lecturer has an extra job role asked by the educational institute then they will also have to fulfill the expectations of that job daily after completing the regular job. |
| Lecturers might also have to conduct special non-classroom lectures for students (who need extra attention) to make the topic understood by everyone. |
Job Responsibilities of Professors
One of the major differences in the job duties section is that a professor’s role is more inclined towards research than the subject curriculum department. Here are some of the typical job duties expected from a person with a Professor:
| Teaching students lessons and conducting some interactive activities which can help them in learning the subject. |
| Designing and teaching various courses throughout the year for a particular class. |
| Professors also have to maintain office hours for learners to attend and ask queries related to the topic. |
| Helping learners optimise their class schedules and educational progress during their respective courses. |
| Professors will also be asked to evaluate assignments, tests and papers of students from time to time and check their progress. |
| One will also have to conduct the programs and introduce new courses which comes under the part of administration duties as well as department duties. |
Differences Between Lecturer vs Professor
| Particulars | Lecturer | Professor |
| Work Tenure | Lecturer is a contact-based job which usually has a tenure of 1 year. | People with Professor job roles have permanent jobs. However, they can also be hired on a contract basis that holds a tenure of around 5 to 7 years. |
| Recognition and Rewards | Lecturers do not usually get any recognition and rewards for their work as it is considered entry-level professionals. | There are more chances for Professors to be recognised and rewarded for their research papers by the respective educational institutes and the government. |
| Job roles | Lecturers do not have any executive or managerial roles at the educational institutes. | It is considered one of the roles of Professors to complete administrative & managerial tasks conducted at the educational institutes apart from teaching. |
| Experience | They have no less experience considered to professors. | Professors are more experienced in the field of education. |
| Salary & Benefits | Applicants getting selected for the Lecturer post usually get INR 80,000 at least in the beginning. | Applicants with Professional jobs have a higher salary. Their salary ranges from Rs. 1 Lakh to INR 5 Lakhs according to their skills and experience. |
| Rank | It is the least-ranking teaching role at a college or university. | A professor is considered the second highest-ranking teaching role in a college or university. |
| Level of Instruction | Usually, lecture teaches students at the undergraduate level. | Professors teach students at both undergraduate and postgraduate. |
Lecturer vs Professor: Which one to choose?
The education sector is one of the rapidly growing sectors in the country, with an increment in enrollment rate. So, it is one of the best platforms for candidates to become a professor and lecturer by profession. One can see educational institutes at a very close distance.
Choosing between Lecturer vs Professor is hard. But the choice can be made after taking a look at your ultimate goals. Applicants who want to be in academia and want to add to the already existing body of research can choose a Professor role. Whereas, applicants interested in teaching but still like to pursue their dream in other roles as well can become a lecturers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the required qualification for Professor and Lecturer posts?
Candidates applying for the position of lecturer are flexible. One can get a position with even a diploma, and one might have to get a master’s degree. To get a post as a Professor, candidates must have a master’s or PhD in the relevant field.
What is the Career Growth of a Lecturer vs Professor?
Professors have more fast-paced career growth opportunities than lecturers. The reason behind this is that professors are more likely to get recognised for their work. Whereas the lecturer’s post includes flexibility but has less growth in mobility and exploring opportunities in different educational institutes.
