Community College professors make up the faculty of a two-year community college or vocational school. College professors teach classes that students take to earn an associate's degree or similar certification.

Community college professors are responsible for preparing and teaching lectures, creating and grading examinations and assignments, and providing constructive feedback to help students succeed.

Community college professors typically do not conduct research or publish in peer-reviewed journals, nor take on leadership roles within the college.

Professors that work at a four-year university often have many roles and duties.

1. University professors teach students. This includes preparing lectures, assignments, and examinations.

2. University professors conduct original research related to their field of expertise and publish that research in peer-reviewed journals.

3. Some university professors may take on leadership roles within their university such as heads of departments or deans of specific colleges within the university.

University professors are known by different titles based upon their educational levels and qualifications:

• associate professor

• assistant professor

• full professor

• tenured professor

Sometimes called contingent faculty, adjunct professors work part-time. They are not considered part of the permanent staff, nor are they on the path to a tenured position. As a contract employee, they are free to create a teaching schedule that works for them.

Some teach only one class; others teach more. However, in California, an adjunct professor cannot teach a full-time course load at a single institution. They may accept assignments at multiple schools or even hold a day job. When the term ends, the adjunct is free to pursue new teaching positions at the same school or a different one.

While they do not have the same responsibilities as full-time, tenured professors (conducting research for the university, for example), adjuncts perform many “regular” tasks associated with teaching a class. These include:

• Preparing lectures and discussion questions for class

• Assigning reading and practice material

• Conducting office hours

• Providing constructive feedback for students

• Administering exams

• Grading coursework