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How good of an idea is it to work on your doctorate at the same time as being an adjunct professor?

I'm a high school senior and aspiring linguistics major who intends to become a professor and obtain their PhD. I've heard about adjunct professorship and that while it is very important to become a tenured professor, it's as time-intensive as tenured professorship with significantly less pay. Would these two goals at the same time be too overwhelming or hard to balance? I'd like to hear professional opinions!

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Candace’s Answer

I am answering this as a professor who has hired and mentored tenure-track and adjunct professors. A doctoral program where you attend in-person will offer opportunities, possibly even require that you teach as part of your Doctoral Studies. Sometimes these are fellowships where you essentially get a scholarship to cover your tuition or part of it. Thus the answer is that you will be expected to teach undergraduates. The exception might be if you are in a science program and are working in the lab or in the field and not in a classroom.

As to work load. It will be a challenging and busy time, but teaching your subject will enhance your own understanding of it. Designing instruction and delivering it to students forces you to understand and interpret knowledge in a different way than when you are a student.

This is a very worthwhile career direction and I encourage you to pursue it.
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Rachel’s Answer

What is the organization of your program? You could arrange it according to the class timetable and the necessary study time. In graduate school, a few of our instructors were working on their Doctoral degrees. They typically went to school during weekends. Additionally, it's a good idea to talk to your professors to find out how much time they devote to their responsibilities, such as office hours, creating and delivering lectures, and grading.
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