This guide helps you write an adjunct professor cover letter with clear examples and ready-to-use templates. You will find practical advice on structure, what to highlight, and how to connect your teaching and service to the department's needs.
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💡 Pro tip: Use this template as a starting point. Customize it with your own experience, skills, and achievements.
Key Elements of a Strong Cover Letter
Start with your name, academic credentials, and contact details followed by the date and the hiring committee's contact information. Clear headers make it easy for a committee to find your details and follow up with you.
Briefly state the position you are applying for and where you saw the posting, and mention one specific reason you are drawn to the institution. This shows you read the listing and have a focused interest in the role.
Summarize your teaching experience, course topics, and any work with diverse student populations, using concrete examples and brief metrics when available. Highlight student-centered approaches, curriculum development, and any adjunct or part-time roles that match the courses listed.
End with a concise statement of interest and a note about your availability for interviews or to provide a teaching portfolio. A clear closing makes it easy for the committee to take the next step and request supporting materials.
Cover Letter Structure
1. Header
List your full name, highest degree, institutional affiliation if relevant, email, and phone number at the top. Add the date and then the contact name, title, department, and institution you are applying to.
2. Greeting
Address the letter to the search committee chair or a named contact when possible, using a formal greeting such as Dear Professor Smith or Dear Search Committee. If a name is not available, use Dear Hiring Committee to remain professional and specific.
3. Opening Paragraph
Begin with a short statement of the position you seek and where you found the posting, followed by one sentence about why the role appeals to you. Include a quick hook that ties your background to the department's mission or course needs.
4. Body Paragraph(s)
Use one to two short paragraphs to describe your teaching experience, courses you can teach, and any relevant credentials or certifications. Follow with a paragraph that mentions service, advising, or curriculum contributions and include a brief example of student outcomes or curriculum work.
5. Closing Paragraph
Conclude with a paragraph that reiterates your interest and states that you can provide a syllabus, teaching evaluations, or a portfolio on request. Thank the committee for their time and express openness to an interview or a campus visit.
6. Signature
End with a professional closing such as Sincerely or Best regards followed by your typed name and academic title if applicable. Include any links to an online CV or teaching portfolio on the line under your name for easy access.
Dos and Don'ts
Do tailor each cover letter to the institution and department by mentioning a specific program, course, or departmental goal. This shows you researched the role and are prepared to contribute to their needs.
Do highlight concrete teaching examples such as courses taught, enrollment sizes, and any improvements in student learning or evaluations. Specifics help a committee understand your classroom impact.
Do keep the letter concise, ideally one page, and use clear paragraph breaks to make it scannable. Committees review many applications and clarity increases your chances of being read fully.
Do mention availability and logistical details that matter for adjunct roles, such as evening or weekend teaching and start dates. Practical information answers common administrative questions upfront.
Do attach or link to supporting materials like a CV, teaching portfolio, and sample syllabus, and indicate their inclusion in the letter. Providing these materials reduces back-and-forth and shows preparedness.
Do not repeat your entire CV line by line in the cover letter, instead summarize the most relevant experience and outcomes. The letter should complement the CV, not duplicate it.
Do not use vague statements such as I am passionate about teaching without examples showing how that passion translated into practice. Committees look for evidence, not generalities.
Do not include lengthy personal narratives that are unrelated to your teaching qualifications and course fit. Keep the focus on your professional experience and contributions to student learning.
Do not make salary or scheduling demands in the cover letter unless the posting explicitly asks for that information. Save negotiations for later communication after an offer or interview stage.
Do not forget to proofread for grammar and formatting errors, and avoid casual language that undermines professionalism. Small mistakes can give a poor impression to a busy committee.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Using a generic letter that is not tailored to the specific department or course needs often reduces your chances. Always reference at least one program or course that connects to your experience.
Overloading the letter with too many technical publications while neglecting teaching examples can make you appear research-focused rather than student-focused. Provide a balanced summary of teaching achievements.
Listing duties without outcomes, such as stating you taught a course without noting class size or student feedback, makes it hard to assess your classroom effectiveness. Include at least one measurable or descriptive result.
Submitting attachments with unclear file names or missing links to your portfolio can frustrate reviewers and delay consideration. Use clear file names and verify links before sending.
Practical Writing Tips & Customization Guide
Open with a single specific achievement or course that connects directly to the department's needs to grab attention. This gives the committee a clear reason to keep reading.
If you have limited adjunct experience, emphasize related responsibilities such as guest lectures, curriculum design, or tutoring that demonstrate teaching capability. Transferable experience matters for part-time roles.
Include a brief note about your commitment to inclusive teaching practices and how you support diverse learners, with an example if possible. Departments increasingly value demonstrated inclusivity.
Keep a short master template you can quickly tailor for each application to save time while maintaining personalization and accuracy. This helps you apply to multiple roles without losing quality.
Cover Letter Examples
### Example 1 — Career Changer: Industry Engineer to Adjunct, Computer Science
Dear Hiring Committee,
After 10 years designing embedded systems at NovaTech, I want to bring practical software engineering to your undergraduate students. At NovaTech I led a team of 6 engineers, reduced firmware bug rates by 32% over two product cycles, and designed a hands‑on internship bootcamp that trained 24 interns in C and Python.
I developed lesson plans for weekly labs, assessed student code, and mentored interns who later accepted full‑time roles. I can convert those materials into a semester syllabus for your CS 201 class and commit to holding weekly office hours.
I hold an M. S.
in Electrical Engineering and completed a Certificate in College Teaching Methods. I value active learning: my proposed first project asks students to debug and document a 500‑line codebase, mirroring industry expectations.
I welcome the chance to discuss how my industry experience can prepare students for technical roles.
Sincerely,
Alex Rivera
Why this works:
- •Shows measurable achievements (10 years, 32% reduction, 24 interns).
- •Connects industry outcomes to classroom projects and concrete course plans.
- •Offers immediate deliverables (syllabus, office hours).
Cover Letter Examples (cont.)
### Example 2 — Recent Graduate: PhD in History Applying for Adjunct Role
Dear Search Committee,
I recently completed a PhD in Modern European History at State University, where I taught HIST 101 and HIST 310 for a total of 180 students across three semesters. My undergraduate surveys averaged 4.
6/5. 0 on instructor evaluations, and 85% of students reported improved primary‑source analysis skills in post‑course assessments.
I designed a research assignment that guided students through archival transcription and resulted in 12 undergraduate abstracts presented at the campus symposium.
I seek an adjunct position to teach survey and upper‑division seminars with a focus on primary‑source methods. I can adapt existing seminar modules into a 12‑week course on archival research and propose a graded rubric with clear milestones to improve student writing by measurable increments.
Thank you for considering my application; I am available for interview and can provide sample syllabi and evaluation data upon request.
Sincerely,
Dr.
Why this works:
- •Includes concrete teaching load (180 students) and evaluation metrics (4.6/5, 85%).
- •Offers specific course content and assessment plans to demonstrate preparedness.
Cover Letter Examples (final)
### Example 3 — Experienced Academic Professional Seeking Adjunct Role
Dear Department Chair,
As an adjunct professor for the past 8 years at Riverbend College, I have taught 14 courses in Sociology and advised 36 independent studies. I redesigned the Research Methods course to include a community survey component; student response rates increased from 22% to 58% and the pass rate rose 18 percentage points.
I hold an M. A.
in Sociology and regularly publish teaching reflections that other faculty use as templates for active learning.
I would teach SOC 210 and SOC 330 while mentoring junior instructors on assessment best practices. My goal is to implement a replicable lab module that requires students to collect, analyze, and present data in three deliverables across the term.
I can begin in the fall semester and commit to coordinating with program assessment deadlines.
Warm regards,
Jordan Patel
Why this works:
- •Demonstrates sustained teaching experience (8 years, 14 courses, 36 studies).
- •Quantifies impact (response rate +36 points, pass rate +18 points) and offers scalable classroom innovations.