The traditional tenure track, with ranks from instructor to full professor, offers tenure at the full professor level. The non-tenure research track has ranks from research scholar to research professor. Without being forced to make the tough decision, he says, it would be all too easy to keep promoting someone, with the idea that you can always let that person go later. Go to top School of Medicine Current System Unlike many medical schools, the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine has a single track. Many departments now have dozens.
All faculty operate under the tenure clock, but time in rank can vary greatly.
Promotion to full professor takes from seven to 13 years, but in some cases longer. The international studies institute hires faculty at two levels. Senior faculty are hired as full professors with tenure. Junior faculty are hired to contracts that cannot exceed six years. Though it makes the rare exception for an extraordinary junior faculty member, SAIS generally does not promote from within to full professor.