<p>Also on the note about associate professors being tenured, yes typically assistant professor to associate professor is the jump to tenure.</p>
<p>However - beware of the terminology. Some departments use the word simply Associate, and use it differently from Associate PROFESSORS. For example, Harvard’s composition department annually brings in teachers and artists whom they call Associates of the Department. These are not Professor titles, or really are not any standardized titles outside of Harvard. Likewise, Columbia has a group of Music Associates any given year, and the University of California system has a title called Associate in Music, etc. Don’t confuse these titles with Associate Professors.</p>
<p>BTW, mamenyu, yes it is true that we often see many composers (or even performers, etc) hired for jobs requiring teaching theory. But then again, now we are talking about applied musicianship skills for undergrads again, right? Music theory, harmony, scales, aural training, etc. But for faculty positions that are actual Assist. Professor of Music Theory positions (Theory as an academic discipline, not as applied musicianship/skills), then no, PhD degrees in joint Composition/Theory will not be competitive as straight up PhDs in Theory in majority of job searches, since these job searches are typically looking for scholars, not applied skills people.</p>