The Dark Academy on Korriban

Within the Academy beyond being a Sith there are certain ranks or terms that are commonly used. Below are some basic definitions of terms of positions within the Academy.

Head Master: The Head Master is the head of the school and in many ways akin to a planetary governor, they are the final authority short of the Dark Council and are at the head of the school and the military detachment, though typically they assign a Head of Security for that role from the Imperial military. They can supersede the authority of any instructor and can pass a student on a whim if they so choose. They are appointed by the Dark Council and answer only to them. The Head Master is responsible for seeing to the curriculum and making sure the students are prepared to be Sith.

Instructor: Instructors are Sith that are responsible for different subject matter, be it combat, or studying the Force, or Sith Politics. There are many Instructors at the Academy on a variety of subjects; some like Combat instructors are often very busy while others dealing in more esoteric disciplines may only see a few students per class. They are always fully recognized Sith and usually at least a Lord but not always.

Overseer: Overseers are one part drill instructor and another part caretaker. They are not usually responsible for teaching any specific subject but instead are supposed to instill the Sith ideal and round out the education of a given student. Overseers are also usually assigned a bulk of students who they are responsible for weeding out the weak and unworthy. An Overseer is rarely a Lord, but it is a stepping stone towards that lofty position. Overseers have a great deal of power and many use it to favor the students they like and remove the ones they despise.

Aspirant or Acolyte: The official term is aspirant but acolyte gets used quite often by many Sith. This is the official title of a student training to be Sith. An aspirant or acolyte is responsible for learning and serving. Although not technically Sith, most outside the academy will treat them as Sith. Technically all aspirants are equal, in practice though nepotism and favoritism is rampant. In recent years that has been held in check but the old ways still hold for most Sith.