What counts as a letter of recommendation from academic source?

[CS_SLP]

My applications all require two letters of recommendation from academic sources. What counts as an academic source? Anyone other than a professor?

[DRMF]

I don't recall seeing that phrase on any of my apps - but my naive understanding is that it includes professors who taught you + other instructors/lecturers who aren't real "professors". It's probably meant to be less restrictive and allow you to submit letters from someone who does not hold a professorship but knows you well in an academic setting.

Edited October 20, 2019 by DRMF
typo correction

[samman1994]

Some programs have certain specifications for who they'd like your letters to be from (i.e. they don't want letters from family or work). So when they say academia, it usually implies a letter from a faculty member (e.g. this could be a professor you took a class in, your PI, a collaborator, etc.).