carpinschi graduated in philosophy from alexandru ioan cuza university in june 1970. he started his academic career at this university immediately thereafter, as an assistant teaching marxist philosophy at the faculty of philology. he also became a member of the university senate in this year as representative of the association of students. he earned his phd in 1976 with a thesis on "sociology and political leadership". after the romanian revolution of 1989, carpinschi was lector in the chair of philosophy and sociology from 1989 to 1990, reader in the chair of sociology and politology from 1990 to 1991, and professor in the chair of politology since 1991. he was the head of this newly created chair from 1989 to 2001, year in which he was succeeded by petre dumitrescu. in 2012 he was appointed professor emeritus. carpinschi also had a prolific activity as a doctoral advisor.