How do I get Started in a Professor Career?

Beginning a career as a professor necessitates years of education. A master’s degree is required at the very least for a college professor, and in most cases, a higher degree in the chosen field is required to earn the professor title. It’s most commonly a PhD, or Doctor of Philosophy, but it could also be an MD or a JD, or Juris Doctorate. People can start looking for jobs as professors once they have completed their highest degrees in their field.

The road to becoming a professor begins with a four-year or undergraduate degree, and students should aim for high grades in their majors and a high overall grade point average (GPA). Most doctoral programs will not accept students with a GPA of less than 3.0, and because programs are competitive, a higher GPA may be required to get into the most prestigious programs. Students may be required to take some standardized testing shortly before graduation. Medical students in the United States, for example, take the MCAT (medical college admission test), while many others take the GRE (graduate record examination test). Some students will need to take both the general and subject-specific GRE tests, though this is dependent on graduate school requirements.

It also helps to start getting recognized because graduate school can be competitive. Upper-division students frequently work on publishing or presenting papers at conferences. This would demonstrate to any university that a student is gaining competency and expertise and will be able to continue on to the graduate level with this course. Furthermore, attending conferences may imply close collaboration with current professors, which can result in glowing grad school recommendations.

Students can expect to spend at least three years in graduate school, and many students take around five years to complete their PhD program. Teaching or working in teaching assistance programs is a common option for students here. Students are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity because it allows them to gain teaching experience, which can then be listed on a resume for those interested in becoming professors. Teaching jobs frequently come with a stipend, which can help you pay off your student loans and reduce the amount you owe after graduation.

Some students begin their careers as professors while still in graduate school. It is sometimes possible to be offered a job after a stellar performance at school. Others will have to look elsewhere, but letters of recommendation attesting to their abilities and a growing list of publications in the field can certainly help.

Most graduates will not be able to find a job with a long-term commitment right away. Most students will start out as associate professors or even adjunct professors. Much depends on the competitiveness of the field, the person’s location, and the financial status of each available school.

It’s best to look for junior or associate professor jobs if people want to pursue a professor career that leads to tenure, which is essentially a job guarantee. People who want to get tenure must be excellent teachers and continue to publish; even with these qualities, getting tenure can take years. Because there is less emphasis on publication at junior and community colleges, it is sometimes easier to get tenure, but this means only teaching courses that are equivalent to the first two years of college instruction.