An Academic Career

How to Become a Professor

Over the years, I have repeatedly met people who told me that they earned their livelihood by working in an area which they did not like. I know several lawyers who told me they became lawyers because they needed to do something to earn a paycheck . I met two MDs who left medicine because they hated the profession . One of these doctors earned a Ph.D. in mathematics and was happy to be a math professor, leaving a medical practice behind. The second MD I knew was one who had left the medical profession and told me that he quit his residency after he already had the MD degree. There are of course many others who sell things, run some business, or work in a factory or an office, and wish they could do something more satisfying.  Therefore I will now tell you how to become a professor. 

Keep in mind that professor is not a teaching job, despite the evidence that professors appear to be doing the same thing as high school teacher does.  The aspirant for a professor’s appointment must have earned a doctorate and must have demonstrated the ability to publish journal articles and books of an academic quality. 

Depending on the candidate’s interests, there are several doctorates available at most universities. The requirements to gain a doctorate are the same except for the M.D., the Doctor of Dental Medicine, the degree of Doctor of Law, and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. These professional degrees do not require a dissertation nor do they require the several examinations needed to earn an Ed.D. (Education), Ph.D. (Teacher of the Love of Wisdom), D. Sc. (Doctor of Science), D. Soc. Sc.(Doctor of Social Science), D. Music, Doctor of Nursing, etc.

Remember that all doctorates demand the same writings and examinations.

The most basic need the candidate for any doctorate must display is a B.Sc. or B.A. degree consisting of 120 credit hours of undergraduate work. The candidate for an advanced degree must have earned a B average, although I am told that some of the so called “party” schools allow any student to gain a Master’s degree. 

In a reputable university, the candidate for a graduate degree must pass the Graduate Record Examination. The Graduate Record Examination is a two day multiple choice examination. The candidate needs to display a score of at least 800 out of 1000 questions. This is accomplished in that the candidates B.A or B. Sc. average is multiplied. For example, a student earns a B average during his college career. The B average is changed from 3.0 to 300. Now assume the candidate has answered 50 questions correctly and is given 300 more, he then ha a score of 800, which is sufficient to pass the examination.

Now the candidate must pass a two language reading exam. The two languages are usually German and French. However, if the candidate expects to write a dissertation involving Italy or China, he must demonstrate the ability to read the languages of these countries.

Following the language exams, the candidate must take another 60 credits or two years of class lectures followed by a five question “preliminary examination.”  Here is an example of five questions answered by a candidate for a doctorate in education. 1. What was the influence of the philosopher John Dewey on American education? 2. Statistics. 3. Write an essay on early childhood education. 4. Describe education in a European country. 5. What was the method of education in ancient Greece?

If the candidate passes this or a similar examination, he may then write a dissertation of three hundred pages of ten chapters. Only those who passed the preliminary examination may write a dissertation. Dissertation is a French word meaning discussion.

In order to write a dissertation, the candidate needs to find at least three professors willing to be the dissertation committee. The chair of that committee becomes the dissertation advisor. The candidate now writes a proposal concerning his probable dissertation topic. If accepted by the committee he may proceed. If not accepted, he needs to make a different proposal. The issue is whether or not the proposal includes some new and heretofore not presented idea regarding the topic. I wrote a dissertation concerning the immigration of the European scholars to the United States during the Nazi era. I interviewed a number of scholars concerning their contributions to American scholarship and added numerous scholars by means of gaining access to the scholars’ biographies. 

As the candidate makes progress in writing his dissertation, his advisor reads each chapter and makes suggestions concerning addition and changes. On completion of the dissertation, the candidate defends his book by having any professor who wants to do so subject him to questions. Normally the defense results in acceptance of the dissertation and the granting of the degree. 

With the degree of doctor, the candidate can now be appointed as an assistant professor for one year. If during that year the new assistant demonstrates ability to teach and write at least one journal article, he is appointed to a three year term and then another three years. At the end of six years, the department decides whether or not to keep the assistant professor. This depends on the publications of the assistant. He would need at least six journal articles to be appointed an associate professor, giving him a lifetime tenure or a continuing appointment. 

The majority of professors remain associates with a lifetime appointment. Those who wish to be promoted to professor must write numerous books. For example, I wrote thirty books and therefore became a professor, receiving a number of achievement citations and much bigger salary. 

If this occupation interests you, get busy and learn English. It helps.

Best wishes, dear reader.

Shalom u'vracha.

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