What Degree Do You Need to Be a Professor
Practice yous dearest conducting research and engaging with students? Can y'all envision yourself working in academia? Then you're probably interested in learning how to become a college professor. What are the basic requirements for condign a college professor? What specific steps should you take in society to go i? In this guide, we get-go with an overview of professors, taking a close look at their bacon potential and employment growth charge per unit. We then get over the basic college professor requirements before giving you a step-by-step guide on how to get one. Feature Prototype: Georgia Southern/Flickr Before we swoop into our discussion of salaries and employment growth rates, it's of import to be aware of the incredible challenge of becoming a college professor. These days, it is unfortunately well known that the number of people qualified to be professors far outnumbers the availability of professor chore openings, which means that the chore market place is extremely competitive. Even if you do all the steps beneath, the chances of your actually becoming a college professor are slim—regardless of whether you want to teach in the humanities or sciences. Now that we've gone over the current status of the professor job market, allow's take a await at some hard figures for salary and employment growth rate. First, what is the salary potential for college professors? The answer to this question depends a lot on what type of professor y'all want to exist and what schoolhouse y'all end up working at. In general, though, hither'due south what you tin can expect to make as a professor. According to a contempo written report conducted by the American Association of University Professors, the average salaries for higher professors are every bit follows: Equally you can see, there's a pretty huge range in professors' salaries, with full professors typically making $40,000-$50,000 more per year than what associate and assistant professors brand. For offshoot professors (i.east., part-fourth dimension teachers), pay is especially dismal. Many offshoot professors accept to supplement their incomes with other jobs or even public assistance, such as Medicaid, simply to make ends meet. One study notes that adjuncts make less than minimum wage when taking into business relationship not-classroom work, including belongings part hours and grading papers. All in all, while it's possible to brand a half dozen-figure salary equally a college professor, this is rare, especially considering that 73% of college professors are off the tenure track. Now, what about employment rates for professor jobs? Co-ordinate to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the projected growth charge per unit for postsecondary teachers in the years 2020-2030 is 12%—that's iv% higher than the average rate of growth of 8%. That said, most of this employment growth volition be in part-time (adjunct) positions and not full-time ones. This means that most professor job openings will be those with the lowest salaries and lowest job security. In addition, this task growth will vary a lot past field (i.e., what you lot teach). The chart below shows the median salaries and projected growth rates for a diverseness of fields for higher professors (arranged alphabetically): Source: BLS.gov As this nautical chart indicates, depending on the field y'all want to teach in, your projected employment growth rate could range from 0% to as high as 21%. The fastest growing college professor field is health; past contrast, the slowest growing fields are social sciences, mathematical scientific discipline, atmospheric and earth sciences, computer science, and English language and literature. All of these are growing at a slower-than-average pace (less than 5%). Constabulary professors have the highest bacon, with a median income of $116,430. On the opposite end, the lowest-earning field is criminal justice and police force enforcement, whose professors make a median bacon of $63,560—that's over $50,000 less than what law professors make. In order to become a college professor, yous'll demand to have some bones qualifications. These can vary slightly amid schools and fields, just generally yous should await to need the following qualifications before you can become a higher professor. About teaching positions at iv-year colleges and universities require applicants to have a doctoral degree in the field they wish to teach in. For example, if you're interested in teaching economic science, you lot'd likely demand to get a PhD in economic science. Or if you're hoping to teach Japanese literature, yous'd get a PhD in a relevant field, such as Japanese studies, Japanese literature, or comparative literature. Doctoral programs usually take five to vii years and require you to have a bachelor's degree and a primary's degree. (Note, however, that many doctoral programs do allow you to earn your principal'southward along the way.) But is it possible to teach college-level classes without a doctoral degree? Yep—but only at certain schools and in certain fields. As the BLS notes, some community colleges and technical schools permit people with merely a primary'due south caste to teach classes; however, these positions can exist quite competitive, so if you've just got a principal's caste and are upwardly against applicants with doctorates, you'll likely have a lower chance of standing out and getting that job offer. In addition, some fields let those with merely primary's degrees teach classes. For example, for creative writing programs, you lot'd just need a Main of Fine Arts. Another huge plus for those looking to become professors is teaching feel. This means whatever feel with leading or instructing classes or students. Well-nigh college professors gain teaching experience as graduate students. In many main'southward and doctoral programs, students are encouraged (sometimes fifty-fifty required) to either lead or assistance with undergraduate classes. At some colleges, such as the Academy of Michigan, graduate students tin get part-time education jobs every bit Graduate Student Instructors (GSIs). For this position, you'll ordinarily teach undergraduate classes under the supervision of a full-time faculty member. Some other college-level instruction task is the Instruction Assistant or Teacher's Aide (TA). TAs assist the principal professor (a full-time kinesthesia fellow member) with diverse tasks, such equally grading papers, preparing materials and assignments, and leading smaller discussion-based classes. Depending on the field you want to teach in, you might have to obtain certification in something in improver to getting a doctoral degree. Here's what the BLS says virtually this: "Postsecondary teachers who prepare students for an occupation that requires a license, certification, or registration, may need to accept—or they may do good from having—the same credential. For instance, a postsecondary nursing teacher might need a nursing license or a postsecondary educational activity teacher might demand a pedagogy license." Generally speaking, you'll only need certification or a license of some sort if you lot're preparing to teach in a technical or vocational field, such as health, instruction, or bookkeeping. Moreover, while you lot don't usually need any teaching certification to exist able to teach at the college level, you lot will need it if yous desire to teach at the secondary level (i.e., middle school or high school). A high number of publications is vital to landing a job as a professor. Since full-time college-level teaching jobs are extremely competitive, it's strongly encouraged (read: basically required!) that prospective professors have equally many academic publications as possible. This is particularly important if you're hoping to secure a tenure-rails position, which past far offers the best job security for professors. Indeed, the famous maxim "publish or perish" clearly applies to both prospective professors and practicing professors. And it'south not merely that you'll need a few scholarly manufactures under your belt—yous'll also need to have large, well-received publications, such as books, if you want to exist a competitive candidate for tenure-rails teaching positions. Hither's what Stem professor Kirstie Ramsey has to say about the importance of publications and research when applying for tenure-rail jobs: "Many colleges and universities are going through a transition from a time when research was non that of import to a time when information technology is imperative. If you are at ane of these institutions and you were nether the impression that a sure amount of research would get yous tenure, y'all should not be surprised if the corporeality of inquiry you will need increases dramatically before yous actually get up for tenure. At first I thought that a couple of peer-reviewed articles would be plenty for tenure, especially since I do not teach at a research academy and I am in a discipline where many people do not get into academe. All the same, during my kickoff twelvemonth on the tenure track at my current establishment, I realized that only two manufactures would not let me to jump through the tenure hoop." To sum up, it's not just a doctorate and teaching experience that make a professor, merely also lots and lots of high-quality, groundbreaking research. Now that we've gone over the basic higher professor requirements, what specific steps should you take to become i? What do yous need to exercise in high schoolhouse? In college? In graduate school? Here, we introduce to you our step-past-step guide on how to become a college professor. We've divided the 19 steps into 4 parts: Information technology might sound strange to start your path to becoming a professor in high schoolhouse, but doing so will make the entire procedure go a lot more than smoothly for you lot. Here are the nearly important preliminary steps you can take while withal in high school. Although all high school students should aim for strong GPAs, because you lot're specifically going into the field of didactics, you'll demand to make certain y'all're giving a petty extra attention to your grades. Doing this proves that you lot're serious near not only your future but besides instruction as a whole—the very field you'll be entering! Furthermore, maintaining adept grades is of import for getting into a practiced college. Attending a adept college could, in turn, assistance you become into a more than prestigious graduate school and obtain a higher-paying pedagogy job. If you already accept an thought of what subject you'd like to teach, try to have as many classes in your field as possible. For instance, if you lot're a lover of English language, you might want to take a few electives in subjects such every bit journalism or artistic writing. Or if you're a science whiz, run across whether you can take extra science classes (beyond the required ones) in topics such as marine science, astronomy, or geology. Once again, be sure that you're getting high marks in your classes, particularly in the ones that are near relevant to the field you lot want to teach in. One piece of cake way of gaining teaching feel as a high school student is to get a tutor. Pick a field of study yous're stiff at—ideally, one you might want to eventually teach—and consider offering after-school or weekend tutoring services to your peers or other students in lower grades. Tutoring will not only help y'all decide whether teaching is a viable career path for you, merely it'll also await great on your higher applications as an extracurricular activity. Since you'll need to go to graduate schoolhouse to become a professor, it'll exist helpful if you lot can become into a nifty college. To do this, y'all'll need to accept an impressive Sabbatum/ACT score. Ideally, you'll take your showtime SAT or Deed around the outset of your junior twelvemonth. This should give you lot enough time to have the examination again in the leap, and peradventure a third fourth dimension during the summertime before or the fall of your senior year. The Sabbatum/ACT score you lot'll want to aim for depends heavily on which colleges you use to. For more tips on how to set a goal score, check out our guides to what a great SAT/ACT score is. Though it's cracking to attend a adept college, where you go doesn't actually matter likewise much—just every bit long as it offers an academic program in the (broad) field or topic you're thinking of didactics in. To go into the college of your pick, however, you'll still want to focus on putting together a peachy application, which volition generally include the following: Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to work on your applications and then y'all tin submit the best possible versions of them before your schools' deadlines. If you're aiming for the Ivy League or other similarly selective institutions, check out our good guide on how to get into Harvard, written by a real Harvard alum. Once you get into higher, what can you do to aid your chances of getting into a good grad school and becoming a college professor? Hither are the next steps to take. Perhaps the most disquisitional step is to determine what exactly you want to teach in the future—and then major in it (or a related field). For instance, if after taking some classes in calculator scientific discipline yous decide that yous really want to teach this subject, then go alee and declare it as your major. If you're still not sure what field you'll want to teach in, you lot tin always modify your major subsequently on or first declare your field of interest every bit a modest (then change it to a major if you wish). If the field y'all want to teach is not offered as a major or modest at your college, try to accept every bit many relevant classes equally possible. Although information technology's not always required for graduate school applicants to accept majored in the field they wish to study at the primary's or doctoral level, it's a strong plus in that it shows y'all've had ample experience with the bailiwick and will exist able to perform at a high level right off the bat. Since you're thinking of becoming a college professor, this is a great time to sit down and observe your professors to help you make up one's mind whether didactics at the postsecondary level is something you're truly interested in pursuing. In your classes, evaluate how your professors lecture and interact with students. What kinds of tools, worksheets, books, and/or technology do they utilize to effectively engage students? What sort of temper practice they create for the form? It's besides a good idea to look up your professors' experiences and backgrounds in their fields. What kinds of publications do they have to their proper name? Where did they get their primary's and doctoral degrees? Are they tenured or not? How long have they been teaching? If possible, I recommend coming together with a professor directly (ideally, i who's in the same field y'all want to teach in) to talk over a career in academia. Almost professors will exist happy to come across with y'all during their part hours to talk almost your career interests and offering communication. Doing all of this will requite you an inside await at what the job of professor actually entails and help you decide whether it'due south something you lot're passionate nigh. Because you lot'll demand to nourish graduate school afterward higher, it's important to maintain skilful grades as an undergraduate, especially in the field you wish to teach. This is necessary because most graduate programs require a minimum 3.0 undergraduate GPA for admission. Getting skillful grades also ensures that you'll have a more competitive application for grad schoolhouse, and indicates that yous take your instruction seriously and are passionate about learning. Aside from watching how your professors teach, it'due south imperative to form strong relationships with them outside of form, particularly with those who teach in the field y'all want to teach besides. Run across with professors during their function hours often. Consult them whenever you have questions about assignments, papers, projects, or your overall progress. Almost importantly, don't be afraid to talk to them virtually your future goals! You want to build a strong rapport with your professors, which is basically the same thing as networking. This way, you'll not only get a clearer idea of what a professor does, but you lot'll also guarantee yourself stronger, more cogent letters of recommendation for graduate school. This isn't an absolute necessity for undergraduates, simply it can certainly be helpful for your future. If possible, try to gain inquiry experience through your classes or extracurricular projects. For example, you could volunteer to assist a professor with research later on class or get a part-time job or internship as a research assistant. If neither selection works, consider submitting a senior thesis that involves a heavy amount of inquiry. Best case scenario, all of your inquiry volition amount to a publication (or two!) with your proper noun on it. That being said, don't fret too much about getting something published as an undergraduate. Most students don't publish anything in college still many go on to graduate school, some of whom become college professors. Rather, only wait at this as a time to go used to the idea of researching and writing about the results of your research. If you're hoping to attend graduate school immediately after college, you'll need to start working on your application by the fall of your senior year. I big part of your graduate school application volition exist GRE scores, which are required for many graduate programs. The GRE is an expensive test, then information technology'southward best if you lot tin become abroad with taking it just one time (though there's no impairment in taking information technology twice). Although the GRE isn't necessarily the most of import feature of your grad schoolhouse application, you want to make sure you're dedicating plenty time to it so that it's clear y'all're really prepare for grad school. Other parts of your grad school application will likely include the following: For more than tips on the GRE and applying to grad school, bank check out our GRE blog. Once you've finished college, it's fourth dimension to kickoff thinking about graduate school. I'm breaking this function into two sections: master's caste and doctorate. Annotation that although some doctoral programs offer a master's degree forth the way, others don't or prefer applicants who already have a chief's degree in the field. Once again, i of your highest priorities should exist to continue upward your grades so you can get into a great doctoral program once you finish your master's program. Even more important, many graduate programs require students to get at least Bs in all their classes, or else they might become kicked out of the program! So definitely focus on your grades. One swell fashion to use your graduate programme (besides taking classes!) is to become a Education Assistant, or TA, for an undergraduate grade. As a TA, yous will non just receive a wage but volition as well gain lots of firsthand experience as a teacher at the postsecondary level. Many TAs pb small discussion sections or labs entirely on their own, offering a user-friendly mode to ease into college-level teaching. TAs' duties typically involve some or all of the following: The but big negative with being a TA is the time commitment; therefore, be certain you're set and willing to dedicate yourself to this job without sacrificing your grades and academic pursuits. Primary's programs in the U.s.a. typically final effectually 2 years, giving you at to the lowest degree ane summer during your program. As a upshot, I strongly recommend using this summer to conduct some enquiry for your primary's thesis. This style you can get a caput start on your thesis and won't have to cram in all your research while also taking classes. What's more than, using this time to research will requite yous a cursory taste of what your summers might expect like every bit a professor, as college professors are often expected to perform research over their summer breaks. Many graduate programs offer summer fellowships to graduate students who are hoping to study or bear research (in or exterior the U.s.). My communication? Apply for every bit many fellowships as possible so y'all can give yourself the best hazard of getting enough money to support your academic plans. Even if your program doesn't require a thesis, y'all'll definitely desire to write ane so you tin can have proof that you're experienced with high-level research. This type of research could help your chances of getting into a doctoral program by emphasizing your commitment to the field you're studying. It will also provide you with tools and experiences that are necessary for doing well in a doctoral programme and somewhen writing a dissertation. This step has 2 options depending on which path you'd rather take. If you really want to teach at a four-year college or academy, then yous must continue on toward a doctorate. The application requirements for doctoral programs are similar to those for master's programs. Read our guide for more than information virtually grad school application requirements. On the other hand, if you've decided that you don't desire to go a doctorate and would be happy to teach classes at a community college or technical school, it's time to apply for teaching jobs. To start your job hunt, meet with some of your current or past professors who teach in the field in which you'll also be education and run into whether they know of any job openings at nearby community colleges or technical schools. You lot might too exist able to utilise some professors as references for your task applications (merely be sure to inquire them earlier y'all write downwards their names!). If you can't meet with your professors or would rather look for jobs on your ain, attempt browsing the career pages on college websites or looking upwardly teaching jobs on the search engine HigherEdJobs. The concluding part of the procedure (for becoming a college professor at a four-year establishment) is to get your doctoral degree in the field yous wish to teach. Here'south what you lot'll need to do during your doctoral program to ensure y'all take the best take chances of becoming a college professor once you graduate. This is the fourth dimension to actually focus on edifice strong relationships with professors—not just with those whose classes y'all've taken but also with those who visit the campus to give talks, hold seminars, nourish conferences, etc. This will give you a wider network of people you know who work in academia, which will (hopefully) make it a trivial easier for yous to later state a job as a professor. Brand sure to maintain a particularly strong human relationship with your doctoral advisor. Later all, this is the professor with whom y'all'll work the about closely during your time as a doctoral educatee and candidate. Be open with your advisor: ask her for advice, meet with her often, and cheque that you're making satisfactory progress toward both your doctorate and your career goals. This is also the time to starting time getting serious nigh publishing your research. Remember, information technology's a huge challenge to notice a job every bit a full-time professor, specially if all you lot have is a PhD but no major publications. And so be sure to focus on not only producing a keen dissertation but as well contributing to essays and other research projects. Every bit an commodity in The Conversation notes, "By far the best predictor of long-term publication success is your early on publication record—in other words, the number of papers y'all've published past the fourth dimension you receive your PhD. Information technology really is outset in, best dressed: those students who start publishing sooner normally take more papers by the fourth dimension they terminate their PhD than practise those who start publishing afterward." I suggest asking your counselor for advice on how to piece of work on getting some of your research published if y'all're not sure where to start. You'll spend about of your doctoral programme working on your dissertation—the culmination of your research. In gild to eventually stand out from other chore applicants, it's critical to come up up with a highly unique dissertation. Doing this indicates that y'all're driven to conduct innovative research and make new discoveries in your field of focus. You might also consider eventually expanding your dissertation into a total-length volume. Once yous've obtained your doctorate, it's time to commencement applying for higher-level teaching jobs! One option you have is to use for postdoctoral (postdoc) positions. A postdoc is someone who has a doctorate and who temporarily engages in "mentored scholarship and/or scholarly preparation." Postdocs are employed on a short-term basis at a college or university to assistance them gain further research and teaching feel. While you can theoretically skip the postdoc position and swoop straight into applying for long-term teaching jobs, many professors take found that their postdoc work helped them build up their resumes/CVs before they went on to utilise for total teaching positions at colleges. In an commodity for The Muse, Banana Professor Johanna Greeson at Penn writes the following about her postdoc experience: "Although I didn't desire to practice a post-medico, it bought me some time and allowed me to farther build my CV and professional identity. I went on the market a second time following the first year of my ii-yr mail service-doc and was so in an fifty-fifty stronger position than the offset time." One time you've completed your postdoc position, you tin can start applying for total-fourth dimension faculty jobs at colleges and universities. And what'due south great is that you'll probable have a far stronger CV/resume than yous had correct out of your doctoral program. Becoming a higher professor takes years of hard piece of work, but it's certainly doable as long as you lot know what you'll need to do in order to prepare for the position and increase your chances of securing a job as a professor. Overall, information technology'southward extremely hard to become a professor. Nowadays, there are many more qualified applicants than at that place are full-fourth dimension, college-level teaching positions, making tenure-runway jobs in detail highly competitive. Although the employment growth rate for professors is a high xi%, this doesn't mean that it'll be easy to land a job every bit a professor. Additionally, salaries for professors can vary a lot depending on the field you teach in and the institution you work at; you could make as little as minimum wage (every bit an adjunct/office-fourth dimension professor) or as much as $100,000 or higher (as a total professor). For those interested in becoming a professor, the basic college professor requirements are as follows: In terms of the steps needed for becoming a higher professor, I volition list those again briefly here. Experience free to click on any steps you'd similar to reread! Skilful luck with your future teaching career! Because other career paths besides didactics? So check out our in-depth guides to how to become a doctor and how to become a lawyer. No matter what job (or jobs!) you finish upwards choosing, yous'll likely need a bachelor'due south degree—ideally, one from a neat school. Get tips on how to submit a memorable college awarding, and learn how to get into Harvard and other Ivy League schools with our skillful guide. Need help finding jobs? Accept a look at our picks for the best job search websites to become started. Want to improve your Sat score by 160 points or your Deed score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test well-nigh the top five strategies you must be using to take a shot at improving your score. Download it for free at present: 
Becoming a College Professor: Salary and Job Outlook
Bacon Potential for Professors
Employment Rates for Professors
Type of Professor Median Salary (2020) Employment Growth Rate (2020-2030) Agricultural Sciences $xc,340 ii% Anthropology and Archaeology $89,220 iv% Architecture $90,880 5% Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies $78,840 5% Art, Drama, and Music $69,690 6% Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Infinite Sciences $94,520 2% Biological Science $85,600 9% Business concern $88,010 12% Chemistry $80,400 four% Communications $71,030 three% Computer Scientific discipline $85,540 3% Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement $63,560 7% Economics $107,260 5% Education $65,440 5% Engineering $103,600 9% English language Language and Literature $69,000 2% Ecology Science $84,740 4% Foreign Language and Literature $69,990 6% Forestry and Conservation Science $87,400 two% Geography $82,330 3% Health Specialties $99,090 21% History $76,890 4% Constabulary $116,430 seven% Library Science $71,580 3% Mathematical Science $73,650 one% Nursing $75,470 18% Philosophy and Religion $76,160 7% Physics $xc,400 4% Political Science $85,760 5% Psychology $78,180 ix% Social Sciences $69,340 0% Social Work $71,570 half-dozen% Sociology $75,610 iv% 
University of Minnesota Duluth/Flickr College Professor Requirements and Bones Qualifications
#1: Doctoral Degree in the Field You Want to Teach In
#2: Pedagogy Experience
#three: Professional person Certification (Depending on Field)
#4: Publications and Prominent Academic Presence
How to Go a Professor: 19-Step Guide
Part i: High Schoolhouse
Step 1: Proceed Up Your Grades
Step two: Tutor in Your Spare Time
Tutoring other students can help you determine whether you savor educational activity. (NEC Corporation of America/Flickr) Step iii: Go a Loftier Sat/Deed Score
Step 4: Submit Impressive Higher Applications
Office ii: College
Pace five: Declare a Major in the Field Yous Want to Teach
Step 6: Discover Your Professors in Action
Step 7: Maintain Proficient Grades
E'er aim loftier! Stride 8: Get to Know Your Professors
Step 9: Gain Research and/or Publication Experience
Step 10: Take the GRE and Utilize to Grad School
Function iii: Graduate School (Primary's Degree)
Step 11: Continue to Keep Upwards Your Grades
Step 12: Become a TA
Becoming a TA tin can teach yous a lot about ... teaching. (Middle for Pedagogy Vanderbilt Academy/Flickr) Step 13: Research Over the Summer
Step 14: Write a Master's Thesis
Footstep xv: Apply to Doctoral Programs OR Apply for Didactics Jobs
Function 4: Graduate School (Doctorate)
Step 16: Build Strong Relationships With Professors
Don't exist agape to go to your professor'southward office and have a chat! (Georgia Southern University, Armstrong Campus/Flickr) Step 17: Work On Getting Your Enquiry Published
Step xviii: Write a Groundbreaking Dissertation
Footstep 19: Apply for Postdoc/Teaching Positions
Decision: How to Become a College Professor
Part 2: College
Office 3: Graduate School (Master's Caste)
Part 4: Graduate School (Doctorate)
What's Next?
Hannah received her MA in Japanese Studies from the University of Michigan and holds a bachelor's degree from the Academy of Southern California. From 2013 to 2015, she taught English in Japan via the JET Program. She is passionate near instruction, writing, and travel.
Source: https://blog.prepscholar.com/how-to-become-a-college-professor-requirements
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