Bruce Macfarlane, the author of Intellectual Leadership in Higher Education, describes ‘professor’ as ‘a slippery term’. That’s because in the UK it means something quite different from what it denotes in North America. In North America ‘professor’ and ‘professorship’ are generic labels applied to all academics employed to research and teach in universities. In the UK, much of Europe (and, for the most part, in Australasia and South Africa), ‘professorship’ denotes distinction: a professor is someone who has been promoted to the highest academic grade – usually on the basis of her or his scholarly achievements. It’s the equivalent to what, in North America, is known as full professorship.
Some people are unclear about how someone known as ‘Dr’ is different from someone whose title is ‘Professor’. ‘Dr’ denotes someone who has studied for, and been awarded, a PhD, so it denotes an academic qualification: the holder of the highest university degree. It’s the equivalent of writing ‘PhD’ after someone’s name. Most professors will be PhD-holders, but so will be many – if not most – other academics employed as university teachers and researchers. ‘Professor’ doesn’t denote a qualification but an academic staff grade – the most senior one. So, in the UK, an academic whose title is ‘Dr’ is someone who’s got a PhD, but hasn’t been promoted to the highest academic grade, while an academic whose title is ‘Professor’ is someone who probably (but not necessarily) has a PhD, but who has been promoted to the highest grade on the university pay scale. Professorship therefore denotes seniority and status. If we make a comparison with medical doctors working in a hospital, all will have medical degrees, but they are employed at different levels of seniority, with consultants being the most senior doctors. We may think of professors as the equivalent of hospital consultants.
On this website the UK interpretation of ‘professor’, ‘professorship’ and the ‘professoriate’ apply.
Main academic grades in the UK, shown alongside the North American equivalents (* some universities do not use the reader grade).
This diagram represents the core grading system used in most UK universities. Some UK universities have adopted North American nomenclature, but in such contexts the title ‘professor’ remains reserved, for the most part, to denoting only the most senior grade; associate and assistant professors tend not to be referred to or addressed as professors.
Academic grading systems used in the UK’s post-1992 university sector may include additional grades, such as principal lecturer.
How do people get to be professors?
In several European countries – such as France, Germany and, more recently, Italy – an academic who wishes to be promoted to a professorship must first write a lengthy academic document that indicates what contribution s/he has made to knowledge, through her or his research. The document is similar in length and nature to a PhD thesis, and its quality is judged by a panel of professors who are experts in the applicant’s research field. This process of seeking approval from the academic community of one’s academic credentials for professorship is called habilitation. If the panel judges the academic to be worthy of professorship, s/he is then eligible to apply for vacant professorships, but is not guaranteed to be appointed to one.
In the UK promotion to professorship doesn’t depend upon habilitation. Each university has its own policy on promotions at any level, and decides whom it promotes or appoints to professorship, against its own criteria, and academics who wish to be considered for promotion must submit an application that indicates how they meet the university’s criteria. A different route to professorship in the UK involves academics simply applying for any vacant professorships that are advertised, and undergoing the selection process.
What proportion of university academics are professors?
In the UK, around one in ten university academics is a professor. Data provided by the UK’s Higher Education Statistics Agency numbers professors employed in UK higher education institutions in 2015-2016 at 19,975, representing 9.9% of all academic staff. The UK-based professoriate suffers from gender imbalance; of the 19,970 academics who, in 2015-16 were categorised by their institutions as professors, only 4,775 are recorded as female.
FAQs
Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes". Professors are usually experts in their field and teachers of the highest rank. In most systems of academic ranks, "professor" as an unqualified title refers only to the most senior academic position, sometimes informally known as "full professor".
What is a history professor? ›
A history professor teaches history to students at a college or university and conducts research on the subject. As a history professor, you prepare lessons for each class you teach and provide engaging instruction on the subjects your students must learn.
What is a professorship? ›
In North America 'professor' and 'professorship' are generic labels applied to all academics employed to research and teach in universities.
What is it like to be a history professor? ›
Besides their teaching responsibilities, history professors also may conduct research on historical topics and publish academic articles and books. Typical duties of a history professor can include: Preparing lesson plans and a syllabus. Grading tests and essays and evaluating student progress.
What is the Latin origin of the word professor? ›
The word professor comes from the latin prefix pro-, meaning forth or forward, and frateri, meaning acknowledge or confess. In academic life, a professor is simply a teacher, ostensibly one who professes a certain opinion.
Who is the oldest professor in the world? ›
The world's oldest professor, famed biochemist and founder of the China Anti-aging Bio-chemical Studies program, Zheng Ji celebrated his 109th birthday on May 6 at Nanjing University, with more than 200 guests from all over the world.
Are you a professor without a PhD? ›
Many two-year schools only require instructors to have their master's degree for teaching introductory courses, while some four-year institutions accept these types of instructors on a part-time basis. However, most four-year institutions require a research or professional doctorate in the field you intend to teach.
What types of history professors are there? ›
Top Types Of History Professor Jobs
- High School History Teacher. Salary range: $46,500-$65,500 per year. ...
- History Teacher. Salary range: $47,000-$65,000 per year. ...
- History Lecturer. Salary range: $52,000-$73,500 per year. ...
- Private School History Teacher. ...
- Public History. ...
- History Research. ...
- Ancient History Professor. ...
- History Major.
Hopeful professors must continue their education with a graduate degree. Generally, those who want to work as professors at community colleges are required to earn a master's degree, while those who want to teach at four-year colleges and universities should earn a doctorate.
What is a full professorship? ›
Full professor is the highest rank that a professor can achieve (other than in a named position) and is seldom achieved before a person reaches their mid-40s. The rank of full professor carries additional administrative responsibilities associated with membership on committees that are restricted to full professors.
The first professorships (or chairs) in England were founded by Lady Margaret Beaufort, mother of King Henry VII. Around the turn of the fifteenth century she endowed two chairs in divinity – one at the University of Oxford and one at the University of Cambridge - each known as the Lady Margaret professorship.
What makes you a professor? ›
A professor is a postsecondary educator at the college or university level, who may hold a PhD (or EdD in schools and colleges of education) in a specialized academic field and whose teaching and research are focused on that subject area.
Can you become a history professor without a PhD? ›
Teaching History in College
College teaching does not require teacher certification, but it does require an advanced degree in history. If you are interested in teaching at the junior college level, the minimum qualifications are an MA in history. Some junior colleges prefer applicants with a Ph.
How long does it take to become a professor in history? ›
For professors in 4-year colleges and universities, the minimum required education is typically a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph. D.) degree, according to the BLS. The number of years it takes to earn a doctorate can vary, but a range of 3-5 years is typical.
Is it worth becoming a history teacher? ›
History teachers work in a job field with a fairly high rate of job stability. Schools and school districts usually maintain similar student population levels, which means that there's usually a consistent need for teachers. Many teachers work for decades at the same school or educational facility.
Who is the history of the professor at Hogwarts? ›
Professor Binns taught History of Magic at Hogwarts until the moment he died, slumped at his desk. Not to be perturbed by his sudden demise, Professor Binns continued to teach as a ghost, boring students about various Goblin rebellions and Giant wars long into his afterlife.
Who can be called a professor? ›
A professor is a postsecondary educator at the college or university level, who may hold a PhD (or EdD in schools and colleges of education) in a specialized academic field and whose teaching and research are focused on that subject area.
Is a PhD the same as a professor? ›
Students use the term "professor" as an honorary title to describe the teacher, but colleges and universities typically use the title for instructors with the highest standing at the school. Professors typically hold a doctor of philosophy degree, or Ph. D. Your professor can be a Ph.
Do I need a PhD to be a professor? ›
Many two-year schools only require instructors to have their master's degree for teaching introductory courses, while some four-year institutions accept these types of instructors on a part-time basis. However, most four-year institutions require a research or professional doctorate in the field you intend to teach.
