Becoming a college professor is a demanding career path that merges a deep passion for a specific subject with the desire to teach, research, and mentor. It requires years of dedicated study and the development of a unique professional profile. While the journey is long, it offers a rewarding professional life for those committed to advancing knowledge and educating future generations.
Meeting the Educational Requirements
For those aspiring to teach at four-year colleges and universities, the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) is the standard and required terminal degree. A Ph.D. program takes five to seven years to complete and is intensely focused on a specialized area of study. A central component of this degree is the dissertation, a substantial work of original research that demonstrates an individual’s capacity to contribute new knowledge to their field. This credential signals a candidate’s training in rigorous research and scholarly analysis.
A master’s degree can be sufficient in certain contexts. Community colleges, for instance, hire instructors who hold a master’s degree. In some professional or vocational fields, such as fine arts, business, or journalism, a master’s degree like a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) or a Master of Business Administration (MBA) may be considered the terminal degree. However, even in these areas, competition for positions can be high, and institutions may favor candidates with a doctorate.
For some specialized professional schools, the required degree is a professional doctorate rather than a Ph.D. Law schools, for example, require professors to hold a Juris Doctor (J.D.), and medical schools require a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.). In these fields, extensive practical experience is as important as the academic credential itself.
Gaining Essential Experience
A primary experience aspiring professors must gain is research and its subsequent publication. Publication in peer-reviewed academic journals validates the quality and originality of a scholar’s work.
Teaching experience is another component of the academic profile. Graduate students gain this experience by working as a teaching assistant (TA). In this role, they might lead discussion sections, grade assignments, or assist a professor with a large lecture course. Some graduate programs offer opportunities for students to become the instructor of record, meaning they have full responsibility for designing and teaching their own course. This hands-on experience helps develop pedagogical skills and a teaching portfolio.
Presenting research at academic conferences is also a standard part of professional development. Conferences provide a forum to share findings, receive feedback from other scholars, and network with peers and senior academics in the field. A record of conference presentations is expected for a competitive curriculum vitae (CV).
Developing Key Professor Skills
Advanced communication and public speaking abilities are necessary, as professors must be able to convey complex information clearly and engagingly to students. They also need to be adept at leading classroom discussions and providing constructive feedback to students on their work.
Professors must also cultivate strong scholarly writing skills. This writing style is precise, evidence-based, and structured to contribute to an academic conversation. This skill is used for publishing research and writing grant proposals to fund future projects.
Professors must also be skilled in curriculum development. This involves designing courses, creating syllabi, selecting reading materials, and developing assignments and assessments that meet specific learning objectives. This requires structuring a course to guide students through the material logically.
Time management and mentorship are two other abilities faculty members rely on. A professor’s responsibilities are divided among teaching, research, and service to the university, and balancing these demands requires strong organizational skills. Mentoring students is a part of the role that involves guiding the next generation of scholars.
Navigating the Academic Job Application
The academic job application is a structured process requiring specific documents. The primary document is the Curriculum Vitae (CV), which is a comprehensive record of a scholar’s academic and professional life. Unlike a resume, a CV can be many pages long and includes detailed lists of educational qualifications, publications, conference presentations, teaching experience, awards, and any grants received.
Accompanying the CV is a cover letter tailored to the specific position and institution. This letter serves as an introduction, highlighting the applicant’s most relevant qualifications and explaining how their research and teaching interests align with the department’s focus. It provides a narrative connecting the components of the application package.
Most applications also require other specialized documents, including:
- A statement of teaching philosophy that outlines an applicant’s approach to pedagogy, often including specific examples from their classroom experience.
- A research statement that details the applicant’s past research projects and lays out a clear plan for future scholarly work.
- Three to five confidential letters of recommendation from established professors who can speak to their abilities and potential.
The process culminates in an interview, which includes a campus visit and a “job talk,” where the candidate presents their research to the department’s faculty and students.
Understanding Different Professor Roles
The academic profession includes various roles with different responsibilities. The most sought-after positions are tenure-track, which are full-time roles with a path toward receiving tenure, a form of permanent job security that protects academic freedom. Tenure-track professors, such as assistant and associate professors, are expected to excel in research, teaching, and service to the university.
Another common role is that of a lecturer or instructor. These are full-time, non-tenure-track positions focused on teaching. While lecturers are still expected to be experts in their field, they have a higher teaching load and fewer research obligations than their tenure-track colleagues. These positions are common in fields requiring foundational instruction, like writing or foreign languages.
Finally, many institutions rely on adjunct or part-time faculty to teach courses on a semester-by-semester basis. Adjuncts are hired on temporary contracts and are paid per course, often without benefits or job security. They may be academics building their teaching experience or professionals from other industries who bring real-world expertise to the classroom. This role focuses almost exclusively on teaching and does not involve research or service commitments.