So You Want to Be a College Professor? Quiz

Answer: Master's Degree

The master's degree is an advanced, post-baccalaureate degree awarded to students after completing an additional one-six years of graduate schooling. Some people pursue a Master's Degree because they want to work in academia. Others enroll in Masters programs to earn more money in their chosen fields, broaden their professional or personal horizons, to make themselves more marketable, and/or to change fields. For those who wish to teach at the college level, a Master's Degree is usually sufficient for teaching beginner courses.

Answer: All of these

Before landing the elusive teaching position many long for, hopefuls usually have to pay their dues. This might mean teaching at a community college (which some find to be a great experience) or teaching part-time for a four-year institution. Or, if one is lucky, he or she might be invited to assist a senior professor while completing requisite coursework.

Answer: A PhD

Unfortunately, excellent teaching skills, working well with others, and passion take a backseat to the PhD on one's resume. A PhD (or Doctor of Philosophy) is the highest academic degree awarded to students in the U.S. PhDs are earned in a university by students who conduct original research, complete two-six years of coursework, pass examinations, and, finally, write and defend a dissertation.

A PhD is a must in most fields if one wishes to hold a permanent job in academia. A major focus of the PhD holder is research, research, and more research.

Answer: Gaining full-time work at a college/university is highly competitive.

Ever heard of a person with a PhD.D in history who is now working for a local technology department? What about the PhD-holder who sells real estate? These scenarios are common. Many people go through all of the schooling, dreaming of teaching Elizabethan Literature or Criminology, only to find that there are few full-time jobs available and that the market is supremely competitive.

While the prospects for adjunct teachers is decent, getting the permanent job can be a grueling, long-awaited goal. Don't bother trying to become a professor because you think the money is pretty good and the job stability (once earned) is great. Unless you truly, absolutely love the subject you have decided to teach, and can't imagine doing anything else, this is not the field for you.

Answer: Publish or perish

Due to the competitive nature of tenure-track positions at the college level, most instructors and professors must consistently make themselves "stand out" amongst a group of highly talented individuals. One of the best ways to distinguish oneself is to publish scholarly articles in reputable academic or scientific journals. No, the average person will never read these articles.

However, the people who write the paychecks WILL!

Answer: Become involved in students' personal lives

One of the most surprising aspects for the first-year teacher is the sheer volume of work that must be graded--authentically, diligently, and on time. While the instructor must work frantically to return papers in a timely manner, he or she will inevitably be faced with students that do not complete work on time. Student excuses can be quite extraordinary ("There was a poisonous snake on my keyboard") and comical ("I thought today was tomorrow". Huh?) New professors, at least in the U.S., will also find themselves being uncomfortably observed by sour-faced seniors. The observation almost always takes place on the one day the newbie is not prepared.

Becoming involved in students' personal lives, however, is not expected. In fact, it is highly discouraged for a myriad of ethical reasons.

Answer: None of these

The college professor--armed with his/her in-depth knowledge of Eastern folklore or molecular biology--is usually shocked to find that students are sometimes just not interested in what is being taught. Students may disrupt the class (talking, sending texts, etc.), completely oblivious to the fact that Italian Renaissance Art is being discussed. Or, they can be outright disrespectful to the teacher: "Did I miss anything important on Monday?" The most difficult to battle, though, can be the apathetic student, whose eyes are glazed over as the instructor is explaining how to conjugate verbs in Spanish.

Answer: Propagate opinions held by department heads

Academics are required to do countless tedious tasks that have nothing to do what they were mainly hired for. However, the one advantage that college teachers have is that they are usually given a lot of intellectual freedom. That means that they do not have to say what they don't believe, or promulgate the ideas of others.

Answer: false

According to the National Education Association: "Tenure is simply a right to due process; it means that a college or university cannot fire a tenured professor without presenting evidence that the professor is incompetent or behaves unprofessionally or that an academic department needs to be closed or the school is in serious financial difficulty".

Answer: Unquestioned authority

There are pros and cons to all vocations, and teaching is no different. Flexible hours, summer sojourns, and nice benefits are perks that many college professors enjoy. However, unquestioned authority is not. Almost all instructors and professors undergo constant reviews and observations--from faculty and students! Even tenured professors are usually evaluated yearly.

In sum, if you are passionate about a specific subject, love to teach, and have the stamina to complete higher education--you COULD be a college professor.