PhDs and professors

studentphil

Looking for your wisdom of this.

I can not find any conformation of this anywhere online, but you do not need a PhD to hold a Professorship do you?

Gingernutmeg

It's highly unlikely that you'd be nominated for a professorship unless you've got a PhD ... It's also unlikely that you'd be in the kind of environment to become a professor unless you've got a PhD lol, although anything's possible ...

Lara44

I know some design professors at my college did not have phDs but I guess in practical subjects commercial experience counts a lot, no?

studentphil

Gingernutmeg wrote: »

It's highly unlikely that you'd be nominated for a professorship unless you've got a PhD ... It's also unlikely that you'd be in the kind of environment to become a professor unless you've got a PhD lol, although anything's possible ...

I am thinking more about older lecturers who were in post long before it was a must to have a PhD to be a Lecturer.

rubuhoeikanaika

In principle, no. In practice, yes.

A phd is just a degree, and a chair is just a job. And at the best universities, there is a long tradition of tutors without PhDs. For example, there were many Oxford philosophy tutors with just a BPhil (though note the BPhil is much more demanding than a run of the mill MA).

But, they are dying off, literally. These days, your need a DPhil to get onto the bottom rung, and a professorship is what one might aspire to. (but a professorship means rather more at Oxford that at most, especially American, universities).

rubuhoe

studentphil

LaraHoust wrote: »

I know some design professors at my college did not have phDs but I guess in practical subjects commercial experience counts a lot, no?

I know some teaching assistants in departments like design have HNDs and not even a full degree as commercial expeience is very important in those sorts of subjects as you say.

Gingernutmeg

studentphil wrote: »

I am thinking more about older lecturers who were in post long before it was a must to have a PhD to be a Lecturer.

Just thinking of my university, most of my lecturers are 'Dr' Somebody ... those that aren't are working towards their PhDs. There are very, very few professors though - I personally have been taught by one, and I know one lecturer who's just been nominated for a professorship. Both had PhDs beforehand. I suppose that it's different in more vocational subjects, like design, art etc (and I don't mean that in any kind of derogatory way) and practical experience can count, but certainly in my departments a PhD seems to be a 'standard' that's expected of all lecturers.

Need_More_Money_2

They could have another kind of doctorate such as an M.D. or D.Sc.

melancholly

it will depend on the department you're in - there has been much made in the press recently about Martin Amis being made Professor for Creative Writing in manchester - I don't think he has a phd but as an award winning writer, no-one would doubt his crudentials. I imagine that a similar situation could occur in business or law schools.

However, these are people who are very important in their area and they come into being a professor after a successful career elsewhere - there are also clearly subjects where it isn't an option. A professor has to of a certain standard of knowledge - and whether that's from years of experience of research in an academic setting or years of experience of a profession, it doesn't really matter. A phd leading to a lectureship is the more traditional route, and more likely for people to choose.

Incidentally, a professor in the US is anyone who teaches undergrad students and doesn't carry the same importance as a professor status in the UK (although that doesn't mean that there are professors in the US who are as good or better than ones over here, it just means that the label isn't used in a comparable way).

melancholly

just another thought - if you 'apply' for a chair's position, you would probably need a phd and experience of teaching etc - most people who come in from other professions would be approached about establishing a connection with a university.

studentphil

Need_More_Money wrote: »

They could have another kind of doctorate such as an M.D. or D.Sc.

Okay well professors without a doctorate.