| Author |
Message |
Dale W Spradling (Drtax)
Member
Username: Drtax
Post Number: 408
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, September 28, 2003 - 8:27 pm: | |
John, While your question is a good one, a proper answer takes longer than is justified. But let me make several points:
1. Academia is a closed union shop, and the PhD is the union card. This is why, in the majority of cases, a masters will doom you to adjunct status. Again, it's a long story, but there are various acrediting bodies that set the rules on qualifying for accreditation. Simply put, these rules normally demand a minimum number of PhDs per student. Neat huh? Built-in job security. The catch is that most schools will require you to go to school full-time for 2 years or so to get the PhD. Odds are that you will never make up for the earnings you lose while working on your doctorate.
2. Most people associate professors with teaching. (Imagine that!) Right or wrong, most schools reward professors for research, not teaching. So don't think about going into academia unless you like doing research.
3. Finally, the sad truth is that the tenure process can be very political. This politcal nature is made worse by the 7-year "up or out" rule imposed by the accrediting agencies. While I was successful in my academic career and, indeed, most new professors do get tenure, I was not comfortable with the behind kissing that is part of the process.
It's just like everything else in life. What appears to be life on easy street, it not always the case. So please talk to a lot of people and ask a lot of hard questions before taking this fork in the road.
Good luck. |
KCCK (Kenneth)
Member
Username: Kenneth
Post Number: 658
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, September 28, 2003 - 1:53 pm: | |
A number of my ex-trainees were professors or lecturers from universities before they joined me.
They are trying to cross over into the real life world. Think carefully before you choose an academic career for good.
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John Perry (Perryaviation)
Junior Member
Username: Perryaviation
Post Number: 72
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 10:34 am: | |
Thanks guys, If I decide to pursue this route I would like to lecture while working on a Phd. That seems to be what most of my profs were doing, I would like to either teach art, georgraphy, or psych. if I went psych. I would diffinately want to go doc, to open up the ave of a private practice also. decisions decisions.... |
Dr. Ken Lee (Kenster888)
Member
Username: Kenster888
Post Number: 308
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 7:32 am: | |
Mike, perhaps it might be different for other majors. In engineering, the MS degree can be earned in about 3 full-time semesters, or a year and a half. But a Ph.D. in general requires 3 or more years after the MS. That is a significant amount of commitment after the MS. Also nowadays Postdoc experience is essential for teaching.
The trend now is to hire only Ph.D.s even for basic lectures as most top universities want to brag about the percentage of their faculty with Ph.D.s.
I agree having a MS is enough for industry. But a Ph.D. gives you even more options down the road. A BS is not enough nowadays IMHO.
Goodluck with your studies. |
Mike Procopio (Pupz308)
Member
Username: Pupz308
Post Number: 538
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 24, 2003 - 11:00 pm: | |
Most schools have a fairly strong association of Professors and PhDs in their field, not Master's degrees. "Lecturers" and other basic university level class teaching positions, on the other hand, may have Master's degrees.
Typically, you associate teaching at the university level with a Ph.D., and practicing in industry or professionally with a master's.
Once you decide to go to grad school, and if you want to teach--the Ph.D. isn't terribly much more of a commitment than a master's.
I, too, am going back to school for a Ph.D. next fall--teaching is definitely an option.
--Mike
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Dr. Ken Lee (Kenster888)
Member
Username: Kenster888
Post Number: 306
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 24, 2003 - 5:37 pm: | |
I'm a Civil Engineering professor at Rutgers. I might be able to help you more if I know your area of study.
Goodluck. |
John Perry (Perryaviation)
Junior Member
Username: Perryaviation
Post Number: 70
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 24, 2003 - 10:35 am: | |
I just have some general questions, like; pay, time off, general job satisfaction. things like that, and how the job market is for profs.
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Augustine J. Staino (Azzuro328)
Member
Username: Azzuro328
Post Number: 436
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 24, 2003 - 10:32 am: | |
John,
I think Dr. Ken Lee is a professor here in NJ. You can find him in thread on the Morristown Show 9/21. |
Bruce Wellington (Bws88tr)
Advanced Member
Username: Bws88tr
Post Number: 2986
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 24, 2003 - 10:00 am: | |
I HAVE A PHD IN BATTERY DISTRIBUTORSHIP......... |
Pat Pasqualini (Enzo)
Intermediate Member
Username: Enzo
Post Number: 1048
Registered: 2-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 24, 2003 - 9:59 am: | |
What do you want to know? My father-in-law is one at University of Wisconsin and dean of the college of communication for the U |
John Perry (Perryaviation)
Junior Member
Username: Perryaviation
Post Number: 69
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 24, 2003 - 9:53 am: | |
I thinking of going to to school for a masters and was pondering this as a potential career possiblity.
any info ? |