Korean Job Discussion Forums

[pkang0202]

I'm just curious as to the job title used. Are you Professors? Teachers? TA's? Professor assistants? English Teachers?

I met a person who taught at University with a MA degree and described themself as a "Professor". I always assumed that Professors needed a PHD. At my University, we had teachers teach classes without PHD's and they never referred to themselves as "Professor".

[kiwiana]

Back in the West a professor is more generally referred to as one who has the highest academic rank in a college or university.

In Korea 교수님 refers to academic teaching staff at a college or university who have completed master's or PhD degrees.

Therefore, as I have a master's in the field that I teach in, I feel comfortable referring to myself as 교수님, but not professor. I prefer to use the English word lecturer or instructor in English.

I don't agree with people who like to refer to themselves as professors if they simply work at a uni in Korea with a bachelor or master's degree.

[Snowkr]

I totally agree with the post above. I had a "prof" in the states who I later found out only had his M.A. Most of my classmates and I thought a lot less of him for insisting that we call him professor...

I also have an M.A. in the field and work here as a teacher trainer but I am not a professor and probably never will be as I have no plans to ever do anymore post grad work.

[pkang0202]

the person I met is only 28 and when asked about their job they said, "Oh, I"m a professor at a University." I said, "Really? What do you teach?" they said, "English."

I felt like the person was purposely using the title "professor" to get extra credibility that they lack in experience or degrees/certifications.

If that person is a professor, then I'm a genuine full time public school English teacher. Not a "teaching assistant".

[ajgeddes]

This seems to come up every couple months and some people seem to get so bothered by it.

Back home, if you taught at a university, you were a professor.

Here are some definitions from dictionary.com.

1. a teacher of the highest academic rank in a college or university, who has been awarded the title Professor in a particular branch of learning; a full professor: a professor of Spanish literature.
2. any teacher who has the rank of professor, associate professor, or assistant professor.
3. a teacher.



A college or university teacher who ranks above an associate professor.
A teacher or instructor.


noun
someone who is a member of the faculty at a college or university


professor2 [prəˈfesə] noun

(American) a university teacher



2. One who professed, or publicly teaches, any science or branch of learning; especially, an officer in a university, college, or other seminary, whose business it is to read lectures, or instruct students, in a particular branch of learning

[traxxe]

In America if you teach community college. even with an MA, you are a professor.

With an MA I consider myself on the lower rung of being a professor. I could teach community college in the states.

If someone asks me what I do I say I'm an English Professor. If they ask me in Korean I say a teacher because I don't know the word for a Professor.

My students all call me by my first name though. I use the States criteria as that is where I'm from. If you teach are qualified to teach at any university or college you are a professor.

[Hyeon Een]

In English I say "I work at a University" or "I teach at a University". My Korean title is 초빙교수 which is usually translated as "Visiting Professor". I'm fine with using it in Korean because it is the name of the position I've been hired for. It's what my contract says and the sign on my door.

However since I don't have a Phd I don't mention my official title in English unless someone presses me and asks what exactly my position at the University is. Even then I tend to soften it a bit by saying "My job title is 'visiting professor' but I just teach English classes" or something similar.

Oh when dealing with Korean 'authority' types like a manager at a bank or a cop or something I always make sure to say I'm a professor.. they treat me better then

[PRagic]

My friends in the States who teach with MAs at community colleges, and those who are ABD teaching as Adjuncts don't refer to themselves as 'professors'. When asked what they do, they say, 'I teach at a university.' The main reason for doing so is that it avoids embarrassment later on. "Oh, so where did you do your Ph.D.?" "Uh, well, actually....sigh."

People can call themselves whatever they want, and it's no bid deal. It's just that people working in academia will call them on it, and it's laughable. Sure, there are exceptions for certain diciplines, but for the most part, unless you have a doctorate and are working as at least an adjunct, you don't refer to yourself as a professor.

In Korea, students will often call any of their teachers 'professor', but usually not if they know that the teacher doens't have their Ph.D. They'll use the term 'Sunsangrim'. There are a lot of Koreans with Ph.D.s, for example, teaching on lecturer status, but they are called 'professor'.

Some schools afford their foreign faculty the term 'Chobing Kyosu' (Visiting Professor) as a catch all, but more and more, schools are getting more specific and providing the title, 'ChobingChumimKangSa' (Visiting Full-time Lecturer) to foreign staff without a Ph.D. The smaller universities may still provide the loftier term, but the bigger schools are having to make the changes as they hire on more and more foreign Ph.D.s. Turns out, the incoming Ph.D. holders are a bit taken aback when they find out they have the same title as someone with a BA who has no departmental responsibilities and doesn't have to publish.

The long and short of it is that people can call themselves whatever they want. Go for it. And who outside of academia will every really know or care? But the reality is that across most diciplines and at most colleges and universities, calling oneself a professor, or allowing oneself to be addressed as one, without having a doctorate is just laughable.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

In Korea I think that two titles, but no surname, generally works best for English - something like Professor Mister Christopher or Doctor Lecturer Mike.

[OiGirl]

"Part-time Lecturer"
Please call me Miss Oi.

[Rumple]

This has recently been covered here http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=126755&highlight=. Fairly parallel discussion.