Korean Job Discussion Forums

[zappadelta]

I always thought 'professor' was the name of a job, similar to teacher, pilot, or farmer.
But, recently I have seen people going by 'Professor Jones'. So, what is it? Or could it be both?

[The Cosmic Hum]

[zappadelta]

It's recent to me, I haven't heard that until the last few weeks.

For me, I always knew it as the name of a job, not a title. If someone was a pilot, I would call them Captain Smith. If someone was a teacher, Mr./Mrs Smith. If someone was a professor, Dr. Smith.
I would never say Pilot Smith or Teacher Smith, so why is it Professor Smith?

[jinks]

Most people in an academic faculty have PhDs, so in NZ the title 'professor' is used for the department head. There are usually three professors in a department; the boss, the old boss (emeritus) and the next boss (assistant)

[Kimsmith]

It depends on the country:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professor

[hajima 99]

[zappadelta]

[vaticanhotline]

Both here and in the States (so far as I can tell), the title of "Professor" is for anyone who teaches at a University. This is the case even if you don't have a PhD. I had a friend who taught in a University in the States for a few months as part of a Fulbright Scholarship, and she was referred to as "Professor", although at the time, she was two years away from completing her thesis. In Europe, or at least Ireland and the UK, the title of "Professor" is reserved for those who are awarded the title-the academic equivalent of a bishopric. Anyone who has a PhD is referred to as "Doctor". Everyone else, including the postgrads who teach but haven't finished their theses, are the scum of the earth and are referred to by their first names, if, that is, the lords of the toilet paper castles that are English Departments deign to even acknowledge their presence.