A Comprehensive Step-By-Step Guide On How To Become A Professor

In colleges, universities, and other higher education institutions, professors are in charge of giving students further instruction and direction in particular fields. Even while being a professor can be rewarding, the requirements can be difficult to complete. You might benefit from setting educational goals that are appropriate for this career opportunity. In this post, we'll look at how to become a professor, what a professor does, what credentials you'll need, and what the future holds for academics in terms of professor jobs.

How to enter the academic world

The following actions could be useful for helping you become a college professor-

• Choose your area of expertise and obtain a bachelor's degree

Decide early if you want to work as a professor of business, technology, or the arts. Pass the 12th Higher Secondary Certification exam with a minimum combined score of 80–90%. This can make it easier for you to enroll in the bachelor's program of your choice. It is crucial to keep up a strong academic record and graduate with far higher than the minimal requirement of 50–55 percent overall marks.

• Master's degree program

Take the GATE exam, enlist in the master's program of your choice, and earn more than the minimum 50–55 percent aggregate grade required to pass. If you successfully complete the master's degree curriculum, you can be qualified to work as a lecturer or a demonstrator. Your work experience will probably help your professional progress.

• Succeed in challenging tests

After receiving a master's degree, you can sit for and pass the SET, NET, or CSIR NET examinations. The SET only makes you qualified for assistant professor positions in the state where you took the test, whereas the NET qualifies you for assistant professor positions at every college and university in the country. By taking the CSIR NET, you may be selected for a position as a lecturer or be awarded a junior research grant.

• Take doctorate courses

After that, you can join a doctoral program. If you hold a doctoral degree, you may be excluded from taking the competitive tests and may instead apply directly for a post as a college professor.

• Obtain relevant experience

To obtain expertise in the subject, you can think about focusing on a certain area and becoming licensed to practice. You can add to your teaching of the subject, for example, by getting your nursing license and gaining nursing experience. You might gain valuable expertise in teaching a subject by volunteering for a research job.

• Conduct academic research and publish it

To establish oneself as an authority on your subject, publish well-researched blogs, articles, and papers on your blog or website and make contributions to scholarly blogs, websites, magazines, and other publications. To progress from the job of assistant professor to associate professor, you must publish at least five excellent papers or books, and you must have at least ten publications in order to become a professor.

• Look for and apply for academic jobs

Search for employment opportunities on the websites of colleges and universities, online job boards, professional networking sites, and social media. It could be beneficial to alter your CV and cover letter with each job application. Additionally, practice answering the queries that recruiters are bound to ask when conducting job interviews.

What exactly does any professor do in their job?

A college professor may carry out the following activities-

1. Control the entrance of students to course programs.
2. Create lesson plans and course resources.
3. Examine and update the current teaching resources.
4. Instructing and supervising postgraduate and graduate students
5. Attend meetings of the department, the faculty, and the committee.
6. Speaking as a guest speaker at different schools and universities
7. To encourage learning opportunities, host public lectures in museums, community centers, and other public venues.
8. Conduct research, organize field trips, and look at particular subjects.
9. Create and distribute research reports, papers, books, and articles.
10. Make presentations at conferences and network with others.

What credentials are required to become a professor?

You must possess the following qualifications to work as a professor-

• Master's certificate

Any stream of study requires a master's degree with a strong academic record. If you are in a general category, you must have a minimum cumulative score of 55%, and if you are in a minority or protected group, you must have a minimum cumulative score of 50%.

• Successful exam result

You must have successfully completed one of the competitive exams listed below that have been authorized by the government.

• The National Testing Agency (NTA), a division of the University Grants Commission (UGC), administers the National Eligibility Test (NET) twice a year to choose lecturers for colleges and universities across the nation.
• The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is administered annually by the GATE committee. You can utilize the score to get admission to master's or doctorate programs, and it is good for three years.
• If you pass the SET, which is given by the NTA once a year in both English and local languages, you'll be eligible to work as a lecturer at a state-level institution or university.
• To approve candidates from various science domains for lecturer jobs or junior research fellowships, the NTA administers the national-level CSIR NET twice a year.

• The doctorate Degree

If you have a Ph.D. degree that you obtained through the ordinary route, you can become a professor without taking the competitive exams. This indicates that you participated in the viva voice and that your research thesis has been reviewed by at least two external examiners. 

• Teaching expertise and experience

A formal educational institution requires three to 14 years of mentoring and instructional experience. Possessing strong organizational, time-management, and problem-solving skills may also be advantageous.

• Scholarly work and publications

In order to demonstrate the breadth of your expertise and research, you must produce a number of peer-reviewed papers, articles, or books. Additionally, you must actively pursue and communicate the most recent advancements in your industry.