Assistant Professor how to become an Assistant Professor
Although it does not have a title that makes one think of a well-educated individual, in order to be hired as an assistant professor at a university you must have an advanced degree. Most assistant professors hold a Ph.D and have the title of Doctor. However, a recent graduate of a Ph.D program would have very little chance of obtaining such a position because one of the requirements of the job is to have experience working in a post-doctoral fellowship. The name of the position has nothing to do with one’s education or abilities and mainly exists to differentiate between the various levels of pay scales for professors in a university setting.
Getting hired as an assistant professor does not mean that you have a permanent teaching job at the institution because it is not a position that carries tenure with it. It can, though, be a way of obtaining a tenure track position with promotion to the position of associate professor after you have served a probationary term of between three and eleven years. The chances of this happening are largely dependent on your performance and the availability of such positions in the faculty of which you are a part.
As a rule about half of those who start a career as an assistant professor do get promoted to associate professor being on a probationary contract for six years. The first contract for the position of assistant professor is for three years and is then renewed for further contracts of three-year periods. Universities do not have any obligation to renew the contract, but if your contract is not renewed, you can apply to another university for a new three-year probationary contract.
The job of assistant professor involves working with an associate professor. In addition to teaching classes, you will be expected to engage in research activities and write scholarly documents related to your field of expertise. This work is evaluated and is used to determine whether or not you will be eligible for contract renewal or a promotion. The work involved in teaching classes also includes working with the professor to plan for courses, prepare student handouts and act in an advisory capacity for students.
At a community college, you can be hired as an assistant professor with a Master’s degree in the specific discipline for which there is a need for professors. This usually applies to two-year programs offered by the colleges. But, those who have a doctoral degree are always given preferential treatment in being hired for the jobs that are available.
