There is the list of best degrees to obtain to become a professor either as a graduate or as an assistant lecturer in universities across the states. On the academic ladder when it comes to the identification of lecturing ranks, the professorship position is highly regarded and esteemed among other professional jobs in the same scheme and setting.
A college professor is among the top 10 highest-paying careers in education.
Just like it obtain in every field of human profession and venture, there are always steps to take and stages to climb before one gets higher and closer to the zenith. In academics particularly, students must understand that there are few certificates which must be pursued and earned if they must reach their desired position.
Ascribed to each academic level is a number of years and experiences which are involved in the qualification for the next step. In addition to this, it should be understood that a certain amount of excellence must be attained. For example: an undergraduate who dreams to advance his academic career is expected to have at least a 2.1 grade which is actually dependent on his kind of field or course of study.
To teach at an institution of higher learning, you need an advanced education. Some schools and positions require professors to hold doctoral degrees. A Ph.D., or Doctor of Philosophy, is the most common, but there are also several other research-based and professional doctoral degrees for a graduate of specific fields. While rare, some institutions require only that professors hold a master’s degree in the subject they teach or a closely related subject.
If you are then aspiring for the position of a professor, here are the best degrees to obtain to become a professor who is responsible for providing high-level education and guidance in specific streams to students in colleges, universities and other institutions of higher learning in any school in the world:
1. Earn a Bachelor’s Degree
Decide early on if you want to become a professor in the arts, commerce or science stream and pass your 12th Higher Secondary Certification exam with at least 80-90% aggregate marks. This may help you enroll in a bachelor’s degree programme of your choice. It is essential to maintain a high academic record and complete your graduation well above the minimum requirement of 50-55% aggregate marks.
2. Enroll for a Master’s Degree
Take the GATE exam, enroll in a master’s degree programme of your choice and complete it with more than the minimum requirement of 50-55% aggregate marks. By clearing the master’s degree programme with a good score, you may be eligible to work as a lecturer or a demonstrator. The work experience is likely to help you advance in your career.
Read Also: Duration to Become a Professor in Nigeria
3. Try Competitive Professional Courses
After getting a master’s degree, you can appear for and pass the NET, the SET or the CSIR NET competitive exams. The NET makes you eligible for assistant professor jobs in every college and university throughout the country, but the SET only gives you eligibility for assistant professor jobs within the state you cleared the exam. By taking the CSIR NET, you may be selected for a lecturer position or get a junior research fellowship.
4. Pursue Doctoral Degree and Teach
You can enroll in a doctoral degree programme. Having a doctoral degree can exempt you from appearing for the competitive exams, and you can directly apply for a college professor position. You can also gain teaching experience while still completing your education by tutoring children or adults, working as a student instructor or holding a part-time teaching position. Volunteering for a research role might also give you helpful experience for teaching a subject.
5. Terminal Degree
In law, the terminal degree is the Juris Doctor or the Doctor of Jurisprudence. It, like the MD for the medical doctor, is unusual in that you directly from a bachelor’s degree program to a doctoral-level program. There is no need for a master’s program between the bachelor’s and doctoral levels, as there would be for those who pursue the Ph.D. path.
In Conclusion
Aspirant must write well-researched blogs, articles and papers on your blog or website and contribute to academic blogs, websites, magazines and other publications to establish yourself as an authority in your field. It is essential to publish at least five high-quality papers or books to advance from an assistant professor post to associate professor and have at least ten research publications to qualify from associate professor to professor.
