Quote:
Originally Posted by Farwest
Sometimes dry humour doesnt translate in text...apologies if I offended...never my intention
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Cool with it.
Re "Professor".... this is a working title for people usually in the academy and at the top of the tree so to speak with leadership roles in research, writing, management, administrative, supervision, grant acquisition etc. all of which I am now well and truly out of and THANK F****** GOD for that too.
The title Professor usually is not held permanently after one leaves such roles but some people hang onto it because I guess it gives them some measure of importance and relevance. It matters not to me. Sometimes a university may permit a person to maintain the Professor title and use it in association with the University name but this is extremely rare. Some may also be nominated as an Emeritus Professor for a short period after leaving a university.
The title "Doctor" on the other hand can be different.
The historical use of "Doctor" was by those who were medical doctors and this tradition goes back centuries. It was a self appointed title applied by the various medical and surgical colleges around the world. But doctors of medicine only have 2 undergraduate degrees, so the use of the title by such graduates is somewhat inflated. Nowadays, as dollars and prestige rules as driving forces in universities, you can now be titled Doctor if you are a toe cutter. I mean, really!!! Or an occupational therapist. This title is bestowed by a university faculty, or discipline or school and is relatively low grade on the list of university awards. The title, used in these senses is about as meaningful and useful as shit on toilet paper, in my opinion.
Now to the real title "Doctor". This is associated with the award by a University of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (abbreviated PhD).To earn this award you would normally have completed an undergraduate degree
and a Master Degree or their equivalents. To be awarded the Doctor of Philosophy degree, you must complete an entirely original research thesis that adds uniquely to the unique body of knowledge of the area you are researching.
The PhD thesis is assessed independently by at least 3 internationally acknowledged experts in the field external to the university (as it was in my time) which means that it is a very big deal to be awarded a doctorate. In my time only about 2% of a university's graduates in any one year would be awarded a PhD. It is now about 10% as every person and their dog can get one.... money and benchmarks speak in universities too, nowadays.
A big difference is that a PhD is awarded by and can only be awarded by, a University; that is, it is a University level award as opposed to one awarded at faculty or department or School level. The award is bestowed by University Council, the highest ruling body of a university and that is set up by the University's Act of Parliament which gives it the power to exist and be self regulating. A PhD, because of this Act of Parliament, is the only university title that lasts the lifetime of the recipient and that
legally entitles the recipient to always be referred to as Doctor. This is not the same as for other self nominated "doctors" who aren't really doctors in this most ancient academic sense of the word.
Boring I know
