How to Be an English Professor

A career as an English professor is one of the most time and toil intensive careers in education. Not only must one secure a PhD, but pressures to write and publish are intense. However, a few steps can help you navigate your way to a career as an English professor.

Instructions

1. Enter a PhD program. Generally, a student must study for three to six years, pass an oral comprehensive examination and write a dissertation in order to complete a PhD. While it is an intense regimen, the PhD is required to prepare students for a career in academia and the life of a professor.

2. Publish your work. The old saying, "publish or perish," is a hard and fast rule in academia. PhD students are generally expected to publish in academic journals in order to secure a tenure track position as an English professor.

3. Present your work at conferences because they compliment publishing. Conference presentations are generally the first step toward publication because many students present their work as a way to get feedback from other academic professionals.

4. Teach courses in composition and your subject area. Teaching is generally a mandatory part of a PhD program if a student is full-time and a graduate assistant. While most students begin by teaching freshman writing courses, many are afforded the opportunity to teach within their specialty after a year or so of experience. Teaching gives a taste of what it's like to be a professor.

5. Volunteer for committee work. Most English professors are expected to serve on one or more committees. If you can get some experience at the process as a PhD student you will have an upper hand when you interview for tenure track positions.

6. Observe the interview process. English professors generally speak of their experience trying to break into the job market with a mixture of nostalgia and horror. The interview process can be grueling and somewhat demeaning, so try to observe an interview on your campus before you start the hunt for a professorship in English.