# American universities: is just any lecturer called "professor"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 1, 2008, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-universities-is-just-any-lecturer-called-professor/435915 "2008-02-01T23:05:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2008, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-universities-is-just-any-lecturer-called-professor/435915/21 "2008-02-02T21:13:32Z")
I have been appointed to two different positions in which I was Adjunct Assistant Professor, one of which I have now. That’s the formal aspect of my job description and the rank I have within the department. I have a doctorate, but always introduce myself in class as Bob Smith. At the same time, I prefer to be called Dr. Smith. I’d feel presumptuous introducing myself as Doctor Smith. Worse, would be to call myself Professor Smith. The syllabus lists my formal name, so they know I have a doctorate. And at the school I teach at now, most of the students address me as Professor. I think it sounds silly and pompous, but I don’t want to say, “Hell, you can call me Doctor Smith.” The way they use it, it seems to be a cross between my name and sensei. By the way, this is much more prominent in the undergraduate courses I have taught. It’s not as common in the graduate courses. I imagine that anyone teaching a class there gets that type of address. Doesn’t mean that’s their position, however. ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2008, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-universities-is-just-any-lecturer-called-professor/435915/22 "2008-02-02T22:53:39Z")
In chemistry, there are lecturer’s and they are not professors. I have never seen a chemistry lecturer without a PhD. Professors almost always have research groups. Lecturers do not. I have never even seen a chemistry lecturer transition to professor. In chemistry, professorships are some of the most highly coveted jobs, and even at third tier universities, you usually nead a degree from a top tier school. ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-universities-is-just-any-lecturer-called-professor/435915/23 "2008-02-03T00:37:43Z")
I’ve had students refer to me as “doctor” and “professor”, neither of which is accurate. My technical title is “adjunct teacher of applied music”. I just tell them to call me Nathan. Anything else makes me feel old. ---
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-universities-is-just-any-lecturer-called-professor/435915/24 "2008-02-03T00:38:53Z")
Yeah, well I AM old. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-universities-is-just-any-lecturer-called-professor/435915/25 "2008-02-03T02:43:09Z")
[QUOTE=acsenray] So the first default in law schools is “Prof. X.” [/QUOTE] Even more so if they’re bald and in a wheelchair… ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-universities-is-just-any-lecturer-called-professor/435915/26 "2008-02-03T03:07:21Z")
[QUOTE=Topologist] At many schools “Professor” is used to address any instructor. [/quote] This is sort of parallel to Navy usage, where the C.O. of any ship is called Captain, even though his or her actual rank might be only Commander or even Lieutenant. Question for the sailors…do they still do this? If it’s relatively small boat, like a tug, and the person in charge is an NCO, do they still get called ‘Captain’ or ‘Skipper’? > [@](#): > > At some schools (e.g., Chicago when I was there) Mr/Ms is used regardless of degree or rank. During my time at UCSD we usually used ‘Doctor’, but the class schedules would list them as Mr. or Ms. ‘Professor’ was only rarely used as a form of address, although that was in many cases the actual job title. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-universities-is-just-any-lecturer-called-professor/435915/27 "2008-02-03T15:20:48Z")
[QUOTE=Christopher] In chemistry, there are lecturer’s and they are not professors. I have never seen a chemistry lecturer without a PhD. Professors almost always have research groups. Lecturers do not. I have never even seen a chemistry lecturer transition to professor. In chemistry, professorships are some of the most highly coveted jobs, and even at third tier universities, you usually nead a degree from a top tier school. [/QUOTE] In the United States? Or where? ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-universities-is-just-any-lecturer-called-professor/435915/28 "2008-02-03T16:03:06Z")
My chemistry teacher, who I am moderately in love with (purely platonically), did a funny little “icky” dance last week when someone called her “Professor”. Now she IS a professor, by anyone’s definition - full-time tenured position, PhD, supervises grad students, etc. (albeit at a different school - she just does the one class at our school). But she doesn’t like the term. So someone else tried “Doctor Smith”. She made another funny face and said, “No, no, call me Mrs. Smith, please!” She wasn’t offended, by any means, but for whatever personal quirky reason, doesn’t like to be called Professor or Doctor. Okay, fine! And the fact that on the first day she memorized _all_ our names (30 in our class, but she does the same for 100+ lecture halls) sort of belies the idea that we are unable to remember her fairly simple last name! But yes, “Professor” is a bit of a default, at my school at least. Honestly, I don’t really know who’s tenured or adjunct or whatever, nor do I usually know their degree status. “Professor” is a generally safe starting point, and the individual can correct me if s/he prefers something else. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-universities-is-just-any-lecturer-called-professor/435915/29 "2008-02-03T16:13:50Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot] My chemistry teacher, who I am moderately in love with (purely platonically), did a funny little “icky” dance last week when someone called her “Professor”. Now she IS a professor, by anyone’s definition - full-time tenured position, PhD, supervises grad students, etc. (albeit at a different school - she just does the one class at our school). But she doesn’t like the term. So someone else tried “Doctor Smith”. She made another funny face and said, “No, no, call me Mrs. Smith, please!” She wasn’t offended, by any means, but for whatever personal quirky reason, doesn’t like to be called Professor or Doctor. [/QUOTE] Is one of her degrees from UVA, by any chance? Professors there are called “Mr.” and “Ms.” The default title at my undergrad school was “Professor,” regardless of whether the person addressed held a doctorate (nearly all of the full-time faculty did). At my grad university and at the liberal arts college where I teach now, it’s “Dr.” I don’t think there’s any particular rhyme or reason to these things, apart from the quirks of local campus culture. ---
**Author:** ![Survey1215](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecb155/32.png) [@Survey1215](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Survey1215)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-universities-is-just-any-lecturer-called-professor/435915/30 "2008-02-03T16:40:21Z")
I teach a class every third semester at the college where I am a full-time admissions director. At the beginning of the class I tell them they can call me by my first name or Mr. Survey if they prefer; I’d say 95% of the time, they say ‘Professor Survey’ anyway, especially in emails or phone messages. I’ve talked to other adjunct faculty and they reported a similar experience. ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2008, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-universities-is-just-any-lecturer-called-professor/435915/31 "2008-02-04T02:44:09Z")
> [@](#): > > In the United States? Or where? United States. Probably any industrialized nation. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2008, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-universities-is-just-any-lecturer-called-professor/435915/32 "2008-02-04T04:12:43Z")
[QUOTE=jayjay] Even more so if they’re bald and in a wheelchair… [/QUOTE] Having Professor X as your teacher would be one of the most awesome things ever. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2008, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-universities-is-just-any-lecturer-called-professor/435915/33 "2008-02-04T04:29:09Z")
[QUOTE=Captain Carrot] Having Professor X as your teacher would be one of the most awesome things ever. [/QUOTE] Well, it would mean you were a mutant with incredible powers, so yeah. Of course, with my luck my mutant power would be supernoxious flatulence. Oh, wait… ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2008, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-universities-is-just-any-lecturer-called-professor/435915/34 "2008-02-04T07:05:36Z")
I personally know of one individual who has no Ph.D. and whose official title where he teaches is _Senior Lecturer_. His school neglected to oversee his input on the page for his biography, as they neglected to oversee him on so many other issues. The jer…er, Senior Lecturer concerned referred to himself as _Professor_. That is, he did until I made the Admiral in charge of the school aware of the situation. ---
**Author:** ![Randy\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ee7513/32.png) [@Randy\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Randy_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2008, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-universities-is-just-any-lecturer-called-professor/435915/35 "2008-02-04T07:23:48Z")
The people who teach my classes are Professors. It says so on their business cards and on their office doors. The dean refers to all of them as “Professor so-and-so.” But none of them has a doctorate, or even a masters degree. Their highest level of education is a professional degree. I call them “Professor,” and they call me “Mr. Seltzer.” ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2008, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-universities-is-just-any-lecturer-called-professor/435915/36 "2008-02-04T18:00:09Z")
This was a while ago, but when I was in grad school I took 6 months off to be a lecturer. No one ever called me Professor. I’ve observed that at schools where every Professor has a PhD, professor was used, but at one I went to where this wasn’t true, Doctor was used as being higher prestige. But in those days you didn’t call faculty by their first names, only grad students. The one exception was a guy in the Air Force going to grad school. He called me sir. Drove me nuts. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2008, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-universities-is-just-any-lecturer-called-professor/435915/37 "2008-02-04T20:41:43Z")
[QUOTE=jayjay] Oh, wait… [/QUOTE] Could be worse. I discovered last year that mine is immunity to topical lidocaine. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-universities-is-just-any-lecturer-called-professor/435915.md?page=1)