Can I be a professor with a Masters? (Complete Guide 2024)

Being a professor means working hard and giving in lot of effort and time. Most people will tell you that if you want to become a professor you will need to complete an undergraduate degree in a particular subject followed by a master’s degree. After completing a master’s degree you will also need to complete your PhD program. Although you may need to have a doctoral program many of you may be doubtful about whether you can be a professor with a masters.

Quick Takeaways

• You can easily become a professor with your master’s degree. However, there are many institutions that will ask for your PhD program.
• You must try to gain related experience to become a professor with a master.
• Some of the skills that you must have are communication skills, teaching skills, leadership, etc.
• If you want to apply to a community college with a master’s degree you can easily do it as most community colleges want to see a master’s degree.

However, you must read till the end so that you do not miss any important facts related to being a professor with a master’s degree.

What is the difference between a master’s degree and a Ph.D.?

A master’s degree is the academic degree that you will be taking after completing your undergraduate degree. It is the degree that will help you to increase your knowledge related to the subject you are studying. Whereas a PhD is the highest academic degree that will help you to deepen your knowledge in a specific field of the subject you have taken. When you are taking up a Ph.D, it will also help you develop your research skills and will also help you to know how to work in publications.

Can I be a professor with a Masters?

Everyone in the present world believes that to become a professor you will need to complete a Ph.D. But it is not true as you can also become a professor with a Master’s degree. Yes, you heard it right, becoming a professor with a master’s degree is possible. There are many institutions that need a doctoral degree but there are some of the institutions that require a master’s degree to become a professor. It means that if you are lucky enough you can apply with a 6-year program that is an undergraduate degree plus a master’s degree.

You must try to research properly before applying to the institution. However, having a master’s degree is not only a requirement and there are many other factors that affect in becoming a professor like experience. Therefore you must try to gain some related experience to increase your chance of getting selected. 

What to do to help yourself become a professor with a master’s degree?

If you think having a master’s degree will not help you in getting a job, you must try putting in some effort. As discussed above you must try to gain some related experience in teaching. You can work as an adjunct professor or as a teaching assistant. Working as a teaching assistant may give you an opportunity to work instead of a full-time professor if you are lucky enough. If due to sudden reasons like health issues or death, the institution may ask you to take their position.

Another thing you can do is to try to participate in various publications and research related to your field of study. It will help to know your knowledge in the related subject and will also help you to develop your research skills.

What are the skills you must have as a professor with a master’s degree?

Following are the skills that you need to have to become a professor with a master’s degree-

• Teaching skill: The first thing you must have is the ability to teach the students. You must know how to deal with the students in the classroom.
• Communication: As you are in charge of delivering the knowledge to the students you must have good communication skills. They must be able to understand what are you trying to say.
• Leadership:  As you will be dealing with a lot of students and will be responsible for their academic performance you must have leadership qualities. 
• Problem solving: Students have a lot of doubts and it is your duty to answer them. Being a professor means solving the problems of the students at different times. Therefore you must have problem-solving skills.

How can you become a college professor with a master’s degree?

Following are the steps to become a professor with a master’s degree-

• You will first need to earn a bachelor’s degree in a related subject.
• After that, you will need to go to graduate school and get yourself a master’s degree.
• Try to increase your network so that you can get help in getting opportunities for teaching.
• Gain teaching experience through various opportunities like internships, voluntary projects, etc.
• You can also work in different publications that will help to showcase your skills and knowledge.
• Get the certifications which will help to increase your chances of getting selected for a specific role in an institution.

Is it easy to become a professor in a community college with just a master’s degree?

Usually, most community colleges will hire professors having master’s degrees. However, there may be some of the colleges that have some strict rules for becoming a professor. Therefore you must research properly before applying for a position in the community college. 

What are the benefits of being a professor with a master’s degree?

Following are some of the benefits of being a professor with a master’s degree-

• You can quickly start your career just after completing the higher education.
• If you want to go for a Ph. D., you can gain some experience and also earn some money to pay the tuition fee. 
• Being a professor with a master’s degree also helps you to understand if you are really interested in getting into a PhD program or not.
• When you have a master’s degree you may also get opportunities in other fields.

What are the drawbacks of being a professor with a master’s degree?

Following are the drawbacks of being a professor with a master’s degree-

• If you are a professor with a master’s degree you will be getting a salary lower than the PhD professors. 
• It will limit your opportunities as most of the institutions will want to hire PhD professor for their institution.
• You may also have less job security than a professor who holds PhD or a doctoral degree.

What are the jobs available for you in academia with a master’s degree?

Following are three main areas that you can work in academia with the help of a master’s degree program-

• You may work as an adjunct professor or work on a part-time basis in an institution.
• You may also need to work as a research assistant professor or become a coordinator in a particle department.
• You can also work in an academic administration or under the higher authorities like a Dean.

Can you teach at a University with a master’s degree?

Every institution has its own rules and regulations. Depending upon its policies you can teach at a University with a master’s degree. However, you must remember that most of the universities will want you to have a PhD or a doctoral program.

How to get job opportunities as a professor just with the help of a master’s degree?

Finding a job even after completing a master’s degree is tough. You can look for the openings from the online job boards, colleges, and the university website. If necessary try to talk to the professor in your field. They may help you in finding the right job for you.

Can you become a professor in a different field from your master’s degree?

It may be possible for you to become a professor in a different field but the path to become difficult. You will need to complete more coursework and also need to put in a lot of effort. In addition to that you may also need to get some additional certifications that will help to demonstrate your expertise in the subject. However, choosing a different branch of the same subject may be easier for you. For example, if you have done your master’s in economics keeping microeconomics as your major, you may be eligible to teach macroeconomics.

Conclusion

Many believe that a Ph.D. is required to become a professor which is wrong. You can also become a professor with a master. However, it restricts you from applying to different institutions as many need PhD as a requirement. Some of the skills that you must have to become a professor are communication, teaching, problem-solving, etc. You may also become a professor in a subject different from your master’s subject. However, you will need to work really hard and complete the whole coursework.

FAQs