brownelearning

Earlier this semester in EDI 419/519 a student asked me how I got all of the experience I have. That question got me thinking.

I’ve spent significant time abroad. I’ve studied two foreign languages. I’ve lectured at major universities and I’ve consulted for government agencies (including the U.S. Department of Education and the National Research Council). Outside of academics I worked three summers at IBM and supervised VIP services at the 2002 Winter Olympics. I don’t mean to brag – it’s humbling looking back at all that – but I must admit that I have had a great deal of experience in my adult life.

I trace all of these experiences back to a long-term service commitment I fulfilled in a foreign country during my undergraduate studies.

I have a colleague at American University in Washington, D.C., whose experience is comparable to mine. During her undergrad she spent a year with the Peace Corps in Moldova – a former Soviet state between Romania and Ukraine. After that she majored in History and eventually earned her Ph.D. in International Education from NYU with an area focus on Moldova.

When the BBC Radio Service needed an expert on Moldova’s student revolt, they called her.

Why do I bring this up? Because there will be Peace Corps “Lunch & Learn” on Tuesday, October 6th, from 12:30-1:30pm in 220 Seymour. At the very least there will be free food. At the most, it may change your life. You need to call to reserve a spot (395-2159).

You probably called your high school teachers “Mr. Smith,” “Mrs. Smith,” or “Ms. Smith.” That’s true even if they had higher titles: My biology teacher had a PhD in entomology – he was really “Dr. Cope” – but we still called him “Mr. Cope.” Just about everything is more complicated in college and teacher’s titles are no exception.

When someone earns a doctoral degree (PhD, ED, MD, Do, Vet, etc.), it is appropriate to call them “Doctor” (e.g. “Dr. Smith”) in professional and academic settings. There are some exceptions (we no longer call lawyers, who hold JD degrees, “Doctors”), but in academics, it’s always best to use that title.

You can also use the title “Professor” (“Professor Smith”), if that’s the teacher’s professional rank. They may be a Visiting Professor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Full Professor, or Distinguished Professor. The only exception would be for Associate Faculty, also called Lecturers or Adjuncts who are not generally considered “Professors.”

The bottom line is this: I’ve never known anyone to get offended when someone called them “Doctor” and they haven’t earned a doctorate, or someone calls them “Professor,” and they’re not a professor. They would usually offer a polite correction. On the other hand, after working a long time to earn a doctoral degree and competing for a professorship, some would get offended if a student called them “Mr. (or Ms. or Mrs.) Smith.”

PS – The use of these titles is different in other countries.