To become a biology professor, one must have a Ph.D. in biology and work as a teacher. Students should focus on math and science in high school and attend graduate school. Publication and strong endorsements can help find employment, and tenure is usually required.
To become a professor of biology, a person needs to be employed as a professor of biology in a college where all professors are designated professors or must have obtained a Ph.D. in biology and work at least part-time as a teacher. Professors are generally viewed as professors with a specific level of education, although it is certainly possible for a biology professor to conduct research or participate in other academic endeavors. Anyone wanting to become a biology teacher faces years of training that can start as early as high school.
Anyone planning to attend college and major in science should make math and science a strong focus in high school. It is sometimes possible to take advanced placement courses that earn college credit. While this is recommended for strong students, there’s no shame in waiting until college to earn these credits and take less rigorous high school classes. The advantage of the advanced internship is that people can enter school with a few college credits and begin more advanced studies right away. Mainly, students should simply make sure they have studied hard in biology and chemistry and taken calculus or pre-calculus classes.
In college, the work towards becoming a biology professor begins by declaring a major in biology. To accomplish this, core students must attend general education, required courses, and recommended electives. Students must work hard to earn excellent grades and take advantage of opportunities to work for teachers. A person cannot become a professor of biology without attending graduate school, so establishing good relationships with professors can lead to getting strong recommendations from the graduate school.
Some students after earning a bachelor’s or bachelor’s degree in biology will choose to pursue a master’s or doctoral degree. With this degree, the only way to become a biology teacher is usually to work at junior or community colleges. Someone without a Ph.D. it does not receive this title unless junior or community colleges use it, and many of these colleges do not hire professors who do not hold doctoral degrees. Typically, the best option is to gain access to a PhD program, as this can greatly increase job opportunities.
Earning a doctorate takes time, and the person who wants to be a biology teacher can expect to spend anywhere from three to seven years completing a program. People who really want to focus on teaching may enjoy opportunities to teach while taking classes, and most people also complete some or many surveys that can lead to published results. This second part is important, as many universities want to know that professors can and will publish, increasing the prestige of the university.
Once finished, students begin the work of finding employment, which is again helped by things like publication and strong endorsements. New teachers will likely need to put ongoing and extra effort into their work. They are usually hired on a tenure basis, meaning they must post a certain amount early in their career to receive full professorship status. Some schools and most community colleges do not have such stringent requirements.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
