Hi all, If some one get his PhD from UNISA or similar DL universities, can he teach as a full time professor at medium to large universities? or they will just appoint him as a adjunct professor? Thanks in advance Omran
There is no classification system that routes people into teaching positions based upon the sources for their degrees. It is not possible to accuarately predict where a UNISA doctorate would take someone, largely because the degree is but one factor in the process. A more useful question might be whether or not such a degree would prevent you from gaining such a position. UNISA is a prominent and respected university, so one would think not. There has been a lot of debate regarding the quality, reputation, etc., of several schools lately. None of this is very useful. For example, the question of whether or not someone would be better off with a doctorate from the U. of Glasgow or Nova Southeastern U. is almost unanswerable. It depends. If my goal was to nail down a teaching position at a British university, it is likely neither degree would be of much help. But if I was hoping to get a position at a university in the U.S., I'd rather take my chances with the degree from Nova. Why? Because a degree from a domestic school will not raise the questions a degree from a foreign school will. Also, the Nova program would give me an opportunity to network myself and possibly get that position lined up before graduation. Still, all of the above is highly speculative and hypothetical. Finally, such arguments obscure the core purpose for DL programs: to allow working professionals opportunities to earn credentials that will enhance their careers. If my goal was to become a tenured professor (a stupid one given the glut in academe), then I would take the three or more years it would require to be a full-time graduate student. But if I wanted to enhance my career as a corporate training manager, I'd take my doctorate at.... Rich Douglas "La hierba es siempre más verde en la otra cara de la cerca. " (Or something like that.)
Perhaps you could clarify what you're saying here. You seem to be suggesting that a degree from Glasgow would not aid one in gaining a British university-level teaching position. Yet, in many disciplines, Glasgow is one of the most respected institutions in the UK. Graduates of Glasgow hold professorships throughout England, Scotland, and Wales.
As much as I agree with you on the general uselessness of the Nova vs. Glasgow question (to my way of thinking, people should choose doctorates as individuals and base their decisions on what they want, not what some ranking says), I'm afraid I have to disagree on the teaching thing. A Nova doctorate, buffered with appropriate professional experience and/or publications, would not be a useless teaching doctorate in the UK--and a Glasgow doctorate certainly would not, since there are many Glasgow Ph.D.'s teaching at universities all over the UK. The school is over 500 years old (it's one of the old Scottish universities) and very well-respected over there. For my part, I would say that neither degree is a sure road to a teaching job, especially in the United States. There are, in fact, three sure roads to a teaching job in the United States: 1. Get an Ivy League doctorate (or the equivalent for your field), which can only be done on-campus. 2. Publish some really kick-butt research that everybody hears about, and/or win the Nobel Prize. 3. Become a celebrity. When I see people with brick-and-mortar Ph.D.'s taking jobs as security guards and such because they can't get professorships, I'm not gonna say that anything short of Yale and Oxford guarantees a teaching post--so one may as well go with the program s/he likes. Peace, ------------------ Tom Head www.tomhead.net
I said that for ME neither degree would be of much help. That's because as a working professional living in the U.S., it would take a lot more than the degree to secure such a position. My whole point is that such arguments are moot, that's all. Rich Douglas
Indeed Tom. A couple of issues of US News & World Report's guide to graduate schools have dealt with the issue of finding jobs in academia. One of the realities of life is that there are good odds that Ph.D. graduates may have to look elsewhere. There are a couple of Ph.D.'s whose organization helps them prepare for this fact. The magazine talked about Ph.D's having to take jobs at Community College which in may cases effectively ends the academic career. I believe on woman called herself "damaged goods". One of the happiest was a women who was working in a coffee shop. She was able to make about what she earned at the CC, plus do academic research in her area and publish rather than grading sub standard CC papers. There are also jobs opening up in industry. Apparently they have decided that Ph.D.'s have the intellect, determination, and research ability to a prove effective members of the corporate world. I want the doctorate for personal satisfaction. If it helps me professionally then that is great as well. I anticipate that it will be somewhat helpful. That is one of the reasons that I simply want an accredited & credible program that is affordable. My foreign doctorate fits the situation exactly. So, I may still do a US doctorate to use up my GI Bill later on, but even then am considering personal development in areas I am intersted in (may consider OGS if it gets TRACS approval). North
1. Get an Ivy League doctorate (or the equivalent for your field), which can only be done on-campus. If I recall discussions on the AED site Columbia offers (or used to offer) a distance Ed.D.
Is it that the only vocational choice of the enquirers here apart from Rich, Chip, and me, is for a professorship or teaching position? This does greatly restrict the discussions both in topic and breadth of discussion. It is as if it is the ONLY option available to many - what is wrong with a professional position or an exectutive or management position? Is there some hidden 'kudos' being called a 'professor' as there is with having a 'doctorate'? Are salaries different in US to the rest of the world? A top academic over here doesn't get much past $100K and a senior lecturer $80+ and a lecturer $65+. The level of expertise and knowledge is not appreciated or suitably remunerated, in my opinion. A mature professional with the basic professional degree (here a bachelor degree) and no pressure to keep studying, can earn 1.5 to 2 times that of an academic. If you opt to go into training as I have done, you can easily earn in a day what an academic can earn in a week. My degrees mean jack squat to my employers and trainees - to disclose them is to scare people. All they want to know is if i can do the job, the product is top quality and the operatives contented. Maybe I live in a different world ... ? Peter French Australia
Perhaps we should all move to Aussie-Land and forget about further academic training. If my ultimate goal was to be remunerated monetarily for my degrees, I would not have persued them in the field of theology/religion/ministry, but medicine or law. Or some other lucrative field such as distance learning. Russell
So, some Australian and American professors go to teach at the universities in Hong Kong. The salaries scales are: Assistant professor: 140,000 - 230,000 (A$) or 71,000 - 120,000 (US$) Associate professor: 195,000 - 290,000 (A$) or 100,000 - 150,000 (US$) Professor : 225,000 (A$) up or 115,000 (US$) up Professor (clinical) 300,000 (A$) up or 154,000 (US$) up per annum plus 15% terminal gratuity plus housing, medical, education, family benefits. Tax rate is 15% only!
