Published:
From Student to Scholar: A Candid Guide to Becoming a Professor
by Steven M. Cahn
Graduate students who want an overview of the academic career trajectory and tips for succeeding along the way will want to read From Student to Scholar: A Candid Guide to Becoming a Professor. A concise work written with a straightforward approach, From Student to Scholar is accessible to
even the busiest graduate students. From the first two chapters about graduate school to the final chapters about the three pillars for achieving tenure (Teaching, Service, and Research), From Student to Scholar offers clear explanations of the expectations an academic will encounter during his or her career, as well as helpful advice about how to meet these expectations.
While it would be especially beneficial for any graduate student contemplating joining the professorate to read From Student to Scholar early on in the graduate career, the first five chapters are of interest to any graduate student. Chapters 1 and 2, “Graduate School” and “The Dissertation,” offer pragmatic advice about completing graduate school, such as focusing on your area of specialization, because a CV full of outside activities is not vital for an academic looking for a job later. The chapter on the dissertation advises graduate students about looking for an advisor, working independently, and preparing for and holding the dissertation defense.
From Student to Scholar: A Candid Guide to Becoming a Professor will provide a map for those graduate students in the first or second year of their studies as well as graduate students nearing the end of their graduate careers and preparing for the job market. Although the first job and the tenure-track may seem far away, From Student to Scholar helps outline the course future faculty will run. This knowledge will help the candidate know the way, and avoid as many obstacles and pitfalls as possible.