Titles vs Names?

[TheSquirrel]

Hi everyone,

I'm going into my second year of a PhD program. For the longest time I've wondered if I should call professors by their first names or just call them "professor" or "dr." (I mean, in front of them, not when talking ABOUT them)... I've usually used their title instead of their name, to be on the safe side.. but now I'm wondering if that really shouldn't be done at the PhD level? Or does it really depend on the professor's preferences? Do you call your profs by their names? Do you have different rules for different profs, depending on whether or not you work with them, whether or not they're your supervisor, etc? What's the best way to know what the prof's preference is? Should I just ask what he prefers? The problem is that I've been calling my future supervisor "Dr" for the longest time, and now it feels even harder to make a switch... I do feel like I should call him by his first name, because not doing so makes me feel kinda like an undergrad... What do you think? What are your experiences with this?

[wtncffts]

Hi everyone,

I'm going into my second year of a PhD program. For the longest time I've wondered if I should call professors by their first names or just call them "professor" or "dr." (I mean, in front of them, not when talking ABOUT them)... I've usually used their title instead of their name, to be on the safe side.. but now I'm wondering if that really shouldn't be done at the PhD level? Or does it really depend on the professor's preferences? Do you call your profs by their names? Do you have different rules for different profs, depending on whether or not you work with them, whether or not they're your supervisor, etc? What's the best way to know what the prof's preference is? Should I just ask what he prefers? The problem is that I've been calling my future supervisor "Dr" for the longest time, and now it feels even harder to make a switch... I do feel like I should call him by his first name, because not doing so makes me feel kinda like an undergrad... What do you think? What are your experiences with this?

We had a discussion about this a while ago:

I still personally feel uncomfortable calling professors by their first name, though I've never had a prof who insisted I do so. It's funny you mention feeling like an undergrad, because, the way I see it, there's a nice humility to having deference for those of higher academic status. Grad students are still students. I don't feel like faculty members are my 'colleagues', my fellow grad students are. As I said in that thread, it may be in part a cultural thing.

[eco_env]

If they ever sign their emails with their first name ( and no last name) I call them by their first name. Most of the professors that I took more than one class with, or that advised me, even in undergrad, I called by their first name. No it would feel weird to call a professor Prof. Last name. (I never call professors Dr. if they advisor/teacher).

[TheSquirrel]

We had a discussion about this a while ago:

I still personally feel uncomfortable calling professors by their first name, though I've never had a prof who insisted I do so. It's funny you mention feeling like an undergrad, because, the way I see it, there's a nice humility to having deference for those of higher academic status. Grad students are still students. I don't feel like faculty members are my 'colleagues', my fellow grad students are. As I said in that thread, it may be in part a cultural thing.

Thanks for the link -- I had run a search before starting the thread, but couldn't find anything on the subject.

I've always called my profs "Dr. ___". But when I was accepted into a PhD program, the prof I used to RA for as a MA student, asked me to call him by his first name, because according to him, as a PhD student, I was now pretty much on the same level as a prof, i.e. that I should see profs as my colleagues. I actually do agree with him (and in fact, when my current profs encourage me to network with professors at conferences, they seem to be saying that I should view professors as my colleagues). I never felt uncomfortable calling my ex-prof Dr.___ as a MA student , but I admit, as a PhD student, I've been feeling rather uncomfortable with that. As far as I can tell, almost all PhD students here call profs Dr.___, though... And none of the profs have asked me to call them by their first name. I used to call the prof I used to TA for, "Professor ___" but at some point decided to make the switch because he had received his PhD only months ago (even though he was 60 years old or so).. That was a very easy switch, and it helped a lot that he's super-friendly, and not the type of person who would mind being called by his first name... But I have to admit I 'm a bit intimidated by the idea of calling other profs by their first names, without them telling me to do so... and even if they asked me to call them by their first name, I would obviously still call them prof or dr. in class..

Don't get me wrong -- I'm not against the idea of calling them Dr___ per se.. I totally understand what you mean that it's a humility thing. It's just that I feel that we could communicate better (and much more freely) about our concerns regarding my progress in the program, research work, etc., in a less formal atmosphere.

I also forgot to mention that I am probably biased in favor of calling profs by their first name because as an undergrad, the TAs I had (they were PhD students) all addressed the profs they TAed for (or who were their supervisors) by their first name whenever I overheard them talking to them. So it always seemed to me that once you reach the PhD level, you're sort of viewed as a colleague, and should also view yourself as such. I was surprised to see that people did not do that at this university.

Edited July 15, 2011 by TheSquirrel

[robot_hamster]

Things were very traditional at my undergraduate institution. You called your professors Dr. ______ (or Professor ______ if they weren't a "Dr."). If you were close enough to a professor where you had a less formal relationship then you would leave the Dr. off and simply call them by their last name. Things are pretty different at my graduate institution and it has taken some getting used to. I want to call professors Dr. _____, but a lot of them will tell me to call them by their first name. This is especially true of my adviser, committee members, and professors I am TAing for. I think it depends on the atmosphere of your school and the individual preferences of the professors. It is totally okay to ask a professor what they would prefer you call them. They will gladly tell you and it eliminates that awkwardness of not knowing what to call them.

[mechengr2000]

This is a very strongly related to the organizational culture at your insitution. At my institution, phd students are seen as colleagues, so I have been told by my advisor to call him by his first name. At other institutions, some professors would see it as offensive if the "apprentice" called them by their first name. You have to feel it out at your institution and ask around since it is specific to your locality.

[wtncffts]

I certainly agree that it varies by school and even often by program, but as I said earlier, I personally would feel uneasy calling profs by their first names even if that were the prevailing institutional culture. If a prof insisted or strongly preferred it, I certainly would make that effort, but it would be just that: an effort. Perhaps my sense of deference and formality will change during my doctoral studies, I don't know.

[Zorah]

If they can call me by my first name, I can called them by their first name.

[IRdreams]

I actually got jokingly yelled at for not calling a Professor by his first name. But then, there is a senior scholar who signs his emails with his initials and he is definitely "Professor _______"...so be careful with the email thing.

[ZeeMore21]

I personally don't ever feel comfortable calling a professor by his or her first name....I either refer to them as Professor so and so or Dr. so and so. I figure that they worked hard for their title, so I should respect them by using it. Even if a professor doesn't mind people calling them by their first name, I just really can't do it. This might stem from how I was raised...brought up in a strict house by immigrant parents where respect for one's elders is always enforced.

Edited July 16, 2011 by ZeeMore21

[UnlikelyGrad]

When in doubt, I *ALWAYS* use "Dr. (Lastname)".

Half of the profs in my department insist on being called by their first names (usually the younger ones). I know there are several profs who insist on the "Dr (Lastname) " title in front of most people (students, etc.) but ask their grad students to call them by first name...

If I ever become a prof, I think I'll go for "Dr. (Firstname)"...a good compromise between the two.

[runonsentence]

It is common practice in my department for all MAs and PhDs to address faculty by their first name. We are their junior colleagues. They also introduce themselves as such in the first class period, email, etc. (e.g., "my name is [first name] [last name]"). It seems to be the culture of most every English department I've come across as well (though previous posts by other English grads perhaps contradict this impression I've formed of English departments at large?)

But interestingly, because it is such an accepted practice in my department, NOT using first names at my program has the effect of making the grad student seem child-ish/undergrad-ish.

I've also been advised that this is something to be careful of on the job market. The head of our Preparing Future Facutly certificate program at my university, a history prof, said that a hiring committee once was surprised by her use of "Dr. ___" when referring to her advisor in an interview. She got the impression that it made her seem less mature to the committee.

EDIT: Edited 2nd par. for clarity.

Edited July 16, 2011 by runonsentence

[ZeeMore21]

It is common practice in my department for all MAs and PhDs to address faculty by their first name. We are their junior colleagues. They also introduce themselves as such in the first class period, email, etc. (e.g., "my name is [first name] [last name]"). It seems to be the culture of most every English department I've come across as well (though previous posts by other English grads perhaps contradict this impression I've formed of English departments at large?)

But interestingly, because it is such an accepted practice, NOT using first names has the effect of making the grad student seem child-ish/undergrad-ish.

I've also been advised that this is something to be careful of on the job market. The head of our Preparing Future Facutly certificate program at my university, a history prof, said that a hiring committee once was surprised by her use of "Dr. ___" when referring to her advisor in an interview. She got the impression that it made her seem less mature to the committee.

I sincerely doubt that one would come off childish addressing someone as Dr. or Professor...I mean, that is at title after all. Your department may be different of course, but I wouldn't assume that if someone is okay in one department, it would be okay in another, especially speaking in an international context.

[TheSquirrel]

It is common practice in my department for all MAs and PhDs to address faculty by their first name. We are their junior colleagues. They also introduce themselves as such in the first class period, email, etc. (e.g., "my name is [first name] [last name]"). It seems to be the culture of most every English department I've come across as well (though previous posts by other English grads perhaps contradict this impression I've formed of English departments at large?)

But interestingly, because it is such an accepted practice, NOT using first names has the effect of making the grad student seem child-ish/undergrad-ish.

I've also been advised that this is something to be careful of on the job market. The head of our Preparing Future Facutly certificate program at my university, a history prof, said that a hiring committee once was surprised by her use of "Dr. ___" when referring to her advisor in an interview. She got the impression that it made her seem less mature to the committee.

Hey RunonSentence... I mentioned my undergrad years, and how my TAs used to call their profs/supervisors by their first names. That was in the English department.. So there might be some truth to that. My sister, on the other hand, who did her BSc and part of her MSc at the same university, used to use "Professor" when talking to all her profs, including the ones she was working with. I guess it varies from department to department..

[TheSquirrel]

But interestingly, because it is such an accepted practice, NOT using first names has the effect of making the grad student seem child-ish/undergrad-ish.

I've also been advised that this is something to be careful of on the job market. The head of our Preparing Future Facutly certificate program at my university, a history prof, said that a hiring committee once was surprised by her use of "Dr. ___" when referring to her advisor in an interview. She got the impression that it made her seem less mature to the committee.

This is exactly why I am so worried about this. I also feel kinda childish when using the title, especially with profs I meet with just about every day.

I'm wondering if the prof would be offended if I just ask him if I can call him by his first name? Has anyone here done this?

Edited July 16, 2011 by TheSquirrel

[runonsentence]

This is exactly why I am so worried about this. I also feel kinda childish when using the title, especially with profs I meet with just about every day.

I'm wondering if the prof would be offended if I just ask him if I can call him by his first name? Has anyone here done this?

If I'm meeting/e-mailing someone for the first time, I'll refer to them as "Professor so-and-so" and wait for them to introduce themselves by first name. Because I usually don't meet faculty until I've had them for seminar, this usually means that I don't have to address them directly until after the first day of class, by which point I feel comfortable using a first name because we've been introduced.

What do you hear other students in your department do, when they address faculty in or outside of class? If you hear a mixture of titles and first names, then perhaps stick with what's most comfortable for you.

I sincerely doubt that one would come off childish addressing someone as Dr. or Professor...I mean, that is at title after all. Your department may be different of course, but I wouldn't assume that if someone is okay in one department, it would be okay in another, especially speaking in an international context.

Zeemore: I should have been more specific in my second paragraph: I think that if you are in a department like mine, where everyone uses first names, then it is seems childish. And I do think it's true; both the directors of our comp program have told me that they always introduce themselves by first name to grad students, and as "Professor __" or "Dr. __" to undergrads. When the faculty themselves make that distinction, then to continue using titles is to subtly brand yourself as an undergrad, in a way. (I mean, for illustration, the only grad colleague I can think of in my department who insists on titles for every address to faculty is a first-year master's student, fresh out of undergrad.) And indeed, when I graduated from my undergrad institution, I was admonished by one of my English professors for still referring to her as "Dr. __," now that I had my B.A.

As to my original third paragraph (the advice from the PFF faculty), I suppose take it as you wish. It was advice she gave to a room of grads from mostly hard sciences and social sciences, as well as a few humanities students like myself. She didn't acknowledge herself to be speaking from a humanities perspective, but it could be that the advice is most applicable to humanities cultures.

Edited July 16, 2011 by runonsentence

[ktel]

I find my supervisor, who has had his PhD for 5 years or so, refers to some of the professors we collaborate with as Dr. _____ in the conversations I have with him. I'm still an undergrad, so obviously call all of my professors Dr. ____ or Professor _____, we'll see what it's like when I start grad school.

[wtncffts]

I find my supervisor, who has had his PhD for 5 years or so, refers to some of the professors we collaborate with as Dr. _____ in the conversations I have with him. I'm still an undergrad, so obviously call all of my professors Dr. ____ or Professor _____, we'll see what it's like when I start grad school.

I think it might be different when they're talking about another prof to a student. I can see why, even when they're on a first-name basis with each other, that they would still use the title to indicate seniority as well as not assuming familiarity.

Just a point about "colleagues". I'm not criticizing those institutional cultures where grad students and faculty are thought of as colleagues; it's usually an organic feature which I have no right to disparage. It is what it is. However, I personally smply don't accept the notion that we're colleagues in a general sense. As I think I said earlier, I consider my fellow grad students my colleagues, not the faculty. The term implies to me equivalent status, which is certainly not the case between grad students and faculty. We can be collaborators, co-authors, etc. But I'd have a hard time describing a prof as a colleague. BTW, I don't think 'colleague' indicates the same relationship as 'collegial'. A department and a student-faculty relationship can be perfectly collegial without the two being seen as 'colleagues'.