Using Personal Titles: Using Personal Titles #6: Academic Titles

Using Personal Titles #6:
Academic Titles

 

There are also special titles used in academia--in colleges
and universities. The two most common academic titles
are, probably, Professor and Dr. Both of these titles are
used for those who have an academic doctorate--a PhD,
EdD, and so on.

In the U.S., Professor may be used either with or without
a name. When Professor is used with a name, only the
surname (family name) is used in speaking. In written
addresses, Professor is followed by a complete name.
In the greetings of letters, it is followed by the surname.

Examples

Spoken		Written
Hello, Professor. Good morning, Professor MacGowan. Excuse me, Professor, but I have a question. Could you please repeat that last point, Professor Hayashi?		Professor Miriam Smith Professor Manuel Torres Professor Jun Okumura Dear Professor Gold: Dear Professor Al-Salehi:

The academic title Dr. is used somwhat like Professor,
but not in exactly the same way. For those with academic
doctorates, Dr. isn't usually used, for example, without
a name. In written addresses, Dr. may be before the
complete name, or the abbreviated form of the academic
degree (PhD, EdD, etc.) may be after the complete name.
In written and spoken greetings, Dr. is used with a surname.

Examples

Spoken		Written
Hello, Dr. Muñoz. May I speak with Dr. Brown, please? May I ask you a question, Dr. Schmidt? I'm afraid I don't understand you, Dr. Chin.		Dr. Juan Muñoz Dr. Alicia Brown Hans Schmidt, PhD Martin Chin, EdD Dear Dr. Muñoz: Dear Dr. Brown:

_________________________________________

 

Special Note:

Other commonly used academic titles include Dean,
Chancellor, Provost, and President. In speaking and
in the greetings of letters, these titles are followed by
a surname:

Hello, Dean Carter. Good afternoon, Chancellor Ewing. I have an appointment with Provost Brown. It's an honor to meet you, President Linder

< /TD>

Dear Dean Carter: Dear Chancellor Ewing: Dear Provost Brown: Dear President Linder:

 

In written addresses, these titles are followed by complete
names. The titles may also come after surnames. In this
case, the name of the university School or College (fields
of study within a university) or of the institution follow
in the next line:

Dean Hilda Carter Provost Michael Brown Chancellor Kent Ewing President James Linder

Hilda Carter, Dean College of Liberal Arts Michael Brown, Provost Hanover University Kent Ewing, Chancellor Atwood State College James Linder, President Atwood State College