Lupin's Briefcase (was Hogwarts Express and the Magic Compartment)

[dmsreg]

No: HPFGUIDX 31616

Mahoney wrote: 
Well...does he have to have the paying job to be a professor?  I have 
no clue, honestly; but if he'd gotten a wizard's PhD, wouldn't he be 
able to call himself a Professor of Whatever even without a job?  
--

I think there is lots of evidence that there is no 
wizards' "university":

1) Not one of the teachers is referred to as "Doctor", which you'd 
expect at least one to be if there were such a qualification 
available. They are however referred to as "Professor", a title which 
in the UK (unlike the US) is restricted to the very top few academics 
in a University department, suggesting that they have reached the top 
of the academic tree in the wizarding world.
2) No degree or equivalent qualifications appear with all the awards 
and honours for Dumbledore on the letterhead of Hogwarts (although 
this might be taken as read I suppose).
3) JP and SB are described as brilliant students yet neither appears 
to have spent time at a University after leaving hogwarts.
4) Percy leaves Hogwarts straight to join the ministry, whereas ITRW 
one would typically "take one's degree" (probably from Oxford or 
Cambridge) before joining the FCO (UK equivalent of the US State 
Department or the Dpt for Intl Mag Coop).
5) JKR would otherwise be less certain that there will be only seven 
books or she's instantly given away that at least one of HRH dies at 
the end of book seven.

I think we have to assume that there cannot therefore be a PhD or 
equivalent qualification for advanced wizards and witches. Perhaps 
this explains the existence of "Orders of Merlin" awards, which would 
otherwise be unusual in a civilian arena.

It's always interested me that most of the teachers are given the 
title "Professor" whereas people like Madam Hooch are not. Either 
there is still the idea that one has to earn the title (rather 
than it being a generic term of office for a teacher), or possibly 
flying is not considered an academic discipline. That Moody and Lupin 
returned to instant "professordom" despite apparently having no 
previous teaching experience might be taken as a sign of some honour, 
or it might be that they just teach the "right" subjects. 

Perhaps JKR has university lecturer envy!!

Either way, if he did not pick up the title only a few months before 
coming to Hogwarts, there's some interesting back history there. It's 
more probable that the faded lettering is a minor continuity error 
made whilst painting a picture of the character.

Reg