Excuse me Professor, but are you a Professor

[bluesqueak]

No: HPFGUIDX 42169

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "bboy_mn" <bboy_mn at y...> wrote:
> Noticed something strange. Recently, there has been a lot of 
> dicussion of education in the wizard world. 
> 
> It would seem that there are schools of higher education in the 
> wizard world. What makes me say that? Professor Lupin, was 
> Professor before he came to Hogwarts. When Har/Ron/Herm enter the 
> compartement on thetrain were Lupin is sleeping, Hermione notices 
> his name on his briefcase. It says in old worn out flaking gold 
> letters, PROFESSOR Lupin.

I forget the exact interview reference, but don't we have an 
interview where JKR says there are NO Wizarding universities?
I think we're all being fooled by the muggle world education system, 
where education beyond secondary/high school is still extremely 
formal. 

Judging by the amount of time the Trio (and others) spend in the 
library, Hogwarts is extremely strong on teaching even its youngest 
students the skills of independent research. Ron's brother Charlie is 
doing research ["Charlie's in Romania studying dragons" PS/SS p.80 UK 
paperback) and there is NO mention that he's connected to any 
wizarding university.


> At school, it's easy to see that the students would just call every
> teachers 'professor' as a courtesy title, although, some of them 
> could really be 'professors'. That brings up the question, how does 
> one become a 'professor'?

The students don't call every teacher 'professor'. Hagrid is still 
Hagrid, even though he's now teaching 'Care of Magical Creatures' and 
Madame Hootch, Flying Instructor and presumably Hogwarts graduate 
is 'Madame', rather than 'Professor' Hootch. 

More subtly, Dumbledore corrects Harry when he calls Severus Snape 
plain 'Snape' at the end of PS/SS - "*Professor* Snape, Harry" [PS/SS 
p. 217 UK paperback]- which suggests that 'Professor' is a title 
Snape has earned.

> 
> Lupin apparently at some point in the past, did something that
> bestowed upon him the title of Professor. But what? Did he go to the
> Cambridge Wizard's University, or was it Oxford's University of 
> Wizardry?
<Snip>
> 
> So is there a University of Wizardology where you can get a Masters 
> or PHD?
> 
> I have to think that even if there aren't formal schools, there are
> Wizard oganizations like the International Fraternal Order of 
> Wizards(org. from one of my fan fics), where wizards can get 
> together and do research, and study advanced wizardry, and 
> eventually get some formal recognition for their efforts. Like 
> titles; Dr. Harry Potter,Professor Harry Potter, Harry Potter, BW 
> (Bachelor of Wizardry), or Hermione Granger, MWA (Master of Witchly 
> Arts).

This would be in keeping with the British/Muggle 'Royal Society' 
system, where you can be made a 'Fellow' - either by doing something 
dramatic, like an exciting expedition (Royal Geographical Society) or 
by presenting one or more papers to members of the Society. You then 
get to put the letters FRS, or FRGS (or whichever society it is) 
after your name - and since the members are pretty well all respected 
in their field, these letters are very well regarded.

Perhaps there is a wizard equivalent - the 'professors' in the book 
are all people who've presented the findings of their research to the 
British Confederation of Wizards, or something. They've then been 
awarded the title.
 
> 
> Any thoughts?
> 

Well, I do wonder if Charlie's 'dragon studying' is leading up to his 
becoming 'Professor Weasley'. Especially since the intense 
speculation on the list about Hagrid's life expectancy [doomed, he's 
doomed!] tends towards the theory that Hogwarts will need a new Care 
of Magical Creatures instructor by Book 6 or 7.

Pip