Professionalization

When an occupation develops characteristics such as requirements for specialized education and training, a shared body of knowledge, standards of practice, and governing bodies, it usually becomes regarded as a profession. Examples of professions include veterinary medicine, social work, accountancy, and teaching. Professionalization is the process of becoming professional and is an important concept in higher education. This entry focuses first on higher education as the home of professional schools, next on the professionalization of the professoriate, and then on the professionalization of graduate students. The entry concludes by introducing readers to critiques of and debates surrounding professionalization.