A Note About 'Professions'
This FAQ presents a more formal view of profession – that it is a vocation that involves a specialized undergraduate or graduate degree, credentials, and standards of practice maintained by a corresponding professional organization. Examples of professions might include teacher, police officer, or nurse.
All professional organizations share certain characteristics. They may accomplish this through 1 or more of the following activities:
If you are in college to attain credentials or enter a profession, such as teaching:
How to Find Legitimate Professional Organizations
Look at Scholarly Journals in Your Field:
Identify Scholarly Articles in Your Field:
Google Search – yes, it is OK!
Look at The Organization’s Website and Ask the Right Questions:
Students sometimes need to research the credentials needed in certain professions. Follow are some ideas for where to find this information: