Werner Walther Sep 29, 2010:

.... The person in question is a Dr. when he has completed a doctoral dissertation and has a earned doctorate from Germany or an authorized transcription from a foreign university.
He is a Professor, when he has been teaching at a German university.
If both of these applies, he is a Prof. Dr. ..., and this is quite correct.

Nobody, who is in the know, would call himself a Dr. Prof. - quite unusual.

Werner Walther Sep 29, 2010:

Warning - false friends! In France, Spain and in Italy, every teacher (primary or even kindergarten) is a professeur (France), professor (Spain and Latin America) or a professore (Italy), not as a title, but as the profession's name. In France also professeur = enseignant.

In the Netherlands a 'doctorandus' is a person, who has studied and has now the right to register for a doctoral dissertation, if he wants to do so. But he has not yet completed the doctorate.

Werner Walther Sep 29, 2010:

Doktor and Professor in the German speaking world Dr. - earned doctorate (Dr.med. / Dr.phil. / Dr.-Ing. etc.) with a thesis (Dissertation) and an examination.

Professor title confered to the holder of a tenure track position (lifelong employment) and in the German speaking countries with another thesis (higher requirements than doctoral dissertation) called Habilitation. When he/she have got the qualification, they are entitled to write Dr.habil. - they can teach, but haven't got the title of a Professor so far, this applies only when (in Germany) one of the 17 Ministries for Science and Higher Education confer the title. Then they are both, ususally Prof.Dr. Adam Smith etc.

It is true, that most of the professors are doctors, but outstanding managers or engineers can be Professor without the earned doctorate. An experienced captain of big vessels can become Prof. Kapitän .... An outstanding artist could become Professor (John Lennon or Yehudi Menuhin would not need an earned doctorate).

There are more exceptions, but this is the framework.

Travelin Ann Sep 29, 2010:

See http://www.qype.co.uk/forums/267/topics/6151-Translating-tit...

Laura Hercha (asker) Sep 29, 2010:

He went to Germany and he acquired this titles. He says that in Germany is common to use Professor Dr., or Dr. Professor.

Werner Walther Sep 29, 2010:

The gentleman and his titles ... ... are from which country? A bit unusual, this composition, for all countries I know (Germany, UK, EU).

Anna Herbst Sep 29, 2010:

Is he a full professor? There is a problem with the American style of naming everyone who teaches at a university "professor". Unless the person actually has a chair, I believe the correct US style would be John Doe, PhD. If he is a full professor, his title would be Professor John Doe - no need for further qualifications.

Travelin Ann Sep 28, 2010:

In US English, no. Depending on the context, one MIGHT use "Professor John Doe, PhD" or Professor John Doe M D" but rarely.