Does Gender and Professional Experience Influence Students’ Perceptions of Professors?

Abstract

Grounded in literature stemming from higher education research, this study examines how students evaluate public relations educators by gauging their perceptions of the professors’ professional competency, professorial warmth, course difficulty, and industry connectivity. Using an experimental design, students ( N = 303) from four U.S. universities reviewed syllabi for the introductory public relations course to test whether an instructor’s gender or professional background (academic vs. practice) influenced the students’ perceptions. The findings from this study suggest that students evaluate professors on professional criteria and the professors’ ability to connect classroom experience and theory to actual practice.