Classically, there were only three professions: ministry, medicine, and law. These three professions each hold to a specific code of ethics, and members are almost universally required to swear some form of oath to uphold those ethics, therefore "professing" to a higher standard of accountability. Each of these professions also provides and requires extensive training in the meaning, value, and importance of its particular oath in the practice of that profession.
Sociologists have been known to define professionalism as self-defined power elitism or as organised exclusivity along guild lines, much in the sense that George Bernard Shaw characterised all professions as "conspiracies against the laity". Sociological definitions of professionalism involving checklists of perceived or claimed characteristics (altruism, self-governance, esoteric knowledge, special skills, ethical behavior, etc.) became less fashionable in the late 20th century.
A common inquiry used to evaluate if a particular occupation is, in fact, a "profession" is the "advocacy test". Simply: If an occupation requries that one regularly act as an advocate for another individual, group, or entity who lack the specific knowledge required for such advocacy, then that occupation meets the test and can be deemed a "profession". From this, the importance of specific codes of ethics and (often) licensure follow.
A member of a profession is termed a professional. However, professional is also used for the acceptance of payment for an activity, in contrast to amateur. A professional sportsperson, for example, is one who receives payment for participating in sport, but sport is not generally considered a profession. (Although a profession can also refer to any activity from which one earns one's living, so in that sense sport is a profession.)
Historically, the number of professions was limited: members of the clergy, medicaldoctors, and lawyers held the monopoly on professional status and on professional education, with militaryofficers (the grandfather of modern engineers) recognized as social equals. Self-governing bodies such as guilds or colleges, backed by state-granted charters guaranteeing monopolies, limited access to and behavior within such professions.
With the church having receded in its role in western society, the remaining classical professions (law and medicine) are both noted by many as requiring not just study to enter, but extensive study and accreditation above and beyond simply getting a university degree. Accordingly more recently-formalized disciplines, such as architecture, which now have equally-long periods of study associated with them, and which are becoming considered as their equal.
Many organizations have codified their conduct, often designated “code of ethics”, and what they require for entry into their organization and how to remain in good standing. Some of these codes are quite detailed and make strong emphasis on their particular area or expertise, for example, journalists emphasise the use of credible sources and protecting their identities, psychologists emphasize privacy of the patient and communications with other psychologists, anthropologists emphasize rules on intrusions into a culture being studied.
Most of the codes do show an overlap in such concepts as,’ do no harm’, ‘be honest’, ‘do not use your position for private gain,’ etc.
Another area of inquiry that will allow a student of this subject to define concepts of professionalism may be inferred from guarantees. But these are inferences only. The idea behind a guarantee is that the person offering the guarantee is accountable to the extent of damages that will be compensated.
One thing these sources hold in common, implicit or explicit, is the idea of accountability—those who are members of these organizations or professions are held accountable for what they do. Links to these sources are made in External Links.
In many legal regimes that have "regulated professions" the issues of "public safety" or "client welfare", harm, ethics, accreditation or credentialling, licensing, peer discipline, special knowledge, judgement, training, practical experience and oaths of conduct are common to the regulated professions. One or more of these factors may suffice to distinguish the profession from a related trade. The professional is obligated and sworn to exercise expert judgement on behalf of the client's interest. The client is not usually assumed to understand the complexities of the professional's special knowledge domain.
