Post Grad Snobbery

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Profesh

Much less so than at undergraduate-level, I would've thought. Especially if you're a Ph.D. candidate at a reputable institution.

I was thinking of undergraduate.

Reply 21

Kitty Pimms

Something that's been neglected here is departmental snobbery. I've never experienced *university* snobbery, but people working at not very good departments with unknown supervisors do seem to be at a disadvantage in the willy-waving stakes.

Reply 22

apotoftea

IlexAquifolium

Bad bad bad images have just come into my head :no:

Reply 23

she-theFaceICan'tForget

I´d say the quality of the department of you UG course is the main thing - is it of a comparable standard - have you got the basic skills to carry on into postgrad, alongside students from more reputable unis without being at a disadvantage?
What matters most are your personal abilities, aswell as making sure you have been given the basic grounding you need for further study.

TSR snobbery is extreme - although from my own experience I have to say, those with UG degrees from the most reputable unis generally get the best places at postgrad too. Don´t forget though that if it´s a research PG course, you will have to submit a proposal, and even if you come from one of the worst unis, if you have a I or IIii and you show ability, insight blah blah in your proposal - it shouldn´t really affect your chances.

Reply 24

NDGAARONDI

I was thinking whether the RAE/QAA of your UG department would affect your chances of being admitted to a postgraduate course but I have been informed it does not. I do wonder though, if it does indirectly.

Reply 25

apotoftea

NDGAARONDI

Doubt it. PG is about the individual so teaching standards shouldn't come into it at all.

Reply 26

Kitty Pimms

apotoftea

Doubt it. PG is about the individual so teaching standards shouldn't come into it at all.

This is true, and I think it's an oversimplification to suggest that 'it's the RAE wot does it' when it clearly isn't, at least when compared to the qualities of the individual.

That said, we all know how incestuous academia is and how everyone knows each other? I do think having exposure to high-caliber professors, and having them willing to act as referees for you, has a positive impact on applications. Particularly if the staff at the incoming department know them, which becomes more likely the higher the profile of the refereeing staff. If we assume that the RAE is effectively an amalgamation of this (albeit a particularly bad one) then I think it would be fair to assume that the perceived strength of the undergrad department might reasonably play some role, albeit a small one, and insofar as it acts as a proxy for the quality of academic interactions the student is likely to have encountered. I find this more plausible than the idea that university reputation plays a part, anyway.

Reply 27

apotoftea

IlexAquifolium

That said, we all know how incestuous academia is

Indeed we do! We had what 6? 7? people on our mini list of people who knew each other didn't it? That's partly why I chose the referrees that I did as it can only help.

perceived strength of the undergrad department might reasonably play some role, albeit a small one, and insofar as it acts as a proxy for the quality of academic interactions the student is likely to have encountered.

Agree with this :yep:

Reply 28

jennipenny

I'd agree particularly for research degrees that it's the proposal above all that matters as they tend to be a good way to tell whether the applicant has thought things through and understands the basics of research / theory / methodology. I suppose the interesting point though about previous departments as a factor is that it's the reputation of the u/g department in the eyes of the academics reading the applications. And that's something that's sometimes very different to what the league tables say (and something that's been quite an eye-opener to me to find out how different it could be). I suppose they know who shows up at conferences and workshops and so is research active, and the external examining system lets word slip out about where's really good and not so good.