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Is it worth getting a Phd in Law from an average university?

Hi,

I'm in in my final year of Law school and will hopefully be graduating with a First. My dissertation supervisor has invited me to go straight on to the school's Phd programme following completion of my undergrad.

It would be fully funded and I won't have to fork out for an LLM, so financially it makes perfect sense. I also love the school and know most of the academics very well.

My issue is that the university is distinctly average (lower end of top 40 UK), not russell group or oxbridge or UoL. I'm planning on becoming an academic and/or consultant for an NGO or UN organisation.

If my Phd is from a lower ranked university will it harm my job prospects?

Any help would be appreciated!

Reply 1

Clip

Surely the issue is the quality of your research?

Reply 2

Klix88

At PhD level, it's more about your research and the reputation of your supervisors.

Reply 3

flying plum

As Klix says, once you're at PhD, who your supervisor is, your publication record, the rep of the department for your fild of law and many other things matter, probably more, than the prestige of the university itself.

Reply 4

Doc.Daneeka

The importance for Ph.Ds generally goes supervisor > department > university so don't let the university ranking put you off. Also, keep an eye on what research projects the department is being funded for as this will help give you an idea of what area the department specialises in and which universities are best for which topic.

Reply 5

poohat

Original post by algebra_justice

Hi
If my Phd is from a lower ranked university will it harm my job prospects?

Yes, drastically.

Doubly so if you go into the private sector since Law puts so much emphasis on pedigree

Reply 6

flying plum

Original post by poohat

Yes, drastically.

Doubly so if you go into the private sector since Law puts so much emphasis on pedigree

I don't see how this is the case. If you did your phd with the leading academic in your field, who happened to be at, say, Northumbria, I don't see why that would put a firm off you in private practice. They might wonder why you did a phd in the first place, but they'd be much more interested where you did your LLB than PhD, in terms of 'pedigree'.