How important is university name in obtaining a job as a professor?

gt5879c: How important is university name in obtaining a job as a professor?
How important is the name recognition or prestige of the university when applying for a job as a professor? Would the university you got your PhD at be more important than the one you got your Masters from?

Answers and Views:

Answer by Mary
The prestige of the institution(s) you intend can be a factor in the kinds of positions you will be offered (in any field). However, there are generally more important factors for those wanting to teach at the college level, including professional experience, performance as a graduate assistant, recommendations, academic records, and area of specialization within a discipline.

Rather than complete a masters first and then begin a PhD program, it is easier, and generally faster, to enroll directly in a PhD program.

The institution from which you earn a PhD will generally be viewed as more important than the institution(s) from which you earned prior degrees.

Answer by iSpeakTheTruth
It’s important in the sense that the school you received your Ph.D from needs to at the same level, or above, to what you are applying for. For example, don’t expect to be teaching at Harvard when you got that Ph.D from UC-Merced.

Answer by Edward W
It can be very important, depending upon where you want to work.

Studies have shown that (at least in my field, mathematics) professors at tier 1 research universities tended to have their Ph.Ds from the same type of institution. If you want to work at one of the best universities in your field, it is best to go to one of the best universities at one of the best universities in your field. This is not a hard and fast rule, but I have heard that it is a trend.

The advice frequently given undergraduates in mathematics (where academic jobs are often hard to find) is to go to the best institution that they can get into for their Ph.D work.

On the other hand, if you are not so selective about where you want to work, you probably have more flexibility on where you study.

On the other hand, I have also heard that the quality of your dissertation, the reputation of your advisor, and the degree of help you get from your advisor can all play a role in role in determining where (or if) you get your first academic job offer.

The university where you get your Ph.D seems to be the most important.