======= Date Modified 23 Apr 2011 07:28:06 =======
Would you advise following a specific person who is really a leader and well-renowned in their subject, but is not in a very prominent university, to complete a PhD (in History)?

I have more than one adviser/supervisor in mind - about three - all who are prominent and considered the 'top' in the field, but not at 'fantastic' universities (UK). On the other hand, a 'top' university does not quite have people specialising in my field: they can cover it, but not their area of specialty.

Plus, would it be more advisable to go with someone would who agree with you in terms of you thesis?

NOTE: I've updated the topic with a new post, check below. Thanks.

Can be a difficult decision and in part depends on what you want your PhD to do for you. A 'fantastic' uni can influence people who know nothing about your PhD but will recognise the name of your uni. On the other hand having a 'name' supervisor can also be a good selling point. For me, I would go with supv; it would override the uni in my opinion. Your supervisor is really important and can be the difference between efficient completion, an 'enjoyable' PhD experience, tearing your hair out etc. Also your supv will infuence who your external examiner ultimately will be. If your supv is a big name, chances are, your external will be a big name as well. Many people keep in contact with their external, use them for academic references and so on so even at the beginning it's something to factor in.

My vote is, if you can't have both - person over institution;-)

Yes, that was along the lines of what I was thinking. I didn't want to introduce names in case of dissent, but I will here - note that they are fantastic universities, I just meant to emphasise the difference in perception from those outside the UK, for instance:

The supervisors I have in mind would be in universities such as the University of Yale, U.o. Bristol, smaller universities under the University of London, etc. The 'big' universities thus are Oxbridge.

I don't think I would want to study in the US, which is why I'm not mentioning any of them: I'm from Australia, so would be unsure how they would react to funding in terms of funding an overseas student. It would also be the fact that archival research may not be so easy, etc. Otherwise, some great universities with great supervisors there (such as UCLA, UC Berkeley, Yale, Stanford, etc.).

Hey! I would definitely go with the supervisor! I left a top uni to study at a middle-of-the-road uni, but the specific department I'm in is reknowned as one of the best in the UK (top 2) and Europe (top 3) for its research output. My supervisors have actually moved from 'better' universities (UCL and Cambridge) to be a part of this department, and are world-reknowned for their work. I'm thrilled to be working with them and I know that the opportunities I have been provided with and the names of my supervisors will benefit me far more than if I had gone to a better uni but had a relatively unknown supervisor who would have been unable to support me and provide me with the same opportunities. A lot of people (friends and family) questioned my decision to move from a top UK uni to one which is literally about halfway down the league table overall, but it has been the best decision I have ever made. Of course, if you can have both, then great- but I would go off the reputation of the department and your supervisors over the name of the university any day. The key to a smooth PhD is good supervision, although I'm not saying that people who are very well-reknowned in their subject are necessarily easy to work with- but that's another story! Best, KB

You have to be careful here. In a good university, you will find better connections, meet other good scientists. You will also see other people ding serious stuff and be inspired always. In other words, the future can always be bright there. In a mediocre univ, even if the prof is the Pope, unless he has money you can be stuck! So yu have to be careful.

Hi Philj,
Although there are clearly many factors to consider here, personally, I would go with the supervisor.
I was in a very similar position to you - from Australia, moving to the UK, had offers from 'top' schools and good-but-not-the-most-internationally-recognised schools with people I really wanted to work with. I'm in a sort of similar field to you as well.
I had known other people in similar situations who had chosen to go with the 'best' school and had ended up regretting the choice, so after a lot of consideration I decided to go with the supervisor I wanted to work with the most and it's been the best decision I could have made.
Another thing I want to point out is this - don't discount the fact that in some places (you mentioned UoL colleges, and I'm thinking of this in particular) the 'main' postgraduate community can be based outside of the university/college and incorporate a lot of different schools and people from different programs. I have found that to be a wonderful, rich and supportive academic environment which I think has given me access to a lot of ideas and perspectives I may not have had otherwise. So - if you're looking at going to a UoL college, check out the Advanced Schools and their programs as well.
Good luck with the decision.