Pros/Cons of Big dept. vs. Small dept?

[VBD]

I was just wondering this..

 

What are the potential benefits of being a PhD student at a large department (~40 faculty, and altogether 120 Masters and PhD students in each cohort)? What are the drawbacks?

 

From what I've brainstormed (not a comprehensive list at all!): 

Pros: 

Flexibility of choosing/changing labs

Diversity of program in terms of research interest

Many different mentors (official and unofficial)

   - Good chance for collaboration

Can easily make friends within cohort

   - Built in study buddies for the 1st two years

 

Cons:

Could be competitive

Perhaps funding?

 

What are the potential benefits of a small department (~15 faculty, and altogether 5 doctoral students max each cohort)? What are drawbacks?

Pros:

Individual attention from advisors? Potential thesis help more readily available?

 

Cons:

Might be hard to make friends since there's less people

Smaller because it is relatively a newer program

 

In this case, please consider the schools as equal ranking and equal fit (both with 2-3 POIs of interest), I don't want confounding factors. 
I'd like to hear people's thoughts on how size of the program and impact your studies, since I know my list sucks xD

[uromastyx]

I think it's up to where you see yourself. What fits best. For me, I'm not too concerned about friends, for example.

The only con you've listed for the smaller program might not even be accurate. And depending on who you want to work with at the larger program, you might receive just as much attention.

The competitive nature of a program should always be a factor. Are you competitive? Can you compete for opportunities? Also keep in mind that if you are competitive then it might benefit you being in larger, more competitive program.

Is there a difference in course offerings?

It's all about fit.

[Deadmeat]

I only applied to huge departments 60+ faculty, etc. The reasoning was partially for the department but also for the University. Undergrad and Masters were spent at a smaller state school, everyone commuted, and I never really connected with anyone. So I want the opposite experience to make friends, meet people, socialize etc. I applied to mostly the largest state schools (Mich, Penn State, Ohio, etc). Besides the social aspects I think a big department just has so many more people working in the area you want. All your hopes don't lie on 1-2 faculty working in let's say Combustion, there are maybe 15 people doing combustion research at some schools. See how big the group you will be in is, just because the department is huge doesn't mean some groups can't still be small and have a personal feel.

 

Just depends what you are looking for in both the department and possibly the broader campus. 

[Usmivka]

Advisor first and always, but if you are "tied" between advisors I'd go with the bigger school. You'll have more resources, more peers and social/cultural opportunities, and, if things go poorly, you'll have more faculty and projects that you can switch to if needed.

[selecttext]

small departments are often sleepy and isolating. i am currently in a small department where graduate students are lone wolves, labs are cliquey, and there isn't much collaboration.

Edited February 5, 2013 by selecttext

[TeaGirl]

The most important thing is the advisor. Other than that, all things being equal, I would go for the larger department since they usually have a lot more chances for collaboration and more social options. I also don't think large departments are necessarily more competitive since there's too many people to keep track of what everyone else is doing. It might be more of an issue in a particular cohort depending on the people, and this is whether it's a small or big program.

[asdfx3]

I don't think there any "pro's" to a smaller department per se, so much as a lack of some of the con's of going to a bigger program. I think the biggest con of a large program is that you may get lost in the shuffle if you need help with administrative stuff. On the other hand a smaller program probably has fewer resources available and fewer potential collaborations.

 

I would be more concerned with the fact that your hypothetical "big program" is admitting three times as many graduate students as they have faculty. Depending on the ratio of PhD's to Master's that could definitely present issues when it comes to finding a lab you want to go to that actually has space for you, as well as funding.