Young Departments

[That_One]

I am just wondering what you guys' thoughts are on the pros and cons of going to a young department where most faculty are Assistant professors.

[doctoraldude]

pro's : lots of faculty tryng to build their careers - so more opportunities to participate in research, usually

con's : some of them may move on (greener pastures/denied tenure) while you're in the program

[socialpsych]

pro's : lots of faculty tryng to build their careers - so more opportunities to participate in research, usually

con's : some of them may move on (greener pastures/denied tenure) while you're in the program

I think that just about sums it up.

From what I have heard, bottom-heavy tends to be better for grad students than top-heavy, generally speaking. But anywhere you go, you should try to work with a mix of people at different points in their career, if you can.

[Tritonetelephone]

pro: they might be more motivated to improve their department and tailor it to grads' needs.

con: since faculty haven't yet finished their own goals, may be more likely to use grads as peons for their own research or to advance their own career.