Institution/department name changes

[mpheels]

How do you list your university and/or department on your CV when they change names after your graduate?

 

When I recieved my MPH, the school was simple the UNC School of Public Health and the department was Health Behavior and Health Education. A few years after I graduated, the school recieved a large donation and changed names to the Gillings School of Global Public Health. A few years after that, the department changed the curiculum and change their name to just Health Behavior. Currently, I list the school and department as they were called while I attended. I feel it better reflects my actual experience. I'm currently on a search committee for an open position in my department, and one of the applicants graduated from the same department a few years ahead of me. She uses the new school and department names on her CV. I wouldn't say it's dishonest or deceptive, but it strikes me as odd.

[fuzzylogician]

I imagine I would find out what my transcripts say and go with that, in the hopes of reducing the need for explanations. More generally, if the school basically still teaches the same curriculum and has a similar reputation to when I attended, I imagine it's easier to go with the current name because that's what people will know and that's what they can (more easily) search for online. Saying "School X, Dept AB (now: Fancypants School, Dept A)" just sounds like overkill. I do see your point, but both choices seem legitimate to me, as long as no deception is being attempted.

[MsDarjeeling]

I agree that you should use what is stated on your transcripts for consistency.  If your transcripts list the new school name and new program name you could always use an asterisk/footnote to say formerly UNC School of Public Health and formerly Health Behavior and Health Education.  Any further questions about it can be addressed in a cover letter or during the interview, but I doubt it'd be a huge deal.  I imagine this sort of thing happens all the time as schools expand, shrink, get new owners, change academic directions, etc.