Ask A Tenured Professor

Is “Preparation H” a good thing?

This column examines the question of whether it is advisable to earn all three degrees (BA, MA, and PhD) from the same institution. As one respondent noted, at Harvard, that is called “Preparation H” and is considered a bonus!

Several people responded to my original post, including some who had themselves earned three degrees at the same university. I thank everyone who offered their frank and helpful insight, including Kim Davies, Carole Garrison, Michelle Inderbitzin, Jana Jasinski, Robert Jenkot, Bronwen Lichtenstein, Katherine Maeve, Cassandra Reyes, Robin Robinson, Hannah Scott, and Susan Sharp. Thank you.

Please send questions to be considered in future “Ask a Tenured Professor” columns to: jflavin@fordham.edu.

Question: How would your respective workplaces view a job applicant who earned all three degrees (BA, MA, and PhD) from the same institution? How would you advise a student who wished to "stay on" for her PhD?

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As a student currently working on my third degree at ___, I have sought advice on this issue on several occasions. However, my situation is different from most of the others seeking their third degree here. I worked in the criminal justice system for approximately ten years before returning to ___ for my master's and subsequently, doctoral, degrees. Would this be a situation that would change the minds of different universities because I did not go straight through with all three degrees? In addition, the faculty's composition has changed dramatically and I have not had the same professors during the pursuit of my graduate degrees as I had for my undergraduate degrees. I have been told that receiving the three degrees from one university can be viewed as both a hindrance and a non-issue so I am thankful that this is a topic that is being discussed.

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Personally, I would advise a change of scenery and thought. Student already knows how to "please" at your university; knows how you all think. She can take that somewhere else and represent your school well, and be challenged by the "differentness" she'll feel. [Can she] still have you as an outside member of her dissertation committee? Staying at home is too easy, or that's what I think. If that's not possible, maybe a postdoctoral fellowship somewhere else.

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If it helps, I received three degrees at the same university in [another country] and am now a faculty member at a U.S. university. The bias I experienced was in having a foreign degree rather than having three degrees from the same institution. I believe that the expectation to change institutions may inadvertently discriminate against women who are place-bound because of family commitments. I was a single mother when I was pursuing my Ph.D and didn't want to subject my children to another major upheaval after the trauma of being divorced and moving back home. It worked out for me eventually, but it's been a long road from there to here. I can understand the rationale for changing institutions to widen one's scholarly experience and sensibilities, but it shouldn't be assumed that NOT moving is merely an act of individual choice. Good luck with your decision, however it goes.

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Honestly, it depends on the school. I will tell you that I earned 4 degrees from ___ and it didn't seem to hurt me. Although, I did switch from being undergraduate focused on gender studies -- through my Masters. Then as PhD student, my focus was on Criminology. Had I not changed my focus I would have run out of classes. Also as a student who took grad courses in undergrad, I had to take more upper division methods courses and I wasn't always in with my cohort which may have hurt me in some way. Of course, I graduated in 1996 so this is just my thoughts and experiences and not anything more than an "n of one" (too many methods courses leads me to say that! . . . I think there were around 20 faculty and we did have plenty of methods courses so I did not run out of those. But seriously, I took all the gender courses offered so the move to criminology was absolutely necessary. I think I took five gender courses. I also took a women's studies course and a Black Studies course while in graduate school which I don't believe was very common. It may just take sitting down and seeing if it possible to meet all requirements without taking courses already taken.

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I am just such a person---all three degrees from one institution---and I got a good job. I am of the opinion that the greater the range of personal experiences one has, the better that person can relate to others (research participants, students, administrators, colleagues). Also, from many discussions with friends, faculty, and potential employers; deeds speak larger than where a degree is from. So the end result is attend a good school (define that as you will) and do good work—or great work! People are hiring on the basis that you WILL do research & teaching (& service) and have the POTENTIAL to obtain tenure---you will not be hired if you are expected to fail at these—regardless of the name on your diploma.

What multiple institutions can do is 1) wider basis for letters of recommendation (3 schools vs. 1)—this can be mitigated by networking at conferences 2)provide for a more diverse education ---some schools are only quantitative/qualitative, macro or micro theorists…, etc. and 3)open doors by name recognition (Harvard vs. Southeastern State U.). That is my take on it. I advise my students to do the best work possible and that speaks the loudest to potential employers & gives the students something to talk about in terms of skills they have, etc.

Also, as in my case, money plays a role---can you afford that school? Also, family---will changing your kids’ schools (and all of the additional stress there) impinge on your focus? I suppose there are a ton of reasons to leave an area, or stay. But for me what is most important is making the possibility of completing the degrees possible.

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Well, at Harvard they call that Preparation H, and it's considered a big bonus! At our place, I think we would consider that an issue only if the institution in question were in question, I think. If it's a really good program in a really good place...

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I’m one of those people who have all 3 degrees from the same school . . . and I don’t think it hurt me at all either time I was on the job market. I do think there are a couple of things to consider: first, it really helps if it’s a good or “top” grad program; second, I went out of my way while in grad school to do some adjunct work at other places, including a community college and a private liberal arts college. That allowed me to talk about how my education was from one place, but I had sought out experiences in other environments.

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My 2 cents. When I was pursing my degrees it turns out that all three were going to be from the same place. I was advised that as I was interested in a particular area (Domestic violence) that my current school . . . was a good place to be. However, if I had a different interest that it would have been better to go on to another school. Although I do not have any empirical evidence my impression is that getting degrees in one place is becoming more common. We are also having to deal with this issue for the first time with our new PhD program. My advice to students is often that they must think about their reasons for wanting to stay. If they think our program can offer them something that they might not get at a different institution then they should stay. If they are thinking of staying only because they are comfortable here or are afraid of what is "out there" it is not really a strong enough reason to stay. As for workplaces - we have never really looked at where the different degrees come from, only the record of the applicant and their fit with our program.

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In Canada, as in the US (I have taught in both), the continuum of responses varies. Ultimately it depends on the goals of your student. In Ontario, it is very unusual for a student to do all three degrees at one university. It is considered a deficit in learning, as the student has only had one institution to adjust to. The student gets the advantage of knowing professors, knowing whom to avoid and work with, etc. The exception to the "more than one university" rule here in Ontario seems to be for those students who are intrinsically tied to the community because of children, spousal employment, etc. They, typically, then have to compete with those who are preferred from other locals, which means they have to be better than most. In Alberta, where there are fewer options for universities within the province, many students go to one university for all three degrees. It is their opinion that it makes no difference. However, if should be noted that many who learning in Alberta, tend to stay in Alberta. Whatever kept them there for three degrees, keeps them there post degree. Students from a distance (out of country/province) at these universities tend to have more of a struggle, as they are competing for spaces with students who know the system intricately.

Long story short, if the student has ambition to be a professor, then send them away. They make the contacts with your institution and can keep them, as well as learning and making contacts at another university. It is the beginning of the networking process. If they simply cannot leave because of the exceptions mentioned above, then I would let them stay, providing they are good enough... If they cannot leave for the doctorate, they will probably not be able to leave for employment afterward, therefore they have to be really good to complete inside a market that is locally very competitive. All in all, if they are able to go to another school, it really is in their best interests to encourage them to do so, as they can continue to work with both (if they are savvy). This only enhances their employment prospects later on.

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Our faculty would not be very enthusiastic about a candidate who has only a single perspective… unless they mixed their academic career with outside field experience.

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I like to see more than one school, personally, because it represents a broader range of knowledge. But a lot depends on what the career goals are of the student. If they plan to work at a primarily teaching school in the region, it is not so problematic. If they plan to work at a research university, then I would advise them to consider going elsewhere for their doctorates. However, there is a caveat here, as well. I can think of a doctoral student in our department for whom staying her for her third degree was the best option because of the mentor with whom she was working. During her MA, they began generating a number of publications together, and that has continued into her doctoral program.