Degree and future job prospect

I've been lurking here for a little while now and have recommended this site to various individuals. Great site!

I have a question. The general opinion is get your degree as fast as cheap as possible. If one plans to pursue becoming a professor at "an institution of higher learning" how much does the prestige of school where you got your bachelors degree count? I assume for the tier 1 elite schools every step you have taken in life is probably taken into consideration. What about tier 2, tier 3, etc...?

The specific situation is I obtained my BS from UoP. [yes, greatly over paid and probably wouldn't do it again. However, when you ignore, since most was tuition assistance, it wasn't a bad choice] I am obtaining a Masters in Economics from the University of Oklahoma and hope to go on and get my PhD in Business or Economics from the same school or better.

 

In science (don't know economics), what matters is where you did your PhD -- especially who your advisor was -- and your publication record. If your advisor, publications, and recommendations (only academic count) are good, then you can get a foot in the door for an interview. Your undergraduate institution is essentially irrelevant.

 

I would hope that your Masters & Doctorate would be a key factor and not so much your Bachelors as long as it's (RA). Don't hide behind UOP, it was the best at time in your life.....

I got a Ed.D from Pepperdine a few years ago, and I'm working on a Ph.D. from Northcentral.

Over the years I've attend 15 or so schools, UOP fits in the middle. Why the Ph.D @ Northcentral, I'm hoping for (RA in March) with a price tag @ 14K vs. 30k+


I attended UOP in the late 80's and received a BSBA & MAOM from them - looking back the MAOM was a terrific process in my life. I did go back and finished an MBA which my employer paid 100%, the Ed.D was paid by my employer @ over 90%, and NCU, It's my employer picking up 100%

 

One more word - if your not in education now, get in ASAP.

I'm in the business world, I'm 41 and I don't think I could break into the the field, why?, work experience & $$$$$ on the outside even with a Ed.D from Peperdine, MBA from Redlands......

 

John--

It's the same in the humanities and social sciences.
For you, the best would be to get into the University of Texas, Austin for your Doctorate--unless going further afield is doable...
(with its obvious possibilities).

--Orson
(A Ph.D. from OU may well not limit you, unless you hope to be hired outside the region, the nearby states, the Great Plains. But then again, you're in a higher demand field, Econ or Business--this may well expand your job prospects easily in ways I can't imagine!)

 

Don't Worry

As long as your graduate degrees are from traditional schools the traditionalist academicians in charge will welcome you as a peer.