Hi

I am currently in my master study in a university in London. But dissertation supervisor looks like being interested in me and wants to supervisor me for Phd study. I am not sure the potential supervisor is him or another professor. My dissertation supervisor is not a professor, he is a senior lecturer and he graduated in a top15 university in the UK few years ago.

My university ranks very so so, in between 80 and 90 in the UK....according to the new ranking, the academic score of my uni is just 2.2.

i don't know what I should do now. i know if i want to stay, it will be more easier for me because my dissertation supervisor will give me a topic for the research proposal. otherwise i need to write it myself...i think it's hard. My dream is to be a teacher in the UK. That's the main reason for me to take Phd. of course i want to have good knowledges as well.

but, honestly speaking, if my Phd potential supervisor is that professor,then i really want to stay because he is a kind of famous. i know it's is very likely that i won't follow a professor if i apply for another universities. so what do you think guys? do you thing it is worth taking a phd in this university that has not good ranking??

Thanks:):):)

I don't think you should worry too much about the ranking of the university. I think with PhDs it's more important to secure the research that you are really passionate about and finding a really good supervisor who will be there to help you all the way through.

As for being a teacher, do you mean school/sixth form teacher? In which case in the UK you only require an undergrad degree and a teacher trainign qualification so it might be worth looking into this instead of a PhD.

Also, are you likely to get fully funded at your current university? If you are, it's definitely worth going for that as fully funded PhDs are hard to come by or so I understand from talking to friends.

I hope this helps, I am very new to this site so please forgive me.

My priorities would be:

1. Funding
2. A supervisor I enjoy working with (regardless of fame status and titles)
3. A topic I am interested in (but generally you grow to love your PhD)
4. The location of the university
...maybe some other points...
5. University ranking in the specific area I am doing my PhD

Thanks! I don;t think my uni would provide me with scholarship, and actually my parents will fully support me during the Phd study. To be a teacher i mean to teach in the university. I am a Chinese so that why, or i would say most of Chinese people they treat the university ranking very seriously. anyway, i am not that serious. i think you are right, a good supervisor and the passion to research are more important than just the ranking.

My friend told me, he heard from an India teacher, the teacher told him if you want to get just a degree then you can stay here, if you want to learn more then go to other unis. I don't really understand. For Phd i think your supervisor and yourself are the most important factors. As I know it's a research and being guided by the supervisor process, rather than being taught on the lectures. well this is just i think so, no one told me how exactly the Phd will be...