Graduate Education in the United States

In 1997, Congress and professional associations called for a reduction in PhD production, claiming that American universities unnecessarily overproduce doctorates. However in 1989 the Bowen and Sosa study (Prospects for Faculty in the Arts and Sciences) projected a substantial excess demand for faculty in the arts and sciences beginning in 1997 and continuing through 2002.

Why these contradictory messages? In this introduction we discuss the current and recurring issues in the graduate education debate, that are the result of the external and internal pressures faced by graduate education, and the way institutions have responded to these issues.

Nerad, M., June, R., & Sands Miller, D. (1997). in the book series Contemporary Higher Education: Graduate Education in The United States. New York: Garland Press, spring 1997.

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The Cyclical Problems of Graduate Education and Institutional Responses in the 1990s

When in January, 1900, five university presidents–Charles William Eliot of Harvard, William Rainey Harper of Chicago, Benjamin Ide Wheeler of California, Seth Low of Columbia, and Daniel Coit Gilman of Johns Hopkins–invited nine other United States university presidents to meet in the following month in Chicago for the purpose of forming a permanent organization devoted to “matters of common interest relating to graduate study,” none of them guessed that graduate education would become a major enterprise in the United States.

Spearheaded by President Wheeler, this group of fourteen created the American Association of Universities (AAU) and set out to unify and improve the standards for the award of higher degrees at American universities. These men had received their advanced education abroad, most of them in German universities–the world’s leading scholarly institutions at the turn of the century, and were eager to transplant the new form of scholarship they encountered there into their own institutions, In so doing, they hoped to stem the flow of able graduate students abroad and attract them to American universities for advanced study instead. Little did they know that some eighty years later graduate education in the United States would become a much sought after commodity and that students from countries all around the world, including Germany, would flock to American universities for their graduate education.

Nerad, M., June, R., & Miller, D. (1997). The Cyclical Problems of Graduate Education: Institutional Responses in the 1990s, In M. Nerad, R. June, & D. Miller, Graduate Education in the United States, pp. vii-xiv, New York: Garland Press.

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Increasing Student Retention in Graduate and Professional Programs

Using the assessment model from the University of California Berkeley, describes how research can inform policies and strategies for increasing graduate student retention by focusing on the interplay of institutional, disciplinary and student characteristics.

Nerad, M. & Sands Miller, D. (1996). Increasing Student Retention in Graduate and Professional Programs. In Haworth, J. G. Assessment in Graduate and Professional Programs: Demand, Processes, Outcomes. ed. In Jossey-Bass Publishers, no.92, San Francisco, pp. 61-76.

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Beyond Traditional Modes of Mentoring

This chapter describes the four major strategies developed at the University of California Berkeley to assist faculty in advising graduate students. Examples of the strategies in action are included from the In Balance Program.

Nerad, M. (1995). Beyond Traditional Modes of Mentoring. In Nancy A Gaffney, Ed, A Conversation About Mentoring: Trends and Models, Washington, D.C.: Council of Graduate Schools, pp. 18-24.

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Japanese Doctoral Education

This paper gives an overview of changes in Japan’s doctoral education programs, a more detailed look at changes in Germany’s doctoral programs and compares the new German program’s strengths and weaknesses to American doctoral education. An earlier version of this paper was presented at an invitational seminar of the National Research Council, Office of Scientific and Engineering Personnel in June 1994.

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Using Time, Money, and Human Resources Efficiently and Effectively in the Case of Women Graduate Students

Interview data are presented shedding light on additional factors and concerns of woment graduate students that are related to lower participation in graduate studies and higher attrition.

Nerad, M. (1992). Paper presented at the conference, Science and Engineering Programs: On Target for Women? sponsored by the National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council/Office of Scientific and Engineering Personnel, March. See also Science and Engineering Programs: On Target for Women? Marsha Lakes Matyas and Linda Skidmore Dix, eds. Washington D.C.: National Acacdemy Press (1992), 75-80

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Doctoral Education at the University of California and Factors Affecting Time-to-Degree

This study examined time-to-degree at the University of California in order to determine if students took longer on average to complete their doctoral degrees than they did 20 years ago. It presents factors which may have led to long time-to-degree, addresses underlying structural reasons for prolonged time-to-degree among all students and examines whether or not these factors influence ethnic minorities and women in particular.

Nerad, M. (1991) Doctoral Education at the University of California and Factors Affecting Time-to-Degree. In response to the California State Senate (SRC 66). Report to the Office of the President. Oakland, CA.

Download: Introduction and Parts I to VII Bibliography, Tables and Appendices

Assessing Doctoral Student Experience: Gender and Departmental Culture

This study investigated gender differences experienced by doctoral students at a major research university during 1987-88. Clear differences emerged between how men and women assessed distribution of department resources and relationships with faculty, with women’s assessments being significantly more negative. Hierarchical regression analysis showed a relationship between positive departmental culture and time-to-degree for women and men in some fields.

Nerad, M. (1991). Assessing Doctoral Student Experience: Gender and Departmental Culture, Paper presented at the 31st Annual Conference of the Association for Institutional Research, San Francisco, May 26-29.

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From Facts to Action: Expanding the Education Role of the Graduate Division

Breaking out of its traditional administrative role, the Graduate Division at the University of California, Berkeley, undertook research and used the findings to design and implement programs which encouraged students to complete their degrees and to do so in a reasonable amount of time. An excellent example of how a graduate school can play an active role in improving graduate education.

Nerad, M., & Cerny, J. (1991). From Facts to Action: Expanding the Education Role of the Graduate Division. Communicator, Special Edition – May.
Reprinted in Leonard L Baird (ed), Increasing Graduate Student Retention and Degree Attainment, New Directions for Institutional Research No 80, Winter 1993, Jossey-Bass.

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A Second Look at Mentoring Graduate Students: Some Provocative Thoughts

While mentoring is recognized as highly beneficial, the traditional model of faculty mentoring carries high risks of failure and is not always feasible. Network mentoring and peer mentoring are promising alternatives.

Nerad, M. (1990) A Second Look at Mentoring Graduate Students: Some Provocative Thoughts. Presented at the University of California System-wide Graduate Division Conference, Monterey, CA, November 13.

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