Educating scholars : doctoral education in the humanities / Ronald G. Ehrenberg ... [et al].

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Ehrenberg, Ronald G.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Humanities--Study and teaching (Higher)--United States.

Humanities.

Doctor of philosophy degree--United States.

Doctor of philosophy degree.

Scholars--United States.

Scholars.

Learning and scholarship--United States.

Learning and scholarship.

Universities and colleges--United States--Graduate work.

Universities and colleges.

Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (369 p.)

Edition:

Course Book

Place of Publication:

Princeton, N.J. : Princeton University Press, c2010.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Despite the worldwide prestige of America's doctoral programs in the humanities, all is not well in this area of higher education and hasn't been for some time. The content of graduate programs has undergone major changes, while high rates of student attrition, long times to degree, and financial burdens prevail. In response, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation in 1991 launched the Graduate Education Initiative (GEI), the largest effort ever undertaken to improve doctoral programs in the humanities and related social sciences. The only book to focus exclusively on the current state of doctoral education in the humanities, Educating Scholars reports on the GEI's success in reducing attrition and times to degree, the positive changes implemented by specific graduate programs, and the many challenges still to be addressed. Over a ten-year period, the Foundation devoted almost eighty-five million dollars through the GEI to provide support for doctoral programs and student aid in fifty-four departments at ten leading universities. The authors examine data that tracked the students in these departments and in control departments, as well as information gathered from a retrospective survey of students. They reveal that completion and attrition rates depend upon financial support, the quality of advising, clarity of program requirements, and each department's expectations regarding the dissertation. The authors consider who earns doctoral degrees, what affects students' chances of finishing their programs, and how successful they are at finding academic jobs. Answering some of the most important questions being raised about American doctoral programs today, Educating Scholars will interest all those concerned about our nation's intellectual future.

Contents:

Frontmatter

Contents

List of Figures

List of Tables

Preface and Acknowledgments

List of Abbreviations

Chapter 1. Introduction

Part I. Data, Methods, and Context

Chapter 2. Data Collection, Outcome Measures, and Analytical Tools

Chapter 3. The Departments

Part II. Influences on Attrition, Completion, and Time-to-Degree

Chapter 4. The Impact of the Graduate Education Initiative on Attrition and Completion

Chapter 5. The Influence of Financial Support

Chapter 6. The Influence of Doctoral Program Designs

Chapter 7. The Role of Gender and Family Status

Part III. Transition from Graduate Study to Career

Chapter 8. Attrition and Beyond

Chapter 9. Early Careers

Chapter 10. Publications: Patterns and Influences

Part IV. Lessons and Findings

Chapter 11. Redesigning Doctoral Programs: Lessons Learned

Chapter 12. Principal Findings and Implications

Appendixes

Appendix A. Data Collection

Appendix B. Questionnaire for the Graduate Education Survey

Appendix C. Outcome Measures

Appendix D. Methodology

Appendix E. Additional Tables and Figures

References

Index

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9786612935770

9786612463266

9781282463264

1282463268

9781282935778

1282935771

9781400831524

1400831520

OCLC:

638860535