Meeting the challenges faced by today's U.S. doctoral humanities
programs
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.
