1、12/5/2007,Duke University Graduate School,1,THE GRADUATE SCHOOL AS AN AGENT OF PROGRAMMATIC CHANGE: Ph.D. COMPLETION AT DUKE UNIVERSITY CGS Annual Meeting 2007,12/5/2007,Duke University Graduate School,2,Duke University Graduate School in the early 1990s:,Duke University had made major investments i
2、n strengthening faculty in the humanities and biological sciences in the 1980s in order to become a major national research university In order to attract and retain that faculty, the university committed to improve the quality of its Ph.D. programs in order to attract students who would match the s
3、trength of its faculty. In the early 1990s, Duke was basing the size of its Ph.D. programs primarily on the need of faculty for teaching and research assistants students were a source of inexpensive labor and often taught 2 or 3 sections per semester until graduation. Fellowships were rare and servi
4、ces were few. In selecting students, most Ph.D. programs gave heavy emphasis to standardized test scores (GRE) and undergraduate GPAs. In large departments, applications with scores below a certain number were simply not read.,12/5/2007,Duke University Graduate School,3,The Graduate School was given
5、 new leadership and funding resources in 1991 and a mandate to markedly improve the quality of its Ph.D. students and programs.,12/5/2007,Duke University Graduate School,4,Faculty consensus on Graduate School goals and policies in early 1990s:,Duke departments and programs should admit Ph.D. student
6、s based on their potential for highest quality scholarship rather than primarily to meet service needs of departments or faculty. Duke should provide adequate funding and minimize service requirements so that Ph.D. students can have time to be students and complete the degree in a reasonable period
7、of time.,12/5/2007,Duke University Graduate School,5,Faculty consensus on Graduate School goals and policies in early 1990s:,All aspects of the Graduate School should be as transparent as possible to faculty and students.The Graduate School should be a major reservoir of information to permit admini
8、stration, faculty, and students to assess the relative quality of departments and programs over time. The Graduate School should collect and publish data on student quality, progress to degree, job placements.The Graduate School should base allocation of funds to departments on rational criteria tha
9、t provide incentives for improvements in quality of graduate programs.,12/5/2007,Duke University Graduate School,6,How does one assess Ph.D. program quality?,Faculty reputation rankings External reviews by respected scholars Program selectivity and yield Input measures for students: Undergraduate in
10、stitution, GPA, GRE Ability to win competitive merit fellowships Quality of Ph.D. placements High completion rates; low time to degree Research productivity: publications, citations,12/5/2007,Duke University Graduate School,7,THE GRADUATE SCHOOL COLLECTS DATA - A STUDY OF Ph.D. COMPLETION AT DUKE:,P
11、h.D. cohorts from Fall 1991 through Fall 1995 were examined for each Duke degree granting program for % Completion (as of Fall 2004) Patterns of withdrawal from Ph.D. program Median Time to Degree Effect of Variables such as GRE scores, GPA, Race, Gender, and Merit Fellowship selection,12/5/2007,Duk
12、e University Graduate School,8,EFFECT OF GPA/GRE SCORES, J.B. DUKE FELLOWSHIP SELECTION, RACE, AND GENDER ON Ph.D. COMPLETION RATES (1991-95 Cohorts),12/5/2007,Duke University Graduate School,9,SOME FACTORS BELIEVED TO INFLUENCE SUCCESS IN GRADUATE STUDY,Ability to Reason & Think Critically* Knowled
13、ge of Subject Matter* Creativity Motivation Persistence Ability to learn and function independentlyunderstanding difference between undergraduate and graduate education Research ability Interpersonal & Communication (*) Skills Financial Support Family & Personal Circumstances Perceived Opportunities
14、 for Employment Features of Graduate Experience (e.g., “fit” with faculty interests and program expectations, mentoring, integration into discipline and program),12/5/2007,Duke University Graduate School,10,CONCLUSIONS (1):,High GRE (V and Q) and high GPAs do not correlate well with Ph.D. completion
15、 in any field.-This conclusion should not have been surprising (but it was to many faculty) because the ability to complete the long course of Ph.D. study obviously involves many factors.,12/5/2007,Duke University Graduate School,11,CONCLUSIONS (2):,Duke faculty CAN pick students who are more likely
16、 to complete than the general population based on a close and critical reading of all application materials. In all fields, J.B.Duke fellowship awardees complete significantly more than others with similar high GRE scores and GPAs.,12/5/2007,Duke University Graduate School,12,CONCLUSIONS (3):,CAREFU
17、L SELECTION, TARGETED FELLOWSHIP SUPPORT AND GOOD MENTORING DO WORK: Dukes African-American Ph.D. students complete the degree at higher rates than the general population (and even the JB Duke scholars) in all fields except the Physical Sciences and Engineering (where the numbers are very low).,12/5
18、/2007,Duke University Graduate School,13,INTERVENTIONS TO IMPROVE Ph.D. COMPLETION RATE AT DUKE AFTER 1995: BETTER INFORMED SELECTION BY FACULTY,Reduce emphasis on GRE scores and GPAs data show poor correlation with completion as Duke uses themCarefully read entire application: Emphasize demonstrate
19、d research experienceInterview students before admitting them campus visits and/or by telephone with international students,12/5/2007,Duke University Graduate School,14,INTERVENTIONS TO IMPROVE Ph.D. COMPLETION RATE AT DUKE AFTER 1995: BETTER INFORMED SELECTION BY STUDENTS (and FACULTY),Exchange inf
20、ormation to learn “fit” rather than just sell programTransparency: Put on Web all Duke data on placement, time to degree, completion rates in each program student should know what (s)he is getting into before undertaking Ph.D. study at Duke,12/5/2007,Duke University Graduate School,15,INTERVENTIONS
21、TO IMPROVE Ph.D. COMPLETION RATE AT DUKE AFTER 1995: IMPROVED PROGRAMS,Require structured teaching experiences for graduate TAs where career-appropriateGraduate school workshops in pedagogy and uses of instructional technology; expanded PFF program; Pathways to the ProfessoriateField-specific sympos
22、ia to introduce career options to Ph.D. students,12/5/2007,Duke University Graduate School,16,INTERVENTIONS TO IMPROVE Ph.D. COMPLETION RATE AT DUKE AFTER 1995: IMPROVED STUDENT FUNDING MECHANISMS,Instituted 5-6 year funding guarantee in all A more fellowship in early years Lab Science departments b
23、rought closer to Biomedical Sciences funding modelCompetitive summer research support introducedChanged the way funds for Ph.D. student support are allocated to A&S departments,12/5/2007,Duke University Graduate School,17,Allocation Formula for A&S Depts,FTE are allocated to departments according to
24、 a set of criteria which provide positive incentives to improve graduate education in that department,12/5/2007,Duke University Graduate School,18,Allocation Formula for A&S Depts,Departments compete for a fixed pool of FTEs available in each division Factors used to determine FTE allocation: Number
25、 of graduate faculty in dept Number of faculty supervising Ph.D.s Relative Ph.D. completion rate Student quality: number of competitive merit fellowship recipients Number of Ph.D. students in years 1-5 (or 6) supported on external funds,12/5/2007,Duke University Graduate School,19,EFFECT OF INTERVEN
26、TIONS ON COMPLETION,12/5/2007,Duke University Graduate School,20,12/5/2007,Duke University Graduate School,21,12/5/2007,Duke University Graduate School,22,12/5/2007,Duke University Graduate School,23,12/5/2007,Duke University Graduate School,24,12/5/2007,Duke University Graduate School,25,12/5/2007,
27、Duke University Graduate School,26,12/5/2007,Duke University Graduate School,27,HUMANITIES Ph.D. COMPLETION: DUKE vs. CGS DATA,12/5/2007,Duke University Graduate School,28,HUMANITIES Ph.D. ATTRITION: DUKE vs. CGS DATA,12/5/2007,Duke University Graduate School,29,Increased Completion, Reduced Attriti
28、on in Humanities,12/5/2007,Duke University Graduate School,30,Increased Completion, Reduced Attrition in Social SciencesECONOMICS UNCHANGED,12/5/2007,Duke University Graduate School,31,Relatively Little Change in STEM FieldsENV and EOS Get Worse,12/5/2007,Duke University Graduate School,32,7 Year Co
29、mpletion Rate Increases for Graduate School,12/5/2007,Duke University Graduate School,33,Data Can Lead to Change:,Based on the results from Dukes completion data project, Engineering agreed that allocations for its departmental Ph.D. programs would be based on A&S factors and students given 1st year
30、 fellowships. Attrition has been reduced markedly. Reallocation of funds seen as fair by departments and programs even when funding reduced. Graduate School accepted as “honest broker” and catalyst for programmatic improvement: orientation, best practices, teacher training, research ethics, faculty mentoring, diversity, etc. “Now I realize why we need a Graduate School!”,
