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Related Experiment Videos

How do we interpret the recent dramatic increase in the time to earn a Ph.D.?

P Das Gupta1

  • 1Population Division, U.S. Bureau of the Census, Washington, D.C. 20233, USA.

Social Biology
|February 3, 1998
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

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The time to earn a Ph.D. increased by 2.42 years between 1962 and 1992. This increase was primarily driven by demographic shifts, with 75% attributed to more women and older individuals pursuing doctorates.

Area of Science:

  • Higher Education Studies
  • Sociology of Science
  • Demographics

Background:

  • The time elapsed between obtaining a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) has been observed to increase.
  • Previous analyses using Ph.D.-year cohorts may obscure the true trends in doctoral program duration.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the factors contributing to the observed increase in time to Ph.D. completion.
  • To address methodological concerns regarding Ph.D.-year cohort data.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a standardization-decomposition technique.
  • Analyzed data comparing time from B.A. to Ph.D. for 1962 and 1992 recipients.
  • Controlled for changes in the age and sex demographics of Ph.D. recipients.

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Main Results:

  • The average time from B.A. to Ph.D. increased from 10.13 years in 1962 to 12.55 years in 1992.
  • Demographic shifts accounted for 75% of this increase.
  • The changing age-sex structure, favoring more women and older students, was the primary driver.

Conclusions:

  • The apparent increase in time to Ph.D. is significantly influenced by demographic changes in the doctoral student population.
  • The findings highlight the importance of considering cohort effects and demographic shifts in educational research.
  • Policy and support systems for doctoral education may need to adapt to the evolving profile of Ph.D. candidates.