Appendix D
Doctoral Fields Included for Data Analysis
The Doctorate Records File (DRF; see appendix C) categorizes all fields in which PhDs are awarded. The committee has defined the life sciences as consisting primarily of the fields in DRF categories titled ''agricultural sciences", "biological sciences", and "health sciences". Some fields in these categories have been excluded, for example, those in administrative, economic, or applied areas, such as agricultural economics. Two fields have been included as life sciences from engineering and chemistry categories and are listed below as "related sciences". Where the report refers to the "life sciences", it means all the fields listed below.
Where the committee distinguishes in the text, figures, and data tables between "biomedical" and "nonbiomedical" fields, it includes as nonbiomedical all the fields listed below in the agricultural sciences plus the 6 fields listed with an asterisk under "biological sciences". All other fields listed below are, in the committee's definition, biomedical fields.
Because the taxonomy of fields has changed over the last 30 years, explanations for changes in taxonomy are included.
Agricultural Sciences
Agronomy and Crop Science
Animal Breeding and Genetics: added in 1983
Animal Husbandry: dropped in 1983 and replaced with Animal Breeding and Genetics
Animal Nutrition
Animal Science, Other
Conservation/Renewable Natural Resources
Dairy Science
Fish and Wildlife: split into two categories in 1983
Fish Science and Management: added in 1983
Food Distribution: added in 1988; dropped again in 1995
Food Engineering: added in 1988
Food Science: split into three categories in 1988 but continues to appear on old forms
Food Science, Other: added in 1988
Forest Biology: added in 1988
Forest Engineering: added in 1988
Forest Management: added in 1988
Forestry and Related Science, Other: added in 1988
Forestry Science: split into several categories in 1988 but continues to appear on old forms
Horticulture Science
Plant Breeding and Genetics
Plant Pathology
Plant Protection and Pest Management:
dropped in 1991 but continues to appear on old forms
Plant Sciences, Other
Poultry Science
Soil Chemistry/Microbiology: added in 1988
Soil Sciences: dropped in 1988 when split but continues to appear on old forms
Soil Sciences, Other: added in 1988
Wildlife: dropped in 1988 and replaced with
Wildlife/Range Management but continues to appear on old forms.
Wildlife/Range Management: added in 1988
Wood Science and Pulp/Paper Technology: added in 1988
Agricultural Sciences, General
Agricultural Sciences, Other
Biological Sciences
Anatomy
Bacteriology: added in 1983
Biochemistry
Biometrics and Biostatistics
Biophysics
Biotechnology Research
* Botany
Cell Biology
Developmental Biology/Embryology
* Ecology
Endocrinology
* Entomology
Genetics, Animal and Plant: divided into two categories in 1983
Genetics, Human and Animal: added in 1983
Hydrobiology: dropped in 1980
Immunology
Microbiology: added in 1983
Microbiology and Bacteriology: split into two categories in 1983
Molecular Biology
Neuroscience
Nutritional Sciences
Parasitology
Pathology, Human and Animal
Pharmacology, Human and Animal
Physiology, Human and Animal
* Plant Genetics: added in 1983
* Plant Pathology
* Plant Physiology
Toxicology
Zoology
Biological Sciences, General
Biological Sciences, Other
Health Sciences
Environmental Health
Epidemiology: added in 1983
Pharmacy
Public Health: added in 1983
Public Health/Epidemiology: split into two categories in 1983
Health Sciences, General
Health Sciences, Other
Related Sciences
Bioengineering and Biomedical
Pharmaceutical Chemistry