Reshaping the Graduate Education of Scientists and Engineers

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

• FRAMING THE ISSUE

• A TIME OF CHANGE

• SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS

• MAJOR RELATED ISSUES
  • Is there an Oversupply of PhDs?
  • Foreign Students

1 - THE CHANGING CONTEXT OF GRADUATE EDUCATION

2 - THE EMPLOYMENT OF GRADUATE SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS

2.1 - CURRENT EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS

• Employment Trends
  
• Unemployment and Delayed Employment
  
• Underemployment and Underutilization
  

2.2 - EMPLOYMENT TRENDS BY SECTOR


• Education
  
• Government
  
• Business and Industry

2.3 - AN EMPLOYER PERSPECTIVE

2.4 - THE CHANGING CONTEXT OF EMPLOYMENT

3 - THE EDUCATION OF GRADUATE SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS

3.1 - OVERVIEW

3.2 - THE MASTER'S EXPERIENCE

3.3 - THE DOCTORAL EXPERIENCE

3.4 - TIME TO DEGREE

3.5 - MECHANISMS OF ASSISTANCE FOR GRADUATE EDUCATION

3.6 - CAREER INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE

3.7 - THE GRADUATE EDUCATION OF WOMEN AND MINORITY GROUP STUDENTS

3.8 - FOREIGN GRADUATE STUDENTS

3.9 - POSTDOCTORAL EDUCATION

4 - DISCUSSION OF MAJOR RELATED ISSUES

4.1 - THE "RIGHT" NUMBER OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING PHDS

• The Current Unemployment Situation
  
• Limitations of Supply-Demand Models for Forecasting Sciences and Engineering Personnel Needs
  
• Conclusion
  

4.2 - THE ISSUE OF FOREIGN STUDENTS


• Support of Foreign Graduate Students
  
• Where do Foreign-Citizen PhDs Go?
  
• What Are the Effects?
  
• Conclusion
  

4.3 - TIME TO EMPLOYMENT

4.4 - INFORMATION AND ANALYSIS NEEDS

5 - CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 - NATIONAL OPTIONS

5.2 - TOWARD GREATER VERSATILITY

5.3 - TOWARD BETTER CAREER INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE

5.4 - TOWARD IMPLEMENTATION OF A NATIONAL POLICY

5.5 - CONCLUSION

REFERENCES

APPENDIXES

A - BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION ON COMMITTEE MEMBERS

B - STATISTICS ON GRADUATE EDUCATION OF SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS

C - EMPLOYMENT TRENDS AMONG SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS WITH GRADUATE DEGREES

D - RESPONDENTS TO COSEPUP CALL FOR COMMENTS

E - PANELISTS

F - CALL FOR COMMENTS: SUMMARY OF RESPONSES

G - INFORMATION NEEDS SURVEY: SUMMARY OF RESPONSES

LIST OF FIGURES

1-1: Number of doctorates awarded by US institutions, by broad field, 1958-1993

1-2: Trends in citizenship of doctoral recipients from US institutions, 1983-1993

2-1: Growth in employment of doctoral scientists and engineers in the United States, 1973-1991

2-2: Scientists and engineers with US PhDs by employment sector, 1973-1991

2-3: Primary work activity of scientists and engineers with PhDs from US universities, 1973-1991

2-4: Changes in employment sector of scientists and engineers 5-8 years after receipt of US doctorates, 1977 and 1991

2-5: Unemployment rates among different occupational and educational groups in civilian noninstitutional labor force, 1985-1993

2-6: Employment sectors of scientists and engineers, by broad field, 1991

3-1: Science and engineering graduate student enrollment, by broad field, 1982-1992

3-2: Median years to degree for doctorate recipients, by broad field, 1993

3-3: Selected sources of PhD Support, by broad field, 1993

3-4: Types of support for academic R&D, 1966-1992

3-5: Mix of federal support for academic scientists and engineers, 1966-1992

LIST OF TABLES

2-1: Changes in Percentages of Scientists and Engineers Employed in Academe 5-8 Years after Receiving US PhD, by Broad Field, 1977 and 1991

2-2: Changes in Percentages of Scientists and Engineers who are Civilian Employees of the Federal Government 5-8 Years after Receiving US PhD, by Broad Field, 1977 and 1991

2-3: Changes in Percentages of Scientist and Engineers Employed in Business/Industry 5-8 Years after Receiving US PhD, by Broad Field, 1977-1991

3-1: Source of Graduate-School Support for Doctorate Recipients, by Broad Field, 1993

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