Time to the Doctorate: A Study of the Increased Time to Complete Doctorates in Science and Engineering

摘要

The study renders an in-depth analysis of what has happened to completion times since 1967, provides a time-series data base for the period 1967-1986, and develops a model that explains some of the factors that have caused an elongation to occur. The study looks at the effects of changes in five types of variables: family background characteristics, student attributes, financial aid, institutional environment, and market forces. The study develops a model to explain changes in both total time to the doctorate (TTD) and in the several components of time to the doctorate. The model is then applied to 11 scientific and engineering fields and all other social sciences.