| The Path Forward: The Future of Graduate Education in the United States |
|
|
|
bridges vol. 26, July 2010 / Feature Articles By Patty McAllister, Nathan Bell, and Belle Woods The United States' system of graduate education has served as a national asset, attracting talented students from our own nation as well as drawing the best and brightest from other countries around the globe. It has been argued that, in the knowledge economy, a graduate degree will become the new bachelor's degree, the minimal education credential that high-skills employers require. If that is true, then the United States needs to redouble its efforts to sustain a strong competitive position, essential for ensuring a prosperous economy and quality of life for its people. In order to explore the role of graduate education in developing highly skilled talent and to examine areas of vulnerability facing the system, the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) and Educational Testing Service (ETS) jointly established the Commission on the Future of Graduate Education in the United States last year. The 18-member Commission on the Future of Graduate Education includes university presidents and chancellors, graduate deans, provosts, industry leaders, and higher education scholars. The Commission studied how graduate education can meet the challenges of the 21st century. Together with research staff from ETS and CGS, the Commission produced a landmark report, The Path Forward: the Future of Graduate Education in the United States, which confirms the necessity of a graduate-level workforce to maintain US competitiveness and innovation. However, the report warns that the country must adopt a national strategy to increase degree completion and broaden participation in graduate education, or risk losing its position as the world leader in cutting-edge research and innovation. Current Trends in Graduate Education There is increasing demand for people with graduate degrees. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that, between 2008 and 2018, about 2.5 million additional jobs will require an advanced degree. While many master's degree programs are geared toward the needs of the workplace and prepare students for careers in the business, government, and nonprofit sectors, this is not necessarily true at the doctoral level. The expected career path for doctoral recipients is less straightforward than for master's graduates. International migration will account for more than half the US population growth by the year 2015, according to US Census bureau estimates. More first-generation college students will emerge from this pool, and many are likely to require additional educational preparation. Universities will need to adapt to the "nontraditional" student. These students, who tend to be older and have more professional experience, are often returning to graduate school after spending time in the workforce. The current economy contributes to this trend: A growing number of "career changers" are looking to graduate education in hope that an advanced degree will ensure continued employability and/or career advancement. These changes point to the need to reconsider how graduate students are financially supported, as well as what kinds of additional resources they may need to succeed in graduate study. The changing demographics may also require reconsideration of traditional time-to-degree expectations and career pathway opportunities. Areas of vulnerability Many undergraduate degree holders who have the ability to obtain a graduate degree never enroll in a graduate program, and many who do enroll leave without a degree. The demographics of tomorrow's domestic population eligible for graduate study will look very different from today's, with potential implications for how graduate study is structured, supported, and evaluated. Other nations are moving decisively to build strong graduate programs to attract the world's best students, whose interest the US has long taken for granted. Current degree completion rates are one area of vulnerability. Despite the rigorous selection processes used for admissions into US graduate schools and the high achievement level of those pursuing a graduate degree, some studies indicate that the attrition rate in doctoral education is as high as 40 to 50 percent. At the doctoral level, factors affecting completion include a change in family status, full- or part-time enrollment status, job/military commitments, needing to work, or dissatisfaction with the particular program. Access to the full article is free, but requires you to register. Registration is simple and quick – all we need is your name and a valid e-mail address. We appreciate your interest in bridges. |
