Ph'D' Completion and Attrition: The CGS Ph'D' Completion Project 20042010

1
Ph.D. Completion and Attrition The CGS Ph.D.
Completion Project 2004-2010

• Debra W. Stewart
• 6th Annual Conference of the Irish Universities
  Quality Board
• 15 October 2008
• Dublin

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What Factors Impact Completion? What Are Key
Leverage Points?
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Ph.D. Completion ProjectGuiding Principles

• Students admitted to Ph.D. programs should be
  given every opportunity to complete their
  degrees.
• Understanding and improving student degree
  completion is key to increasing the effectiveness
  of doctoral programs.
• Graduate deans should lead the conversation about
  best practices to improve student completion.

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How Does Ph.D. Completion Project Work?

• 29 universities selected competitively
• Each graduate school
• Provides completion/attrition data
• Implements interventions customized to address
  problems identified
• Assesses impact of interventions

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Current Total Number of Students by Broad Field
Number of Programs (all cohorts)
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Strategies for Increasing Completion, Reducing
Attrition

• Selection/Matching
• Mentoring and Advising
• Financial Support and Structure
• Program Environments
• Research Experiences
• Curricular and Administrative Processes and
  Procedures

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Ten-Year Cumulative Completion Rates by Broad
Field
64
63
57
56
54
55
48
49
41
29
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There Is Substantial Variation Within Broad
Fields

• Ten-Year Cumulative Completion Rates from
  1992-93 through 1994-95, by Year

Mathematics Physical Sciences
Engineering
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Ten-Year Completion Rates Broad Field and Gender
What About Gender?
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Ten-Year Completion Rates Broad Field and
Citizenship
What About International Students?
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Early Indicators on Promising Practices

• Selection Pre-admission (decision) campus visits
• Mentoring/Admission Process electronic tracking
  of student process and advisor feedback
• Program Environment family leave
• Research Experience dissertation boot camp

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Coming Attractions in Ph.D. Completion

• Student exit surveys
• Promising practices, policies and activities
• Final Best Practices report at the conclusion
  of the project in 2010
• International Collaborations?