Doctoral Education in the United States of America

Abstract

This article intends to present an overview of the present organizational aspects of doctoral programs in the USA, followed by a discussion of some challenges both the academic research community and other crucial players will have to rise to. The author's long‐standing experience in research programs and institutional structures has led him to conclude that: for a graduate school in the USA to really develop a new knowledge generation, one that will effectively evolve within its own research community and contribute to society at large, more concerted action by governmental agencies and other stakeholders is needed, in order to establish national standards for and financially empower graduate schools in pursuing their doctoral programs.

Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank the Carnegie Foundation and his colleagues on the CID team (Andrea Bueschel, Chris Golde [Research Director], and Laura Jones) who have been a rich source of inspiration and knowledge regarding the development of effective PhD programs. They will continue to be springs of wisdom in the decades to come. Another continuing valuable source of information about graduate education in the USA is the Council of Graduate Schools under the leadership of President Debra Stewart.