Doctoral Education: The Short-Term Crisis Vs. Long-Term Challenge

Recent speculation about the "overproduction" of PhD's has overlooked the long-term stagnation in doctorates relative to bachelors' degrees and in doctorates granted to American citizens. PhD programs have failed to develop the flexibility needed for articulation with nonacademic careers due to departmental sovereignty, a queuing pattern of demand, the quality imperative, and institutional sponsorship. The PhD today represents too much training for many potential students, yet it is too little training for its traditional markets. Hence, a more segmented structure for graduate education ought to be explored.