PUBLICATIONS Inside Illinois Vol. 24, No. 11, Dec. 2, 2004

Graduate College to examine why some don’t complete doctoral study

The UI Graduate College has been awarded a $100,000 grant by the Council of Graduate Schools to examine the problem of graduate students who begin doctoral programs but who leave without completing their degrees. The UI is one of 21 institutions nationwide chosen to participate in the $2.6 million, three-year project.

Working with the Graduate College on the project are doctoral programs in animal sciences, chemistry, civil and environmental engineering, computer science, educational psychology, electrical and computer engineering, English, French, history, mathematics, mechanical and industrial engineering, microbiology, neuroscience, physics and political science.

The goal of the project is to significantly increase degree completion by developing “best practice” models that can be promulgated throughout the graduate community. The project is supported by a grant from Pfizer Inc. and the Ford Foundation. The participating schools are to collect and submit data on doctoral completion and attrition; implement interventions in areas such as selection, mentoring, financial support, program environment, and curricular processes; and develop rigorous assessment strategies to measure the impact of these interventions.

“Doctoral education has much to gain from participation in this program, as our graduate programs recognized immediately when we approached them about it,” said Richard Wheeler, the dean of the college. “I am very pleased that every department we invited to join us in this study agreed to do so with enthusiasm.”

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