US Doctoral Degrees May Be Losing Their Appeal

Posted January 19, 2019

External Article: VOA

John Walsh, a professor in the Georgia Institute of Technology School of Public Policy, was recently featured in a VOA article entitled “US Doctoral Degrees May Be Losing Their Appeal.”

Here's an excerpt: 

For many people who seek higher education in the United States, the common study period of two to four years is not enough. Luckily, graduate degree programs permit students to continue their education and become even more skilled in a given field.

The highest level of education offered by an American college or university is a doctoral degree, or Ph.D. In science, technology engineering and mathematics, or STEM fields, it takes about five years of additional study to earn a Ph.D. In humanities fields, like history or language, receiving a doctoral degree takes an average of seven years.

Doctoral degree programs are difficult and can be costly, but in the past they have been a path to a well-paying, meaningful career.

A new study, however, finds that the number of people seeking Ph.D.s has decreased. Experts say the structure of the American higher education system could be the cause.

Read the full story here.

The Georgia Institute of Technology School of Public Policy is a unit of the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts.

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