At least 40% of the students who begin a doctoral program fail to complete it. This remarkable fact is one of the hidden flaws of a system usually touted as the crown jewel of the American higher education system. American graduate education is generally regarded as the best in the world, and yet, at the turn of the century, many researchers,…

The development of models predicting progress toward the master's and doctoral degrees is reported. The models link department and student characteristics, student financial support, and student perceptions of the faculty with grades, involvement in the program, satisfaction with the department, and student feelings of alienation. (Author/MSE)

A study of 1,261 doctoral students in chemistry, civil engineering, microbiology, and sociology investigated student experiences with research, employment, and personal misconduct in academic departments, including the effects of departmental structure, department climate, and academic discipline. No disciplinary differences were found, but…