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The University of Texas at Austin

NRC Assessment of Research-Doctorate Programs in the U.S.

The National Research Council (NRC) has launched its latest project to assess U.S. research doctorate programs in the United States.  This is not the U.S. News & World Report rankings.  The NRC is the operational arm of the National Academies, an honorific society of distinguished scholars signed into being by President Lincoln in 1863 to advise the nation on science and technology issues.  The NRC study and rankings are very important and often quoted, but the survey takes place only about every 12 years - the previous efforts were reported in 1983 and 1995.  The study is designed to help universities improve the quality of these programs through benchmarking; provide potential students and the public with accessible, readily available information on doctoral programs nationwide; and enhance the nation's overall research capacity.  Data collected will be available in late 2007 and the full analysis expected in late 2008.

The study will consist of:

  1. The collection of quantitative data through questionnaires administered to institutions, programs, faculty, and admitted to candidacy students (in selected fields)
  2. The collection of additional program data on publications, citations, and dissertation keywords
  3. The design and construction of program ratings using the collected data.

Coverage:  As of August 31, 2006, there are 229 institutions participating in the Assessment of Research-Doctorate Programs.

The University of Texas (UT) NRC Coordinating Committee:  UT's response is for this effort to be coordinated by the Graduate School and the Office of Institutional Research (OIR).  Dr. Marvin Hackert (Associate Dean of the Graduate School) has been named as the Institutional Coordinator and may be contacted at 232-3604 or m.hackert@mail.utexas.edu for questions.  Other members of the committee are Kristi Fisher and Maryann Ruddock (OIR), Neal Armstrong and John Dollard (Provost's office), Tom Belinoski and Pat Ellison (Graduate School).

For more information see the NRC web site:  http://www7.nationalacademies.org/resdoc/