It appears the U.S. is becoming a less-attractive place to pursue graduate education, and that’s an alarming trend for schools that count on tuition dollars from foreign students. Between fall 2016 and 2017, the number of international students applying to graduate school in the U.S. declined 3%, according to survey data published Tuesday by the Council of Graduate Schools, a graduate school advocacy organization.

For First Time in over a Decade, International Graduate Applications and Enrollments Decline at U.S. Institutions (1/30/2018)

New data from the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) reveal that for the first time since Fall 2003, international graduate application and first-time enrollment rates declined at U.S. universities. For Fall 2017, the final application counts from prospective international students declined by 3%, while the first-time enrollment of international graduate students declined by 1%.

 

JoAnn Canales Named 2018-19 CGS Dean-in-Residence (4/19/2018)

The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) has announced that JoAnn Canales, founding dean of the College of Graduate Studies and professor in the College of Education and Human Development at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, has been named the CGS Dean-in-Residence for the 2018-19 academic year. Dr. Canales brings to the post significant experience leading graduate education, including launching a professional development program specifically for graduate students. Canales will join CGS on August 1.

 

Lauren Inouye Joins the Council of Graduate Schools as Vice President for Public Policy and Government Affairs (5/01/2018)

The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) announced that Lauren Inouye has been named the Council’s vice president for public policy and government affairs. Her tenure at CGS begins May 1, 2018. She succeeds Beth Buehlmann, who had served in the role since 2013. Inouye comes to CGS from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), where she was the director of government affairs.

 

Statement by CGS President Suzanne Ortega Regarding Recent Immigration Proposals (6/21/2018)

“Recent proposals stemming from Congress and the Administration have focused the nation’s attention on immigration issues impacting students and families. The Council of Graduate Schools remains steadfast in its support of policies that help ensure individuals are afforded opportunities to pursue their graduate studies here in the United States, including those with DACA status and those from the international student community."

 

Four Minority-Serving Institutions Selected to Join CGS’s PhD Career Pathways Project (7/05/2018)

The Council of Graduate Schools today announced that four federally-recognized Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) will join an existing coalition that are working to gather and use data about the careers of PhD students and alumni. A grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF grant #1661272) has been supporting data collection about PhD careers in STEM fields.

 

Statement by CGS President Suzanne Ortega on Reversal of Guidance that Aims to Promote Diversity (7/06/2018)

“Diversity is critical to the quality of U.S. graduate programs. Our programs must be able to prepare master’s and doctoral students to work in diverse teams, to understand the impact of research and practice on different U.S. communities, and to consider our nation’s greatest challenges from different perspectives."

 

First-Time Enrollment Holds Steady, Application Counts Slightly Decline at U.S. Graduate Schools (10/03/2018)

Today the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) reported that growth in first-time graduate enrollment remains flat, according to its most recent data, while the number of graduate applications to U.S. universities has decreased.

 

In and Outside Academia, Humanists Say Their PhD Programs Prepared Them Well (10/18/2018)

“While these findings represent the first wave of our data, they provide a strong indication that humanities PhDs find their training relevant to diverse career contexts,” said CGS President Suzanne Ortega. “Perhaps the most intriguing finding is that people eight and 15 years out of their PhDs find their training more relevant to their jobs than the earlier cohort.”

 

In Master’s Degree Programs, Admissions Processes Prioritize Retention (12/04/2018)

Among the project’s key findings is that both master’s program faculty and graduate deans consider the ability to successfully complete coursework to be an important criterion for evaluating candidates for admission.

 

Carrie Hyde Receives 2018 Arlt Award in the Humanities (12/06/2018)

"The Arlt award recognizes exceptional work by early-career humanities faculty, and Dr. Hyde’s work is an invaluable contribution to understanding the history of U.S. citizenship and its complexities,” said Dr. Suzanne Ortega, president of the Council of Graduate Schools.

 

Vanderbilt University Receives ETS/CGS Award for Innovation in Promoting Success in Graduate Education (12/06/2018)

"Vanderbilt’s Russell G. Hamilton Leadership Development Institute is a model that addresses the needs of all graduate students, with particular attention to first-generation students, underrepresented minorities, and women in the academy and is one that could be replicated on other campuses,” said CGS President Suzanne T. Ortega.

 

Steven W. Matson Receives Debra W. Stewart Award for Outstanding Leadership in Graduate Education (12/06/2018)

“Steve Matson works for our graduate students in every possible way. From encouraging their research and teaching at Carolina to preparing them for the rapidly changing global job market, he has tirelessly served as Dean of The Graduate School since 2008,” said UNC-Chapel Hill Chancellor Carol L. Folt.

 

Winners of 2018 CGS/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Awards Announced (12/06/2018)

The Council of Graduate Schools / ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Awards, the nation’s most prestigious honors for doctoral dissertations, were presented to Mohamed S. Ibrahim and Eiko Strader during the Council’s award ceremony during the 58th Annual Meeting in Washington, DC.

As a project affiliate, your institution will join a consortium of CGS member institutions committed to sharing PhD Career Pathways Surveys data with the Council of Graduate Schools. Affiliates are essential contributors in a national effort to better understand career preferences and outcomes of PhD students and alumni. Project affiliate is a designation that denotes an official and defined relationship with a CGS Best Practice project that is similar to but distinct from that of a project partner. Since affiliates participate without receiving funding, they have the flexibility to define the scope of their participation within the parameters defined below, while enjoying most of the benefits of project partnership.

 

Benefits        

• Preferred access to data and benchmarking and up to three user-requested data tables.
• Recognition as a project affiliate on the CGS website and in project materials.
• Access to private project pages and resources on the CGS website, as well as CGS staff support for project participation.
• Invited to develop a campus sustainability plan and receive feedback from CGS staff and peers.
• Opportunity to shape the long-term direction of the CGS Career Pathways project, including invitations to project directors’ meetings, webinars, and the opportunity to contribute to conversations about a possible Career Pathways benchmarking project.

 

Requirements

• Be a Regular Member of CGS.
• Sign a Data Sharing Agreement, which outlines your institution’s commitments to:
  • Administer the PhD Alumni Survey and/or PhD Student Survey to one or more doctoral programs at least once.
  • Follow all requirements for data collection for data reported to CGS, including submission of IRB approval, assurances of survey instrument integrity, and conforming with required timing for survey administration timing and selection of survey participants (See Guidelines for Data Collection, pp. A11 - A13 and Additional Guidelines for Data Collection, pp. A16 – A21 in the Survey Implementation Guide - contact careerpathways@cgs.nche.edu to receive a copy of the Guidelines for Data Collection).
  • Share the resulting data with CGS.

 

How to sign up

• Contact careerpathways@cgs.nche.edu to express interest in participating as an affiliate and with any questions.
  • CGS will send the Data Sharing Agreement for your review.
  • Review the affiliate implementation guide to make sure your institution is a good fit for the Career Pathways Project.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

CONTACT: Katherine Hazelrigg / khazelrigg@cgs.nche.edu / 202.461.3888

 

Majority of Decline in Master’s and Certificate Programs

 

Washington, DC —New data from the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) reveal that for the first time since Fall 2003, international graduate application and first-time enrollment rates declined at U.S. universities. For Fall 2017, the final application counts from prospective international students declined by 3%, while the first-time enrollment of international graduate students declined by 1%.

 

The overall decline is primarily in master’s and certificate programs, with responding institutions reporting a 4.8% decrease in applications and a 2.8% decrease in first-time enrollment. In contrast, first-time international doctoral enrollment grew by 1.8%. Given that 77% of first-time international graduate enrollment was in master’s and certificate programs and 23% was in doctoral programs, the discrepancy by degree objective is notable.

 

Recent changes in immigration policy, including the executive order barring entry or return of U.S. visa holders from specific countries, are being closely watched by members of the graduate education community. While students directly affected by the ban constitute a relatively small percentage of international graduate students, there has been significant concern that new immigration policies will tarnish the U.S.’s image as a welcoming destination for international students and scholars.

 

CGS President Suzanne Ortega noted, “While the declines we see this year are concerning, the good news is that the application acceptance rates and admission yield rates are comparable to last year. This suggests that prospective international graduate students remain highly likely to accept offers of admission to U.S. graduate schools. This may be due to increased efforts on the part of graduate schools and universities to assure international students that they will be welcomed and supported.”

 

Application and enrollment numbers saw wide variations by sending country. The 2016-2017 admissions cycle marks the second year in a row that applications and first-time enrollment of international graduate students from the Middle East and North Africa declined. In aggregate, responding institutions reported a greater decline in applications between Fall 2016 and Fall 2017 (-17%) than was seen in the prior admission cycle (-5%). However, first-time graduate enrollment declined at a slower rate (-5%) compared to the prior year (-11%). Iran and Saudi Arabia historically represent the largest share of international graduate students from the Middle East and North Africa region, and applications from the two countries dropped by 18% and 21% respectively.

 

China and India continue to represent the largest shares of international graduate applications, first-time international graduate enrollment, and total international graduate enrollment. However, the final application and first-time graduate enrollment of Indian students decreased (-15%, -13% respectively) during the Fall 2016 to Fall 2017 admission cycle. This is the first decline in applications from India since Fall 2012.

 

Application counts for prospective European graduate students to U.S. institutions grew by 18%. However, first-time enrollment of European graduate students at U.S. institutions in Fall 2017 only increased by 1%. In Fall 2016, first-time enrollment rates for European graduate students rose by 8%.

 

The report also includes data trends by field of study. By total application and first-time enrollment counts, the most popular fields of study continue to be Business (15% and 19% respectively), Engineering (28% and 26% respectively), and Mathematics and Computer Sciences (22% and 19% respectively). By contrast, U.S. institutions that participated in the study reported a 10% decline in graduate applications and first-time enrollment to engineering programs.

 

As the only report of its kind to offer data on the current academic year, International Graduate Applications and Enrollment: Fall 2017 reports applications, admissions, and enrollments of international master’s, certificate, and doctoral students at U.S. colleges and universities.

 

About the survey and report

Conducted since 2004, the CGS International Graduate Admissions Survey tracks the applications and enrollments of international students seeking U.S. master’s and doctoral degrees. In Fall 2016 the survey was redesigned to collect data by degree objective (master’s and graduate certificate vs. doctorate), and for all seven regions of origin, eight countries of origin, and all eleven broad fields of study, yielding the only degree-level data currently available for graduate admissions and enrollments. 377 U.S. graduate institutions who are members of CGS or its regional affiliates responded to the 2017 survey.

 

###

International Students Steer Clear of Graduate Programmes in the United States

Nature, 12/13/2018

The number of international students enrolling in US graduate programmes is falling, according to reports from the US Council of Graduate Schools in Washington DC and the Institute of International Education in New York City.

 

Panel to CGS: Holistic Admissions Strategy Aids Grad Student Diversity

Diverse Issues in Higher Education, 12/8/2018

An intentional and campus wide approach and a holistic evaluation of underrepresented students in the admissions process can help graduate schools cultivate a diverse and inclusive student body and produce degree-holders who are culturally competent.

 

That was a key takeaway from a panel discussion Friday at the 58th annual meeting of the Council of Graduate Schools. Hosted by Education Testing Service and moderated by Diverse Executive Editor Dr. Jamal Eric Watson, “Diversity in Graduate Education: Looking At, and Beyond, Admissions” explored how graduate schools can increase diversity and inclusion by effectively recruiting and retaining students from underrepresented groups. It followed a webinar on the topic last month and provided some additional insights.

 

CGS Meeting Hears Sobering Report on Black Student Access

Diverse Issues in Higher Education, 12/6/2018

Institutional racism, White supremacy and anti-Black attitudes fuel underrepresentation of Black students on college and university campuses across the United States, with access a battle constantly being waged in legal courts and the court of public opinion, according to an academic who addressed the 58th annual meeting of the Council of Graduate Schools this week.

 

Report on Master's Degree Admissions

Inside Higher Ed, 12/5/2018

A new report from the Council of Graduate Schools calls for more transparency in admissions in master's programs. The report outlines key factors in master's admissions, including evidence that applicants will succeed in the programs, critical thinking and letters of recommendation.

 

What Gender Gap? Women Are Now Majority Of STEM Grads

The Daily Wire, 11/27/2018

Perry took data from the Council of Graduate Schools and included its “Health and Medical Sciences” classification as a STEM field. Doing so found that 50.6% of grad students enrolled in STEM programs in 2017 were women, even though women were only the majority of enrollees in two classifications: “Biological and Agricultural Sciences” and “Health and Medical Sciences.” Still, far more women were enrolled in health sciences than either sex in any of the other fields.

 

‘Gender gap in STEM’? Women are majority of STEM grad students and they earn a majority of STEM bachelor’s degrees

AEIdeas, 11/26/2018

And yet according to some data that I recently discovered from several sources, there might not be such a shortage of women in STEM after all, at least overall. In fact, according to several measures, women are actually slightly over-represented in STEM graduate programs and earn a majority of STEM college degrees.

 

A Guide to Different Types of College Degrees

U.S. News and World Report, 11/26/2018

Doctoral degrees are among the most difficult to earn, with around a third of students dropping out of Ph.D. programs in the 10th year, per a 2008 study from the Council of Graduate Schools.

 

America is No Longer Attracting the Best Minds in Physics

Forbes, 11/06/2018

The drop is something that hasn't been seen since 2004: the first year that the Council of Graduate Schools first began collecting data on international application and first-time enrollment rates in United States graduate programs. According to the American Institute of Physics, which compiled all available data from the International Graduate Admissions Survey administered by the Council of Graduate schools, international applications and first-time enrollment rates rose every year from 2006 through 2016, inclusive, with a tiny decline (~1%) from 2016 to 2017.

 

Institute Marks 25 Years of Training Minorities as Faculty, Mentors

Diverse Issues in Higher Education, 10/27/2018

In keynote remarks, Dr. Suzanne Ortega, president of the Council of Graduate Schools, stressed the critical importance of developing multiple mentors and advisers rather than relying on one individual.

 

Undergraduates Aren't Sure About Postgraduate Study. These Factors Encourage Them to Apply.

The Chronicle of Higher Education, 10/23/2018

Applications to American business schools’ graduate programs dropped this year, and law schools, despite an uptick last year, have seen declines in applications since 2010. Graduate enrollment at American universities is about flat, but international interest has fallen, the Council of Graduate Schools reported this month.

 

Trump Administration Planning Stricter Student Visa Rules

Education Dive, 10/19/2018

The number of first-time international graduate students enrolled in U.S. programs fell 3.7% from the fall of 2016 to the fall of 2017, with their share among first-time grad students falling from 22% to 20.3% during that period, according to a report from the Council of Graduate Schools. There were proportionally more first-time international graduate students at private nonprofits (24.2%) than public colleges (19%) in the fall of 2017. 

 

Disenchanted Ph.D. Recipients Take Solace, It Gets Better

The Chronicle of Higher Education, 10/18/2018

Graduate students in the humanities face many challenges. The academic job market keeps getting tighter, student debt loads bigger. A doctorate these days isn’t worth it, critics have argued. But the results of a new survey, released on Thursday by the Council of Graduate Schools, push back a bit against that gloomy narrative.

 

No Regrets

Inside Higher Ed, 10/18/2018

A large majority of humanities Ph.D.s believe that their graduate programs prepared them well for their eventual jobs, academic or not, especially over time. And all those jobs appear to require many of the same kinds of skills, according to a new report from the Council of Graduate Schools.

 

Why Some 2018 Grads Want to Go Back to School Already

Moneyish, 10/15/2018

First-time graduate enrollment in education increased both at the master’s level (2.3%) and the doctoral level (3.0%) between Fall 2015 and Fall 2016, according to the Council of Graduate Schools most recent data. Besides, 35- to 44-year-olds with master’s degrees earned salaries 23% higher in 2015 than the average for those with bachelor’s degrees ($87,320 versus $71,100).

 

Women Earn the Majority of Advanced Degrees

Biz Women, 10/9/2018

Women earned more than half of the doctoral degrees awarded in the United States last year and made up the majority of advanced degree students at all levels, according to a new report by the Council of Graduate Schools.

 

Is Trump to Blame for Fewer International Students Enrolling in the US?

Study International News, 10/9/2018

International student enrollments for US graduate schools are down for the second year in a row according to a new report, raising concerns as to what’s behind the continuing decline.
 

Women Are Still Earning More Doctoral Degrees Than Men in the U.S.

Forbes, 10/5/2018

Women are still earning more doctoral degrees than men in the United States. Out of nearly 80,000 doctoral degrees awarded last year, women earned 41,717 (53% of the total) compared to 37,062 for men (47% of the total). 2017 marks the ninth straight year women have earned the majority of doctoral degrees at U.S. universities and the 53% share is a record high. The data was released by the Council of Graduate Schools earlier this week as part of the latest CGS/GRE Graduate Enrollment & Degrees: 2007-2017 report.

 

Decline of International Graduate Enrolment Quadruples

University World News, 10/5/2018

Graduate enrolment of international students at United States universities has declined for the second year in a row, according to the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS).

 

International Students Drop 4%, Trump a Potential Factor

The Pie News, 10/4/2018

The report ‘Graduate Enrolment and Degrees: 2007 to 2017′, which analysed data provided by 619 institutions revealed the 0.9% decrease in the 2015-16 academic year has now grown into to a 3.7% decline.

 

International Student Enrollment Continues to Fall

Education Dive, 10/4/2018

The number of international applicants to U.S. graduate degree programs fell 3.7% between fall 2016 and fall 2017, even as several prominent programs known for their research saw an uptick, according to a new report from the Council of Graduate Schools. Enrollment among U.S. citizens and permanent residents in graduate school rose 1% during the period.

 

New International Graduate Enrollments Fall Again

Inside Higher Ed, 10/3/2018

First-time international graduate enrollments in U.S. institutions fell 3.7 percent from fall 2016 to fall 2017, according to a new report from the Council of Graduate Schools. While the council isn’t certain what caused the drop, it’s hard for it -- or anyone else -- not to think of the Trump administration’s stance on immigration.

 

International Students' Graduate Enrollment is Down, Study Finds. Some Say U.S. Policy is to Blame.

The Chronicle of Higher Education, 10/3/2018

Graduate enrollment by international students in the United States has decreased for the second time since 2003, according to an annual report by the Council of Graduate Schools.

 

Florida Professor Leads Effort to Aid Black Comp-Sci PhD Students

Diverse Issues in Higher Education, 8/30/2018

Dr. Suzanne T. Ortega, president of the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS), said the guidelines are “spot-on” and “extremely promising” and can help underrepresented minority students across disciplines.

 

“The bottom line is the guidelines … are absolutely consistent with previous research that CGS has done on the completion of underrepresented STEM students,” she said. “As is always the case, the big challenge is how we get more faculty and more degree programs to implement them. Universities and programs and funder’s need to change their reward structure to recognize high-quality and high-impact mentoring.”

 

Language Ph.D.s: A Jobs Snapshot

Inside Higher Ed, 8/30/2018

Suzanne Ortega, president of the Council of Graduate Schools, said in an emailed statement that MLA's and AHA's recent studies "are filling big gaps in our understanding of the careers of humanities Ph.D.s." 

 

Their information is "critical for current and future Ph.D.s trying to understand the career options available to them, and to humanities Ph.D. programs working to improve the preparation of their students," Ortega said, noting that CGS will be ready to release data from its own Andrew W. Mellon Foundation- and National Science Foundation-funded study of career pathways in the fall. Preliminarily, she said of the forthcoming data, "I think we can safely say that the first wave of findings point to greater diversity of career options than many humanities Ph.D. students would imagine."

 

Preparing Graduate Students for STEM Careers Outside Academia

Earth and Space Science News, 8/20/2018

Current graduate programs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) prepare students for a career that most of them will never find themselves in. These graduate programs have traditionally been apprenticeships that prepare students to become researchers at academic institutions [Hancock and Walsh, 2016]. However, more than 50% of all doctoral degree holders do not work in academia or even do research as their primary job (Figure 1).

 

Annual Change in First-Time International Graduate Applications and Enrollment in the United States, by Selected Country or Region of Origin, Fall 2012 to Fall 2017

The Chronicle of Higher Education, 8/19/2018

For the first time in more than a decade, international applications for first-time enrollment in graduate school at American institutions decreased from the previous year, and so did first-time enrollment. Although the number of applications from China and India dropped, they still represented nearly two-thirds of all international applications for master's, graduate certificate, and doctoral programs.

 

The Gender Imbalance in China's PhD Studies: Why Women Make Up Only a Third of the Cohort

China Society, 8/14/2018

According to Ministry of Education figures, women accounted for only 38.63 per cent of overall PhD students in China in 2016, but accounted for 50.6 per cent of all postgraduates.

 

But in the same year in the United States, women were awarded more than half of doctorates – 52.1 per cent – for the eighth straight year, according to figures from the Council of Graduate Schools.

 

The International Entrepreneur's Rule and Innovation: Why Immigrants Help - Not Harm - the US Job Market

Entrepreneur.com, 8/7/2018

Our nation's global lead in technology and economic success is thanks, in part, to bold immigrant innovators who sought to seize the opportunities our nation affords. Preventing them from staying here does nothing to strengthen the U.S. job market. If anything, it weakens it.

 

Moreover, it means handing over top talent to international competitors. A 2015 survey conducted by the Council of Graduate Schools found that temporary residents made up over 63 percent of first-time graduate students in math and computer science programs at U.S. universities. Gutting programs such as IER forces students to leave right after they graduate, at which point other countries will happily accept them. The United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and France all are bringing in this kind of foreign-born tech talent that we're willing to forfeit, even at a time when the American job market is booming.

 

Universities are Up to Challenge of Gathering Data About Ph.D.s

The Chronicle of Higher Education, 7/27/2018

At the same time, it is important to note that in recent years, U.S. universities have demonstrated that they are up to the challenge of gathering and reporting data about their Ph.D.s. As members of the Ph.D. Career Pathways project, we are part of a network of 64 universities working with the Council of Graduate Schools to collect data on the career pathways of STEM and humanities Ph.D.s with support from the National Science Foundation and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

 

Nonprofit Makes Move To Buy For-Profit

Inside Higher Ed, 7/18/2018

There is a growing demand for graduate degree holders in the work force, and officials at National University System are looking to meet it.

 

Why Some 2018 Grads Want to Go Back to School Already 

Moneyish, 7/18/2018

More than one-third of college graduates looking for work are considering returning to school to improve their employment chances.

 

Grad School Sees Diversity Progress, Record for International Applicants 

Princeton Alumni Weekly, 7/11/2018

The Graduate School’s applicant pool jumped 7 percent this year as applications from international students rose 7.6 percent to a record figure. The school offered admission to 1,373 master’s and Ph.D. students, and 668 accepted offers — a yield of 48.7 percent.

 

Central Mass. colleges say federal guidance won't change admissions

Worcester Business Journal, 7/11/2018

Central Massachusetts colleges say they don't expect to change their admissions reviews as a result of the Trump Administration's advisement that colleges no longer consider a student's race or ethnicity in the admissions process. 

 

International Collaborative Explores Social and Emotional Learning in Higher Education 

Diverse Issues in Higher Education, 7/11/2018

With more students at all levels reporting feelings of loneliness and depression, increasing levels of psychological distress among graduate students and a documented rise in suicide rates both within and outside educational communities, proponents of social and emotional learning say it’s an idea whose time has come.

 

Free Speech Among Issues Explored at CGS Convening

Diverse Issues in Higher Education, 7/09/2018

During the four-day CGS convening, which concludes Wednesday, topics range from graduate student health and linking financial support to student outcomes and supporting international student enrollment.

 

How Institutions Can Continue to Attract International Students 

Education Dive, 7/05/2018

Statistics supplied by the Council of Graduate Schools in 2018 show that for the first time since fall 2003 there has been a decline in graduate student enrollment. The organization said specifically, applications from prospective international graduate students declined by 3%, while first-time enrollment of international graduate students declined by 1% in predominately master’s degree and certificate programs. 

 

More International Students Avoiding Arkansas Universities, Fear For Safety A Reason

Arkansas Public Media, 6/28/2018

Arkansas universities saw a 4 percent drop in international undergrads during the 2016-2017 school year and an 8 percent drop last school year. As for graduate students, the Arkansas Department of Higher Education says it has no statistics on international student enrollment in advanced degree programs. Administrators fear that misconceptions about the state may be deterring international applicants. 

 

Student Social and Emotional Learning Explored at Gathering

Diverse Issues in Higher Education, 6/07/2018

Scholars, policymakers and other stakeholders from 12 countries gathered in Princeton, New Jersey to delve deeply into social and emotional learning (SEL), one of the newest frontiers in education that some researchers and practitioners are tying to academic achievement, future labor-market success and personal happiness.

 

US Physics Doctoral Programs See Precipitous Drop in International Applications 

American Institute of Physics Science Policy Bulletin, 6/06/2018

The number of international students applying to U.S. physics Ph.D. programs fell by an average of 12 percent from 2017 to 2018, according to new data from a survey conducted by the American Physical Society.

 

US Academies Call for Reshaping of Postgraduate STEM Education

Times Higher Education, 6/6/2018

Committee member Suzanne Ortega, president of the Council of Graduate Schools, underscored that point during the news conference, saying that institutions that wish to adopt the report’s recommendations can start by not making students who don’t want or find tenure-track faculty jobs feel “guilty”.

 

Shake-up to US Graduate Education Needed, Panel Warns 

Physics World, 6/01/2018

The US must make big changes to graduate education in the sciences and related fields if it is to meet the evolving needs of students. That is according to a report published on 29 May by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, which looks at graduate education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects. The report calls for increased emphasis on teaching and mentoring of students as well as recognition that increasing numbers of graduate students will find careers outside of academia.

 

Report Dings Tax Deduction for High-Income Grad Students

Inside Higher Ed, 6/01/2018

A new report from the Brookings Institution argues that the federal government is forgoing hundreds of millions in tax revenue each year through a tax credit that largely benefits graduate students with high incomes. Advocates for graduate education, though, say the report reinforces a false dichotomy between supporting undergraduate and graduate education. Beth Buehlmann of the Council of Graduate Schools said assessing the tax credit based on the income of those claiming it doesn’t account for the whole financial picture of those students. Those borrowers have different life circumstances than those who claim the Lifetime Learning Credit, she said -- they’re older, they may have dependents and their occupation may require a master’s degree in order to advance.

 

Making grad school work for STEM students

Science, 5/31/2018

The training of graduate students in science is no laughing matter. But the cascade of reports issued on the topic over the past quarter-century has become something of an inside joke among those who care about graduate education in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. So, when a committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) this week issued a report on “revitalizing” graduate STEM education that referenced 19 related studies, its chairperson wasn’t surprised.

 

Push for Big Change in Graduate STEM Ed

Inside Higher Ed, 5/30/2018

U.S. graduate education in science, technology, engineering and math is, in many ways, the “gold standard” for the world. But it can and must better prepare graduates for a changing science landscape and multiple careers. It should also be more transparent in terms of where graduates end up working. So says a major new report on the future of graduate STEM education from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. The report was drafted by the Committee on Revitalizing Graduate STEM Education for the 21st Century, chaired by Alan Leshner, chief executive officer emeritus of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

 

Taking a Look At The #Blackandhooded Movement

Wisconsin Public Radio, 5/22/2018

We look at the social media movement, #blackandhooded, which has grown from a hashtag on social media into a scholarship fund and network for black academics. We talk with one founder and then talk to an analyst about why minority students are so underrepresented in graduate studies.

 

The Value of Testing in Graduate Admissions

Inside Higher Ed, 5/21/2018

In an opinion piece published last week, Julie R. Posselt and Casey W. Miller, made the argument that the “test-optional” movement not only has merit but must be a conversation in doctoral programs across the country. We agree that “a serious conversation about current admissions” in graduate education is necessary. We agree that this conversation requires critical introspection and candid conversations. But, we caution faculty members and admissions committees to look beyond what may seem a simple solution of going test-optional before addressing the hard work of analysis and introspection.

 

Private Lenders Eye Graduate Loan Market

Inside Higher Ed, 5/04/2018

Private lenders hold just a fraction of the outstanding student loan debt in the U.S. -- about 7.7 percent as of last year. But those companies have plans to grow their student loan holdings. And they argue that with the help of Congress, they could play an even bigger role in the student loan marketplace -- as they formerly did.

 

No One Wants to Be Your Dean. Here’s How You Might Fix That.

The Chronicle of Higher Education, 4/22/2018

Fill the pipeline and get talented prospects ready by adopting these strategies.

 

How to convince a skeptic the pay gap is real

CNBC, 4/10/2018

Extensive research demonstrates that the gender pay gap exists, but there are many skeptics who still think otherwise.

 

Tips for Applying to Popular U.S. Graduate Programs

U.S. News & World Report, 3/22/2018

The U.S. is a popular destination for international graduate students, especially those pursuing degrees in fields like engineering and business. But that interest may be waning. In fall 2017, international applications to U.S. graduate schools and first-time international student enrollment both declined for the first time in more than a decade, according to a survey of 377 U.S. institutions from the Council of Graduate Schools. Applications were down 3 percent from fall 2016, and new international student enrollment dropped 1 percent.

 

Postgrad news in brief: Trump’s travel ban deters international students

The Guardian, 3/20/2018

Donald Trump’s travel ban could be responsible for a fall in the number of applications and enrolments from international students to the US – the first decline in both numbers since 2003. New figures from the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) show that first-time enrolments have dropped by 1%, and final application counts by 3%.

 

Rise of ‘fake news’ producing more journalism majors

New York Post, 3/19/2018

Applications have jumped at journalism schools across the country. After five years of “consistent” application numbers, Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism saw a 10 percent increase for the 2017-2018 school year, a spokeswoman said. (Graduate schools in the US have seen applications rise about 1 percent annually in recent years, according to a report from the Council of Graduate Schools.)

 

Will U.S. Restrict Visas for Chinese Students?

Inside Higher Ed, 3/16/2018

Two major news organizations are reporting that the Trump administration is considering restrictions on visas for Chinese citizens, including students, as part of a forthcoming package of tariffs and investment restrictions against China.

 

Fewer international science, engineering grad students in U.S.

The Brown Daily Herald, 3/14/2018

International enrollment in science and engineering graduate programs in the United States saw a 6 percent decrease from fall 2016 to fall 2017, said Diane Souvaine, National Science Board vice chair and professor of computer science at Tufts University. However, the University saw nearly a 10 percent increase in enrollment of international graduate students in science and engineering programs, said Ethan Bernstein, director of admissions and operations. International graduate applications for all fields also saw a national decline, with 3 percent fewer applications submitted between fall 2016 and fall 2017, according to a Council of Graduate Schools report.

 

Loss of Global Prestige

The Chronicle of Higher Education, 3/04/2018

For international students, studying in the United States may be losing some of its luster. While there were more international students here in the 2016-17 academic year than ever before, there are signs that the growth has begun to slow.

 

Winners and Losers in Work-Study Plan

Inside Higher Ed, 2/14/2018

House GOP proposal would end formula that favored private colleges in Northeast. But it would also mean cuts in funds to some public institutions with strong records educating low-income students and send more money to for-profit colleges.

 

Study: International Students Avoiding U.S. Graduate Schools

The American Prospect, 2/08/2018

International students vote with their feet. For the first time in more than a decade, university admissions officials reported a decrease in the number of applications to graduate school programs from international students, according to a recent Council of Graduate Schools study. Researchers found that international graduate applications declined by 3 percent and first-time enrollments declined by 1 percent from the fall of 2016 to the fall of 2017.

 

US: Int’l graduate applications & enrolments down

The PIE News, 2/07/2018

The CGS report found that for the first time since Fall 2003, application counts from prospective international graduate students declined by 3% while the first-time enrolment of international graduate students declined by 1%. The overall decline was focused primarily in master’s and certificate programs, with responding institutions reporting a 4.8% decrease in applications and a 2.8% decrease in first-time enrolment.

 

A Year of Travel Bans

Inside Higher Ed, 2/01/2018

Visa data suggest decreases in the number of individuals from countries affected by the travel ban coming to the U.S. as students or for short-term business travel, a category that includes travel related to academic conferences.

 

Is there a ‘Trump slump’ in international students coming to America?

MarketWatch, 1/31/2018

It appears the U.S. is becoming a less-attractive place to pursue graduate education, and that’s an alarming trend for schools that count on tuition dollars from foreign students. Between fall 2016 and 2017, the number of international students applying to graduate school in the U.S. declined 3%, according to survey data published Tuesday by the Council of Graduate Schools, a graduate school advocacy organization.

 

Overseas postgraduate applications and enrolment decline in US

Times Higher Education, 1/31/2018

The number of prospective international students applying to and enrolling in US postgraduate programmes has declined for the first time in 13 years, figures show. Applications from prospective overseas graduate students declined by 3 per cent between autumn 2016 and autumn 2017, while first-time enrolment of international graduate students dropped by 1 per cent, according to a survey by the Council of Graduate Schools.

 

More Evidence of a Drop in International Grad School Enrollment

Inside Higher Ed, 1/30/2018

The number of first-time international students enrolling in American graduate programs declined by 1 percent from fall 2016 to fall 2017, according to new survey results from the Council of Graduate Schools.

 

International Grad Students’ Interest in American Higher Ed Marks First Decline in 14 Years

The Chronicle, 1/30/2018

For the first time in more than a decade, applications and enrollments by international graduate students at American colleges and universities declined in 2016-17, a new study has found. The study, conducted by the Council of Graduate Schools, suggests a continued softening of interest in American institutions among foreign grad students, an ebbing that was noted a year ago.

 

GOP actions may make graduate school too costly for many

CNBC, 1/25/2018

Fewer people may pursue doctoral and master degree programs due to a one-two punch of Republican-introduced legislation and the new tax code, policy experts say.

 

Biology Graduate Programs Educating Students for Life beyond Academia: Broadening horizons for young scientists

BioScience, 1/10/2018

A growing number of universities, students, and funding organizations are working to change biology graduate education to meet the needs of students on a wide array of career paths. But before this new education model can take hold, graduate programs first have to figure out which career-development strategies work and how to cultivate a culture that embraces the change.

 

Lessons From the Tax Bill Fight

Inside Higher Ed, 1/10/2018

A furious campaign by graduate students to kill a GOP tax proposal could be a blueprint for upcoming legislative battles in Washington. In the weeks after Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives proposed to tax graduate student tuition waivers, many students were stunned by the potential for a big tax bill and unsure about how to respond.

 

US universities to provide tools for post-PhD life

Nature, 1/03/2018

US graduate programmes are starting to formalize expectations for the skills and competencies that PhD students should have by the end of their studies, finds a report from the US Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) in Washington DC. In a 2016 survey of its 241 member institutions, the CGS found that 65% of those responding reported that all or most of their doctoral programmes had developed formal ways to assess whether students are learning specific skills that are relevant to the workplace.

In the last few years, we’ve seen an increasing number of stories about traumatic brain injuries (TBI), particularly around professional sports and concussion rates. We’re hearing more and more about research projects to better understand the risks and long-term effects, but this topic isn’t new to Kim Gorgens, a neuropsychologist and clinical associate professor at the University of Denver. She’s spent her professional career studying the brain’s response to injury, giving a TEDx talk on the subject back in 2010 focused on the effects of concussions in student athletes. Within a few years, Gorgens was focused on a new segment of the population.

 

Gorgens and her team of professionals and graduate students at DU’s Graduate School of Professional Psychology are working with 28 justice sites from jails to specialty courts and Division of Youth Corrections (with plans to expand) to better understand inmates living with traumatic brain injury (TBI). According to Gorgens, this is an understudied, vulnerable population, and overrepresented in correctional facilities. TBI has been linked to poor impulse control, aggressive behaviors, deficits in attention span, and higher risks for substance use disorders. The pilot data from one facility show that up to 96% of those inmates have experience at least one TBI.

 

“This work is really about identifying problems and keeping them from getting worse,” Gorgens says. “Many of these folks fall through the cracks of society for reasons related to their brain injury.” Dr. Gorgens’ work has been featured in Newsweek magazine, and she hopes to continue to raise awareness for her research. To learn more about Kim’s research, visit the University of Denver website.

 

Visit the GradImpact Feature Gallery to learn more about the amazing, innovative research being done by graduate students and alumni across the world.

 

 

Anne Hilborn, a doctoral student in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation at Virginia Tech, studies the interactions between predators and prey, “focusing on cheetahs because they hunt by day on open plains, are affected by lions, and impact several species of herbivores that serve as prey.” She discovered the value of using social media during field research in 2014. She realized that chronicling her experiences on Twitter and her blog would give her the opportunity to share her photos, data, and research with the whole world.

 

Hilborn and her graduate student colleague, Chris Rowe, learned just how effective Twitter can be in 2015. They began posting a series of tweets using the hashtag #fieldworkfail and received thousands of responses from scientists and scholars, who in turn shared their own #fieldworkfail experiences. The hashtag is still used today.

 

Hilborn’s successful use of social media demonstrates one way to address the challenge of communicating research effectively to broad audiences. To learn more about Anne’s work, visit the Virginia Tech website.

 

Visit the GradImpact Feature Gallery to learn more about the amazing, innovative research being done by graduate students and alumni across the world.

 

**Photo Credit: Virginia Tech News

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

CONTACT: Katherine Hazelrigg / khazelrigg@cgs.nche.edu / 202.461.3888

 

“Over the past few weeks, the Council of Graduate Schools joined a coalition of organizations raising serious concerns about the proposed tax legislation and its effects on higher education, particularly on graduate education and graduate students. We were pleased to see our community join forces to raise awareness about the consequences of the proposed tax reforms. As a result, many proposals that would have negatively impacted graduate education were defeated. This is an excellent example of what we can achieve when we work together. Our efforts will help ensure that graduate students are able to pursue and achieve their educational goals.”

 

“The bill passed by the House and Senate remains far from perfect, and we continue to have serious reservations about its overall impact on institutions of higher education. We maintain our belief that master’s and doctoral education are the backbone of America’s national security and greatly contribute to our economic standing in a global economy. Any tax provisions that affect the financial stability and accessibility of institutions of higher education could negatively impact our nation’s future.”

 

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Anna Rogulina, a doctoral candidate in Art History at Rutgers University, moved to the U.S. from Russia when she was ten. As an undergraduate at Vassar College, she developed an interest in art history and Russian studies. After graduation and time working as an assistant curator, Rogulina realized a graduate degree would help her achieve her long-term professional goals.

 

Recently, Rogulina curated an acclaimed art exhibition, A Vibrant Field: Nature and Landscape in Soviet Nonconformist Art, 1970s-1980s, drawing from the renowned Norton and Nancy Dodge Collection of Nonconformist Art from the Soviet Union, currently housed at Rutgers’ Zimmerli Art Museum. Rogulina aimed to, “shed new light on the work of artists who risked their livelihoods and, in some cases, their lives in challenging the limits set on artistic expression by the Soviet Union.”

 

Rogulina’s project highlights the importance of art in repressive societies. “These artists and their communities relied on this work for their survival—and their sanity,” Rogulina says. “It really made me reflect on the social experience created through the arts and how it sustains these networks and communities.” To learn more about Anna’s work, visit the Rutgers University website.

 

Visit the GradImpact Feature Gallery to learn more about the amazing, innovative research being done by graduate students and alumni across the world.

 

**Photo Credit: Peter Jacobs

 

 

 

 

CGS/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award in the Biological and Life Sciences
Chad Johnston (PhD 2016, McMaster University)
New Techniques Facilitate the Discover and Study of Modular Microbial Natural Products
Press Release

 

CGS/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award in the Humanities and Fine Arts
Leif Fredrickson (PhD 2017, University of Virginia)
The Age of Lead: Metropolitan Change, Environmental Health, and Inner City Underdevelopment
Press Release

 

Gustave O. Arlt Award in the Humanities (Classical Studies/Archaeology)
John North Hopkins (Assistant Professor of Art History and Classical Studies, Rice University)
The Genesis of Roman Architecture (Yale UP, 2016)
Press Release

 

ETS/CGS Award for Innovation in Promoting Success in Graduate Education: From Admission through Completion
University of Washington -- U501: Extend the Reach
Press Release

 

Debra W. Stewart Award for Outstanding Leadership in Graduate Education
John C. Keller, Dean of the Graduate College, Associate Provost for Graduate and Professional Education, and Interim Vice President for Research and Economic Development, University of Iowa
Press Release