The Council of Graduate Schools conducted a pilot project in 2014-16 to study the professional development needs of graduate students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields and the programs and resources in place to meet those needs.

Project Overview

Enhanced professional development of STEM graduate students has emerged in recent years as a high priority as evidenced by calls from students, employers, funding agencies, and graduate deans. The CGS pilot study gathered perspectives from stakeholders representing each of these groups to answer four key questions:

1. Beyond research skills, what other professional skills are particularly important for STEM graduates?
2. What STEM workforce skills needs are not currently being met by graduate programs?
3. How can resources and investments be most effectively mobilized to meet that demand through enhanced professional development?, and
4. What structures and learning environments are most effective in responding to the career tracks for PhD and master’s students?

The project entailed a survey of CGS members, interviews with employers from across the STEM workforce including industry and government, a workshop convening a wide array of stakeholders, and an online searchable database of existing professional development programs for STEM graduate students. 

Results

Promising practices, common challenges, recommendations, and possible next steps toward coordinated improvements to the professional development of STEM graduate students, including PhDs, master’s degree holders, and postdoctorates are available in the report: Professional Development: Shaping Effective Programs for STEM Graduate Students. This report also includes discussion of useful tools and resources, as well as of issues that commonly arise in university discussion around professional development. Hard copies of this report are available to CGS members and non-members for purchase here.

Press Release: Report Recommends Broader Professional Develoment for Graduate Students in STEM Fields

Professional Development Programs: An Online Compendium

CGS has compiled an online searchable database of existing professional development programs for STEM graduate students that draws from survey results, web research, and feedback from institutions. The primary purpose of this database is to spotlight promising programs, enhance understanding of the skills and structure of these programs, and to provide an opportunity for graduate schools to connect to others as they seek to develop robust professional development programs for graduate students. While all are welcome to explore this database, the resource was designed especially to inform individuals in university leadership roles who seek to enhance professional development for STEM graduate students and postdocs at U.S. universities.

View the Compendium

Workshop

A one-day, workshop-style meeting to identify needs and opportunities for improving U.S. graduate education with a focus on enhanced professional development for STEM PhD’s and master’s students took place in Washington, D.C., on  November 8-9, 2015.  The meeting convened key employers from industry, government, and non-profit sectors; graduate deans and university researchers on graduate education and the STEM workforce; and representatives from federal agencies that fund STEM graduate students.

Workshop Agenda and Presentations

Contact

Julia Kent

Supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF #1413827)

Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this project do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Contacts:
Julia Kent, CGS
(202) 223-3791 / jkent@cgs.nche.edu

Washington, DC — The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) has announced that Robert M. (Bob) Augustine, Dean of the Graduate School, Research and International Programs at Eastern Illinois University (EIU), has been appointed to a two-year term as the Council’s Senior Vice President. In addition to serving two terms as President of the Illinois Association of Graduate Schools, Augustine served on the CGS Board of Directors from 2011 to 2014 and held the position of Board Chair in 2013. He will join CGS on August 1, 2015.

The newly created Senior Vice President’s role will expand the services that CGS provides to master’s-focused institutions. Working with colleagues in CGS’s Best Practices division, Augustine will be responsible for developing an infrastructure for research on issues related to the master’s degree and for delivering programs relevant to the needs of master’s-focused institutions. He will also be responsible for the management and convening of the CGS Master’s Committee.

“For a number of years now, Bob Augustine has shared his deep knowledge of trends in master’s education with CGS members through board service and voluntary leadership roles in CGS meetings,” said CGS President Suzanne T. Ortega. “I am delighted that he will be extending his impact in this important area, and in graduate education more broadly, as a member of CGS’s leadership staff.”

Augustine will bring to CGS diverse experience in developing best practices for serving master’s degree students. During his tenure as graduate dean, EIU’s graduate school earned the ETS/Midwestern Association of Graduate School’s Award for Excellence in Graduate Education for the First Choice Graduate Programs Initiative. His institution was also awarded the ETS/CGS Award for Promoting Success in Graduate Education for developing the Integrative Graduate Studies Institute, as well as the CGS/TIAA-CREF Award for Enhancing Financial Literacy, which allowed EIU to launch a center devoted to Literacy in Financial Education.

Commenting on the appointment, Augustine said, “I am energized by this fantastic opportunity to contribute to the mission and values of the graduate community through the work of the Council of Graduate Schools. I look forward to advancing my new priorities as Senior Vice President.”

Augustine holds a PhD in communication sciences and disorders from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, where he earned a Department Distinguished Alumni Award. Following clinical experience in speech-language pathology, he launched an early intervention language clinic focusing on integrative language strategies at EIU. Augustine guided expansion of the program, launched the first technology-enhanced courses, and developed the program’s first international outreach efforts before becoming Dean of the EIU Graduate School in 2000.

International Graduate Student Applications, Admissions, and Enrollment

November 17, 2015

The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) and the Institute of International Education (IIE) both have long-standing data collect efforts intended to examine patterns of international graduate student applications, admissions, and enrollment. CGS’ effort, focused exclusively on graduate education, has been implemented since 2004. IIE’s effort has been implemented since 1949, and with support from the U.S. Department of State since the early 1970s.

• Jeff Allum & Hironao Okahana, Council of Graduate Schools
• Christine Farrugia, Institute of International Education

CGS/GRE Survey of Graduate Enrollment & Degrees

August 27, 2015

The 2014 CGS/GRE Survey of Graduate Enrollment & Degrees provides data about applications for admission to graduate school and graduate student enrollment in Fall 2014, and graduate degrees and certificates conferred in 2013-14. The survey has been jointly conducted by CGS and the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) Board since 1986 and annually offers one of the most comprehensive examinations of trends in graduate enrollment and degrees in the United States.Powerpoint presentation can be found here.

• Jeff Allum, Council of Graduate Schools
• Hironao Okahana, Council of Graduate Schools

Minority Attrition and Completion in STEM Doctoral Programs

May 28, 2015

Findings from CGS’ publication, Doctoral Initiative on Minority Attrition and Completion, which was made possible by a grant from the National Science Foundation (grant #1138814) offer an in-depth examination of doctoral outcomes and experience of underrepresented minority (URM) students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. These findings, along with comments from two guests, shed light on what can be done to promote student success. Powerpoint presentation can be found here. 

• Jeff Allum, Council of Graduate Schools
• Hironao Okahana, Council of Graduate Schools
• Pamela Felder, University of Maryland, Eastern Shore
• Renetta Tull, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

The Geography of Foreign Students in U.S. Higher Education: Origins and Destinations

February 11, 2015

The Geography of Foreign Students in U.S. Higher Education: Origins and Destinations is the first study to track the local origins, size, and growth rate of the foreign student population on a metropolitan level. The study includes descriptions of national and metro-level data on the region of origin from which international students come to the U.S. as well as implications for higher education policy and immigration policy.
 

• Neil Ruiz, The Brookings Institution’s Metropolitan Policy Program

The Geography of Foreign Students in U.S. Higher Education: Origins and Destinations is the first study to track the local origins, size, and growth rate of the foreign student population on a metropolitan level. The study includes descriptions of national and metro-level data on the region of origin from which international students come to the U.S. as well as implications for higher education policy and immigration policy.

Guest: Neil Ruiz, The Brookings Institution’s Metropolitan Policy Program

The Washington Post Express provides tips helping prospective students craft a successful application from graduate admissions experts, including CGS's Julia Kent.

January 29, 2015

United States Congress
Washington, D.C.

Dear Member of the 114th Congress:

Congratulations on your election to the 114th Congress. A new congress brings with it new opportunities for policymakers such as you to spur American job creation, innovation, and productivity. As you begin your work, we want to call to your attention to the critical role that graduate education plays in producing highly skilled individuals that meet the demands of the U.S. economy and allow the U.S. to remain competitive globally. To maintain our world-class workforce, we need public policies that encourage talented individuals to pursue education beyond the undergraduate level, specifically master’s and doctoral degrees.

The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) represents over 500 universities and is the only national organization dedicated solely to the advancement of graduate education and research. CGS member institutions award more than 92 percent of all U.S. doctorates and over 78 percent of all U.S. master’s degrees. The nation’s graduate schools are the epicenters of discovery, innovation, and application, leading to advancements that impact the lives of every American.

As Congress gets underway, there are four key issues that CGS believes have significant impact on graduate education and graduate students. They are the reauthorizations of the Higher Education Act (HEA) and the America COMPETES Act, along with reforms to federal tax and immigration policies. When evaluating such policies, we encourage you to consider the following:

• The past few years have brought changes to the federal student loan program. These changes have resulted in graduate students paying more for their student loans. In fact, underrepresented minorities and master’s degree students have been particularly hard hit. Americans who pursue advanced degrees, which are becoming an entry-level requirement for the fastest growing occupations in the U.S., must not be disadvantaged financially for furthering their education.
• Proposals for tax reform, which would repeal the lifetime learning credit and eliminate the deduction for student loan interest paid and the cost of education related expenses, have the potential to further reduce federal support for graduate students. These actions could make graduate education less affordable, especially for low-income students.
• The most critical investment in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education and innovation is the America COMPETES Act. By reauthorizing COMPETES, the U.S. can continue to produce the highly skilled professionals our economy needs to fuel innovation, conduct top-level research across all disciplines of basic science research and engineering, and meet the increasing demand for STEM skills in the workforce.
• Improving current immigration policies is necessary to ensure that our nation continues to attract top talent to meet the demands of the 21st century knowledge economy. The U.S. economy will benefit by allowing international students who have received advanced degrees in the STEM disciplines to earn green cards and work in jobs related to their fields of study.

As these issues move forward, please keep in mind the needs of those obtaining master’s and doctoral degrees and the programs that support them. CGS believes that graduate education is a critical component to sustaining our nation’s global competitiveness. Our nation’s public policies should encourage the pursuit of education beyond the undergraduate level.

CGS research, data, and best practices reports, as well as fact sheets and a financial education tool for students can be accessed through the CGS website, www.cgsnet.org. We believe that you and your staff will find these useful resources as you work on policies relevant to graduate education. Please do not hesitate to contact us at (202) 223-3791 or govaffairs@cgs.nche.edu, if you or your staff would like to discuss these issues further. We welcome such an opportunity and look forward to working with you on these and other important issues throughout the 114th Congress.

Sincerely,
Suzanne T. Ortega
President

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Resolution Regarding Graduate Scholars, Fellows, Trainees, and Assistants

Acceptance of an offer of financial support* (such as a graduate scholarship, fellowship, traineeship, or assistantship) for the next academic year by a prospective or enrolled graduate student completes an agreement that both student and graduate school expect to honor. In that context, the conditions affecting such offers and their acceptance must be defined carefully and understood by all parties.

Students are under no obligation to respond to offers of financial support prior to April 15; earlier deadlines for acceptance of such offers violate the intent of this Resolution. In those instances in which a student accepts an offer before April 15 and subsequently desires to withdraw that acceptance, the student may submit in writing a resignation of the appointment at any time through April 15. There has been a change in our process for students who want to withdraw from an offer of acceptance of financial support, starting with Fall 2020 admissions.  In this case, the applicant must first inform the program that they are withdrawing or resigning from the offer of financial support that they previously had accepted.  Starting in Fall 2020, applicants are no longer required to obtain a formal release from the program whose offer they accepted, either before or after the April 15 deadline. Once they have informed the program that they are withdrawing their acceptance of the offer, they then can accept any other offers. It is further agreed by the institutions and organizations subscribing to the above Resolution that a copy of this Resolution or a link to the URL should accompany every scholarship, fellowship, traineeship, and assistantship offer.

CGS has prepared a shareable PDF of the Resolution, which includes a list of CGS member institutions that have expressed support for the agreement. We have also prepared a sample letter and an FAQ document you could send to your school deans, graduate program directors, and administrators.

If your institution is not currently a signatory of the April 15 Resolution and is interested in being added, please contact Katherine Hazelrigg. Many institutions have worked with their graduate councils to garner broad institutional support for the resolution.

This Resolution was renewed October 2019.

*Please Note: This Resolution applies to offers of financial support only, not offers of admission.

Contact

Katherine Hazelrigg

Today’s graduate and undergraduate students are in a much different place financially than previous generations of students. In 2012, total student debt for the first time exceeded $1 trillion and is now over $1.3 trillion. Rising debt levels can cause some students to defer graduate study or to decide that a graduate degree is not for them. At a time when public funding for education is decreasing and student debt is rising, more students are taking on debt to support their educational aspirations.

To help students learn how to successfully manage their finances and educational costs, the Council of Graduate Schools, funded by a grant from TIAA, a leading financial services organization with a long history of serving those in the academic, research, medical and cultural fields, launched a three-year project to enhance the financial literacy of graduate and undergraduate students.

Project Goals

Participating colleges and universities designed programs that prepare students to play an active role in managing their personal finances and making informed decisions about saving, spending, and borrowing. The institutions addressed the needs of different groups of students, while considering factors such as their field of study, degree levels, and chosen career pathways, each of which has significant financial ramifications. CGS and partnering institutions collected and analyzed data to inform the development of innovative, new tools and resources for students.

Key lessons and data from this groundbreaking program are available in the report: “Financial Education: Developing High Impact Programs for Graduate and Undergraduate Students,” available in PDF and at studentfinancialsuccess.org. Through this initiative, CGS and partnering universities developed and delivered high quality financial literacy programs, assessed the impact of those programs, and documented best practices. Financial Education illustrates these efforts in-depth and provides diverse and innovative models and practical resources for helping produce and shape effective student financial education programs. This book will be of particular interest to graduate deans, financial aid officers, program directors, and faculty who are interested in understanding the financial circumstances and meeting the needs of today’s graduate students. Hard copies of this report are available to CGS members and non-members for purchase here.

GradSense

CGS has developed GradSense.org, a unique online education platform that provides students with financial information about a range of topics including the value of pursuing an advanced degree. Through interactive visualization tools and engaging infographics, we invite students to better understand a variety of issues related to borrowing and spending, potential future earnings, and money management.

To integrate GradSense and related resources into your webpages, click here.

Online Resource Library

CGS has compiled helpful resources and tools for institutions, deans, and program directors seeking to prepare students for managing their personal finances and making informed decisions about saving, spending, and borrowing.

Research Partners

Through a competitive proposal process involving an independent selection committee, 15 institutions were selected and participated in the project as funded research partners. The institutions selected were:

• Arkansas State University
• Cornell University
• The Ohio State University
• University of Colorado System
• Eastern Illinois University
• Florida A&M University
• Iowa State University
• Kansas State University
• Loyola University Chicago
• Mississippi State University
• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• University of Kentucky
• University of Maryland, Baltimore County
• University of South Florida
• Winthrop University

An additional 19 universities participated in the project as affiliate partners.

Contacts

Julia Kent

In collaboration with: