The Ecology and Merit-Value of Postgraduate Studies

• Main Author: Dahllof, Urban
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: National Swedish Board of Universities and Colleges, R&D Unit 01-02-1986
• Subjects: Comparative Analysis; Doctoral Degrees; Educational History; Enrollment Influences; Foreign Countries; Graduate Study; Higher Education; Humanities; Intellectual Disciplines; Liberal Arts; Sciences; Social Sciences; Sweden; Theological Education; Sweden

Variations in the number of doctoral degrees awarded by Swedish universities since 1890 are being studied. Within a certain field of study, variations are found both at a national level between different periods, and at an institutional level between different universities. The focus is on the faculties of liberal arts, divinity, social science, and science during the period 1890-1940. A limited number of disciplines since 1940, mainly within the humanities and the social sciences, are also considered. The 1890-1940 period was characterized by limited numbers and sizes of available grants for postgraduate studies, as well as limited opportunities for university teaching positions. The analysis focused on the number of doctoral degrees for each of the four areas of study as well as for specific disciplines, and the number of degrees compared to the rate of increase in the number of professorial chairs. In future stages of the project attention will be directed to dissertation developments and the specific professional labor market conditions for doctoral degree graduates, as well as differences between universities in dissertation developments. Also considered in the project are comparisons with other Nordic countries in doctoral degrees awarded. (SW)