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Some Additional Data on Dissertations in Political Science, 1960 and 1970–72

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 November 2022

Peter J. Sackmann
Peter J. Sackmann*
Affiliation:
University of California, Berkeley
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Extract

In the fall '72 issue of PS, Walfred H. Peterson, Stephen Blank, and William C. Yoels have drawn some interesting data and interpretations from APSA's annual listing of completed political science dissertations. Their focus on data related to Ph.D. output, interest distribution within sub-fields, and “the fate of the Ph.D.” clearly reflect the concern of the advanced scholar who is interested in the general development of the discipline.

However, it may not be astonishing that one type of data, that may be of particular interest to the beginning student of political science or the Ph.D. candidate has been neglected. This is the question of how long it actually takes to earn the desired degree.

Departmental Ph.D. programs indicate generally that an approximate term of four years is suggested as being necessary but also sufficient for the successful completion of the entire Ph.D. program. A tabulation of data derived from our annual listings, however, easily reveal that — at least in practice — such an approximation is far from reality. As indicated in table I, more than twice that time lies actually on an average between graduation and the successful completion of the dissertation.

Type
On Dissertations Revisited
Information
PS: Political Science & Politics , Volume 6 , Issue 1 , Winter 1973 , pp. 26 - 28
Copyright
Copyright © The American Political Science Association 1973

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References

1 Cf. Peterson, Walfred H., “Doctoral Output in Political Science — Tables for 1970–72,” in PS, Vol. VI, No. 4, pp. 423–8Google Scholar; Stephen Blank, “Data on Dissertations in Foreign and Comparative Government by World Areas,” ibid., pp. 429–31; William C. Yoels, “On the Fate of the Ph.D. Dissertation in Political Science,” ibid., pp. 432–5.

2 The time table generally suggests one year for the Master degree; one year toward the completion of required course work; an additional year for individual pre-dissertation research and advancement to candidacy; and one final year — or two, as the case may be — for the completion of the thesis.

3 Cf. APSR, Vol. LIV, No. 3, Sept. 1960, pp. 825–34; PS, Vol. III. No. 3, 1970, pp. 498–520; PS, Vol. IV, No. 4, 1971, pp. 636–70; PS, Vol. V, No. 4, 1972, pp. 539–74.

4 Obviously the period between graduation and completion of the Ph.D. can not exclusively be accounted for course work and dissertation research. Many students may discontinue their studies for a shorter or longer period or may have to support themselves while studying. But even if such cases were not exceptions from the rule, it may draw an interesting light upon the actual state of the discipline.