David W. Breneman wrote “The Ph.D. Production Process: A Study of Departmental Behavior.” Not many people besides each dissertation writer’s mother read dissertations. That’s sad, because dissertations may be the most scrutinized academic research published.
According to economist Gary North, of all Ph.D. dissertations ever written, this is the only one that one that should be read by every college student who is contemplating graduate school. Of course, no one tells him. Few people have ever heard of it.
North makes the point that a glut of Ph.D.s exists. He does not understand why anyone would try to earn a Ph.D. except from a top university whose graduates find employment. By inference, he does not accept reasons many institutions use about supporting local and regional labor market demands for advanced degrees to justify their doctoral programs. (I)f ego were marketable, all Ph.D. graduates would get tenure.
North’s article is a good read. Probably Breneman’s dissertation is also. I haven’t read it. Probably I should track it down.
There are several reasons people work toward terminal degress from second, third, and fourth tier schools. The most common reason cited is convenience; the student is working full time and has a family. Another reason is priorities – in which a student is not compelled to sacrafice years of intense studies but rather is interested in learning just a little bit more than they know now. In other words, the purpose is not the degree or career but the knowledge. There are probably other reasons, too. For example, maybe it is just something to do at night when the kids are asleep :)Layne
Thanks for you response, Layne. I agree that the reasons you offered make sense. I would probably use the term invest rather than “sacrifice” when describing intense studies. And I know many highly qualified people enroll in other than top tiered schools for noble reasons. I hope their reasons are sufficient for their returns on their investment.