Completion of Research Doctorates by UWSP Alumni: 2001 – 2010
BACKGROUND
Source
Survey of Earned Doctorates, National Science Foundation
Overview
 The survey is administered to individuals upon completion of a research
doctorate and respondents indicate their baccalaureate institutions.
 Research doctorates include 18 types of degrees and exclude professional
degrees.
 A total of 48,069 research doctorates were awarded in the U.S. in 2010.
RESULTS
Compared to
University of
Wisconsin System
Institutions
(Table 1)
 Of the UW regional universities, UWSP had the highest number of alumni
completing research doctorates during this ten-year period (n=270) tied with
UW-Eau Claire. The UW regional universities average was 141.
 UWSP alumni comprised 25% of all STEM doctorates awarded to alumni of
UW regional universities during this ten-year period. One hundred sixty
UWSP alumni completed STEM doctorates, which is much higher than the
UW regional universities average of 59 and also higher than UW-Milwaukee
(n=144).
 A majority of the doctorates completed by UWSP alumni were in STEM fields
(59%). This is second only to UW-Platteville (61%), but higher than both UWMilwaukee and UW-Madison.
Compared to
Masters Level
Institutions
(Table 1)
 During this ten-year period, 59,435 doctorates were earned by individuals
who completed their baccalaureate degrees from master’s degree granting
institutions, 20,331 of which were in the STEM fields.
By Field
(Table 2)
 Life Science was the number one discipline in which research doctorates
were earned (n=117) by UWSP alumni. This accounts for 43% of all
doctorates earned by UWSP alumni and 18% of all STEM doctorates earned
by alumni of UW regional universities.
 A greater proportion of UWSP alumni research doctorates were in the STEM
fields (59%) compared to 34% among all master’s degree granting
institutions.
 Education was the second highest disciplinary total (n=42) for research
doctorates completed by UWSP alumni. This accounts for 16% of doctorates
earned by UWSP alumni.
CONCLUSION
 UWSP is a leader among its UW System peers in the completion of research
doctorates by its alumni, particularly in the STEM fields.
 UWSP excels as a doctoral preparatory institution.
Policy Analysis and Planning
December 2012
Table 1: Research Doctorates Completed by Students Earning their BA/BS from a UW System Institution
2001 – 2010
1
Percentage of UW
Regional Total
Number of STEM
Doctorates2
Percentage of UW
Regional STEM Total
STEM Percentage of
Institutional Total
Stevens Point
270
17%
160
25%
59%
Eau Claire
270
17%
95
15%
35%
La Crosse
203
13%
92
14%
45%
Whitewater
163
11%
36
6%
22%
Oshkosh
150
10%
50
8%
33%
River Falls
119
8%
70
11%
59%
Green Bay
103
7%
37
6%
36%
Platteville
75
5%
46
7%
61%
Parkside
75
5%
31
5%
41%
Stout
64
4%
12
2%
19%
Superior
53
3%
22
3%
42%
TOTAL
1,545
100%
651
100%
UW-Madison
UW-Milwaukee
2,535
467
1,350
144
53%
31%
59,435
20,331
34%
Number of Doctorates
UW Institution
All Master's Degree
Granting Institutions
Source: NSF Survey of Earned Doctorates
1
Includes research doctorates only, such as Ph.D., D.M.A. Excludes professional degrees such as M.D., D.D.S., O.D., D.V.M., and J.D. Note that Ed.D. programs were re-classified from the research to
professional category in 2010, resulting in some year-to-year variability and representing a change in the NSF methodology.
2
Includes Engineering, Geosciences, Life Sciences, Math and Computer Sciences, and Physical Sciences.
Policy Analysis and Planning
December 2012
Table 2: Research Doctorates Completed by Discipline of Students Earning their BA/BS from UW System Institutions1
2001 – 2010
STP
UW
% of
Regionals
STP EAU GBY LAC OSH PKS PLT RVF STO SUP WTW Subtotal MAD MIL
All UW
TOTAL
6
2%
6
1
6
1
4
16
4
7
0
4
55
273
24
352
1
<1%
5
0
2
4
0
1
5
0
3
0
21
51
12
84
117
43%
59
29
52
32
16
16
41
4
14
20
400
792
75
1267
5
2%
4
4
5
3
4
3
2
1
1
3
35
87
12
134
31
11%
24
3
27
10
7
10
18
0
4
9
143
147
21
311
Architecture and Environmental Design
0
0%
2
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
3
1
0
4
Arts and Music
4
1%
8
2
5
1
3
2
2
0
4
3
34
58
14
106
Business and Management
1
<1%
7
4
6
3
1
1
1
3
0
8
35
36
11
82
Communication and Librarianship
8
3%
5
0
1
2
0
1
0
2
0
3
22
40
8
70
Education
42
16%
64
11
44
51
15
14
23
38
11
67
380
287 123
790
Humanities
16
6%
24
14
28
11
8
1
2
1
4
8
117
262
48
427
Law
0
0%
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
2
Other Non-sciences or Unknown Disciplines
0
0%
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
0
4
30
11%
35
26
11
14
9
4
9
5
6
27
176
221
62
459
Religion and Theology
2
1%
2
0
1
2
0
0
1
1
1
0
10
20
3
33
Social Sciences
7
3%
25
8
28
14
8
6
10
1
4
11
122
235
49
406
Social Service Professions
0
0%
3
0
1
2
0
0
0
1
0
0
7
19
4
30
Vocational Studies and Home Economics
0
0%
100%
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
2
1
1
4
Engineering
Geosciences
Life Sciences
2
Math and Computer Sciences
Physical Sciences ³
Psychology
Source: NSF Survey of Earned Doctorates
Note: Highlighted cells denote disciplines used in STEM field calculations
1
Includes research doctorates only, such as Ph.D., D.M.A. Excludes professional degrees such as M.D., D.D.S., O.D., D.V.M., and J.D. Note that Ed.D. programs were re-classified from the research to
professional category in 2010, resulting in some year-to-year variability and representing a change in the NSF methodology.
² Includes agricultural sciences, natural resources, biological sciences and health sciences.
3
Includes astronomy, chemistry, and physics.
Policy Analysis and Planning
December 2012