Proposals in this report would result in greater freedom and flexibility in higher education at less costs and with no loss in quality. The Commission recommends that time required to earn degrees be shortened; that more rewarding alternatives to college be available to youth; and that more opportunities be provided for students to assess…

A new study reanalyzing previous data suggests that the widely publicized sharp increase in number of years to doctorates in the humanities is largely a statistical artifact. The new analysis finds an increase of 15 to 20 percent rather than the previously reported 38 percent in number of years to doctorate between 1972 and 1988. (DB)

This study determines the typical time lapse from matriculation to graduation for recent bachelor's degree graduates, and observes trends and variations in the matriculation-to-graduation period for graduates of different majors and years. Basic data were compiled for all University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point graduates of 1969, 1970, and 1971.…

A study examined doctorate completion time in 11 scientific and engineering fields for 1967-86. On average, a 20 percent increase in completion time was found. Four measures of time are compared. (Author/MSE)

A study of transcripts of adult students and younger counterparts to examine patterns of credit load, stopping out, and the flow from special student status to matriculant is presented. Results support earlier findings about academic achievement, and presents new evidence that adult students' pace is generally brisker than previously assumed. (MSE)

This study examined reasons that some full-time students take longer than normal to complete a bachelor's degree, and whether students who extend their program are more like those who take only 4 years to graduate or are more like dropouts. One part of the study reviewed 64 transcripts of all traditionally-admissible new freshmen who entered the…

Plans of some to reduce the time for completing the traditional undergraduate degree or to redefine it to require fewer credits are examined critically. Reasons for considering time-shortened degrees and responses to the idea are considered. A reexamination of the meaning of the undergraduate degree is recommended. (MSE)

During the last decade the demand for university education in the Netherlands has grown, and until two years ago there was still a yearly increase in the number of students attending university. However, not all of these students graduate and those that do often take longer than the programmed four years to finish their studies. The policy of the…

Traditional Masters of Social Work (MSW) students versus extended MSW degree students who took a combination part-time/full-time work-study arrangement were compared. Comparisons were made on a variety of self-inventories, measuring attributes of personality, values and initial helping skills. (Author/MLW)

A study based on national data found that the average duration of doctoral study was related to departmental emphases on scholarly careers and the resources to implement those emphases. Patterns varied by general discipline area and by specific discipline, suggesting a need for detailed analysis by discipline. (Author/MSE)

Analysis of transcripts and survey responses of undergraduate students in one university identified three types of student extenders (full-time students taking longer than normal to complete a degree), determined by financial need, grade-consciousness, and special situations. Characteristics of these groups are compared with those posited by…

A study drew on data from a major longitudinal study to examine whether graduate business administration students experienced a hiatus in educational careers and whether work/education profiles differed from other graduate students. Results indicate interrupting education between bachelor's and master's degrees correlates with part-time enrollment…

Student characteristics of 1982-83 earned doctorate recipients include sex, racial or ethnic group, citizenship, marital status, age, years from bachelor's degree to doctorate, percentage with bachelor's degree in the same field, planned postdoctoral study and employment, primary postdoctoral work, and region of postdoctoral employment. (MSE)

Data from a National Collegiate Athletic Association survey indicate trends in graduation rates, length of time in school, and student financial aid for men, women, minority groups, and all colleges students. Graduation rates at 298 Division I institutions for all students and for men and women athletes are presented. (MSE)

A study of 723 doctoral students investigated the relationship between time taken to complete the degree and economic factors, including employment hours, study hours, household income, indebtedness, amount and type of aid, and part-time student status. Field of study and foreign/domestic student status were also considered. (Author/MSE)