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The Graduate School at the University of Missouri–Columbia (Mizzou)

About the PhD Completion Project at Mizzou

Understanding & Improving Doctoral Completion

The University of Missouri, like may universities nationwide, is working to understand the causes and scope of the doctoral attrition problem.

The PhD Completion Project is a national project undertaken by the Council of Graduate Schools with support from Pfizer and the Ford Foundation. Major universities are participating by creating interventions and assessing their effects on doctoral completion.

In 2002 and 2003, the Sloan Foundation and the National Science Foundation sponsored discussions of doctoral completion rates (i.e., national averages of 50%). This led to a proposal for the PhD Completion Project. In Phase I, 21 universities were selected to participate in data collection and evaluation. In Phase II, 14 universities wrote proposals and were selected to receive continued funding. MU received Phase I and Phase II funding.

Goals of the PhD Completion Project:

  • Produce the most comprehensive and useful data on completion and attrition from doctoral studies
  • Systematically examine key factors that previous research has suggested influence student outcomes (e.g., selection, mentoring, program environment, financial support, processes and procedures)
  • Increase awareness of doctoral completion issues across disciplines

Reasons universities and departments are participating in the project:

  • Demonstrates leadership in a national initiative that affects graduate education and the graduate student experience
  • Raises the awareness of doctoral completion issues on campus and in the department
  • Provides completion data for departments and within the context of national data
  • Based on prior research, initiatives are likely to increase completion and improve student satisfaction

The main objectives of the PhD Completion Program at MU:

  • Reduce early attrition (occurring within the first three years of study).
  • Reduce late attrition (occurring after five years of study).
  • Reduce the completion rate gap that exists for under-represented groups.

View a pdf of key results from Phase I

CGS Preliminary Findings

Percent of cohorts per discipline who had completed their doctoral studies after ten years:

  • Engineering: 66%
  • Life Sciences: 60%
  • Physical Sciences and Mathematics: 55%
  • Social Sciences: 53%
  • Humanities: 47%

Of 261 male cohorts and 253 female cohorts, 58% of males and 56% of females had completed their doctoral degrees after ten years.

After ten years, 68% of international cohorts and 59% of American cohorts had received their doctoral degrees.

Percent of cohorts by race/ethnicity who had received their doctoral degrees after ten years:

  • White: 59.6%
  • All Minorities: 56.2%
  • Under-represented Minorities: 55.8%

View our Reseach Partners in the project.