4/6/20061 Are Sociologists Different? Findings from Social Science PhDs- 5+ Year Out: A National Study of PhDs in Six Social Science Fields Panel: Satisfaction with work in Sociology Emory Morrison Maresi Nerad Elizabeth Rudd University of Washington, Seattle, Graduate School College of Education American Sociological Association 2008 Annual Meeting, Boston, MA August 4, 2008 Center for Innovation and Research in Graduate Education

Source: CIRGE, University of Washington, ASA 2008 Annual Meeting, August 4, PhDs—Ten Years Later [1997] 5,864 PhDs from cohort: 66% response rate Bio-Chemistry, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, English, Mathematics, Political Science 61 doctoral granting institutions 2.PhDs in Art History—Over a Decade Later [2002] 792 PhDs from cohort: 70% response rate All 54 doctoral programs 3.Social Science PhDs—Five+ Years Out [2006] 8,716 PhDs from cohort: 45% response rate Anthropology, Communication, Geography, History, Political Science, Sociology 65 doctoral granting institutions CIRGE National PhD Career Path and Program Evaluation Studies

3 Sociology in Comparison 1.Do career outcomes of sociology PhDs differ from those of other social science fields? 2.How well does sociology prepare doctoral students for fulfilling careers that make use of their graduate education? 3.Is there a gender difference in career outcome? If so, how can we explain it? Experience in graduate school Marital and parental status

4 Social Science PhDs—Five+ Years Ford Foundation Funded Survey Sample N (% women) Anthropology 432(56.5) Communication 343(52.2) Geography 164(32.3) History 839(43.4) Political Science 701(35.9) Sociology 546(59.2) Total3025(46.8)

5 Social Sciences PhDs 5+ Years Out Job Types at Survey

6 Job Satisfaction Ratings of Intrinsic Job Dimensions Sociology vs other 5 SS Fields

7 Career Trajectory Years from PhD Completion to Stable Employment Sample with Professorial Career Goal (78%): Sociology vs other 5 SS Fields

8 Question 2 How well does sociology prepare doctoral students for fulfilling careers that make use of their graduate education?

9 Importance of Skill at Current Job versus Quality of Training* in this Skill during PhD Studies Academic Research Skills: Sociology

10 Importance of Skill at Current Job versus Quality of Training* in this Skill during PhD Studies Transferable Skills: Sociology

11 Question 3 Is there a gender difference in career outcome? If so, how can we explain it? Experience in graduate school Marital and parental status

12 Employment Outcomes by Gender at ½, 2, 4, and 6 Year post-PhD: Sociology vs. 5 SS Fields

13 Sociology Faculty: Prestige* of Institutions of Employment by Gender *Measure derived from U.S. News and World Report Data, 2005

14 Sociologists Likelihood of Rating Quality of Training “Excellent” or being “Very Satisfied” with Mentoring by Gender ( Based on Ordinal Logistic Regression Controlling for 12 Individual-level Traits)

15 Marital Status and Education of Spouse/Partner at Time of PhD : Sociology vs. 5 SS Fields

16 Likelihood of Being Ladder Faculty at 2 Years Post- PhD by Gender, Marital, and Parental Status Sociology (Model With 12 Controls)

17 Sociologists’ Likelihood of Being “Very Satisfied” with “Fit of Job With Abilities and Interests” by Gender and Evaluation of Quality of Training in Publishing Based on Ordinal Logistic Regression Controlling for 15 Individual Level Traits

4/6/ CIRGE website Thank you!

Source: CIRGE, University of Washington, ASA 2008 Annual Meeting, August 4, Career Goal at PhD Completion and % Tenured or Tenure-Track 5+ Years Later (1) % Wanted to Be Professor (2) % Tenured + TT of (1) (3) %Tenured+T- T of All PhDs N of All PhDs Anthropology (407) Communication (319) Geography (155) History (789) Political Sc (674) Sociology (521)

Source: CIRGE, University of Washington, ASA 2008 Annual Meeting, August 4, The Context PhD Careers – Gender & Family- Program Evaluation 1.“We... conclude that students’, professors’, and mentors’ lack of accurate, timely, and accessible data on employment trends, careers and sources of student support is a serious flaw in our education system.” (COSEPUP, page vi) 2.“Marriage and family are the most important factors differentiating the labor force participation of male and female scientists and engineers.” (From Scarcity to Visibility, page 4) 3.The NRC doctoral program evaluations include “flawed measures of educational quality.” (page 1) “Universities should track career the career outcomes of PhD recipients both directly upon program completion and at least 5-7 years following degree completion.” (page 34) (Committee to Examine the Methodology to Assess Research Doctoral Programs, 2003)

21 Percent Agree that Item Is a Crucial Consideration in Decision to Pursue a PhD

22 Geographic Mobility of Respondents and Spouses for Career Reasons by Educational Level of Spouse: Sociology

Source: CIRGE, University of Washington, ASA 2008 Annual Meeting, August 4, Sociology Respondents Women59.2% Minority10.0% U.S. Citizen/Permanent Res.95.5% Younger than 30 Yrs. at PhD22.5% Older than 40 Yrs. at PhD21.9% Married/Partnered at PhD68.8% Married/Partnered at Survey76.1% Parent at PhD28.3% Parent at Survey63.6% NRC (1995) Program Faculty Scholarly Reputation > 4 (“Strong”) 33.0% NRC (1995) Program Faculty Scholarly Reputation < 3 (“Good”) 41.8%