UW-Madison awarded the second-highest number of doctorate degrees and the highest number of life sciences doctorate degrees of any U.S. university in 2016, according to the national Survey of Earned Doctorates.
The UW-Madison Graduate School conferred 823 doctoral degrees in 2016, and 54,904 Ph.D.s were awarded nationwide. UW-Madison ranked third in 2015 with 836 recipients.
William Karpus, the dean of the Graduate School, attributed the university’s high rank to UW-Madison’s graduate programs, faculty-driven research that attracts top students from across the world, student tenacity and faculty mentoring that brings “research projects to fruition.”
The Graduate School’s exit survey revealed that 64.1 percent of graduates said they had signed a contract or made a “definite commitment” for work. Just 1.1 percent of respondents reported not having plans to work or study following graduation.
Of UW-Madison doctoral students who reported post-graduation employment, 23.9 percent said they had a tenure-track faculty position and 15.3 percent reported a faculty non-tenure-track position, according to a news release.
The Graduate School participates in a number of data sharing projects to improve information for graduates who pursue jobs other than tenure-track faculty positions, the release said. The projects are aimed at helping prospective and current students make better-informed decisions about the variety of careers they can pursue with an advanced degree.
“The value of a UW-Madison P.h.D. reaches throughout the increasing variety of careers our graduates pursue,” Karpus said in the release. “In their time here, our students gain skills and experiences that prepare them to be innovators and thought leaders throughout the state and world, exemplifying the Wisconsin Idea.”
