Reviews for In pursuit of the PhD

The average rating for In pursuit of the PhD based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2014-12-08 00:00:00 Mars Volta Even though this book is now decades old, I found it so helpful as I'm working on designing a new doctoral program. As I read, I kept pulling out quotes to incorporate into the various documents I'm working in. But it wasn't just for occasional soundbytes that I loved In Pursuit of the PhD; it was how often the authors challenged me with a new way of conceptualizing the way we go about grad school. I also liked learning about the ways that grad school has changed over the years--especially from the 1960s through the writing of this book, circa 1990. It helped me see why grad school is the way it is today. Some things have changed in the intervening years from the book to now, but from my experience (attended grad school from 1997 through 2001) not much has changed, not very significantly. The fields are more complicated and esoteric, the wrestling with postmodern theory continues, the academic job market is as bad as it's ever been. It was helpful for me to see in this study where the current situation came from, and how other eras were different in certain ways. There is too much to say about In Pursuit of the PhD. It's been a fantastic read--many chapters progressing like a good detective story: start with an intriguing question, and then examine the evidence to move closer to an answer. There are not a lot of people in the world who would love this book, but I'm one of those few.

Review # 2 was written on 2009-08-26 00:00:00 Ana Fuchs Seminal work on the doctoral experience; massive research study based on 10 institutions; not for the faint of heart!