The Development of the PhD Degree in Britain, 1917-1959 and Since: An Evolutionary and Statistical History in Higher Education

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This book examines the first half-century of the British PhD. It reports on the adjustments that had to be made to deal with problems relating to the new degree and the discussions that took place to arrive at possible solutions. The PhD originated in Germany towards the end of the 18th century. In the early 1860s, the first PhD was awarded in the USA. This book examines the first half-century of the British PhD. Part 1 is devoted to the development of the new degree from the point of view of the decision-making bodies of the Universities - Senates, Faculty Boards, etc., the teaching staff as such and the administrators. It reports on the adjustments that had to be made to deal with problems relating to the new degree, as they arose and, quite as important, the discussions that took place to arrive at possible solutions. Seven institutions were chosen for the detailed research for both Parts of this study. For comparative purposes it was important that these should already have existed at the time of the introduction of the PhD in the years 1917-1920. This was also particularly relevant for Part 2, which deals with the students who studied for the PhD. Because of the virtual non-existence of national statistics specifically dealing with the PhD, a structured set of data on PhD students had first to be established. The author collected these data for the period 1917-1959 direct from student records at the institutions concerned. For the first time, therefore, it has been possible to provide comparative and inter-related information on Faculties, Departments and students' origins, as determined by whether that had gained their first degrees at a home University or one overseas. Amongst other data included are their year of admission, gender, age, completion rates and duration of studies, part-time study and staff candidates. The analysis of all this quantitative data includes more than 200 Tables and Figures, providing wide-ranging information. Two particularly vivid findings are that overseas students most convincingly completed their PhD studies considerably faster than home students, and ample proof that Science and Technology students had a significantly higher completion rate than those in Arts and Social Science.