This study will assess the quality and characteristics of research-doctorate programs at institutions in the United States. The study will be conducted by a 15 person committee, and their work will be supported by an 11 person panel that will address data collection issues (See BHEW-Q-03-02-B for information on the Data panel).The study will consist of:1) the collection of quantitative data through questionnaires administered to institutions, programs, faculty, and admitted to candidacy students (in selected fields),2) the collection of additional program data on publications, citations, and dissertation keywords, and3) the design and construction of program ratings using the collected data. The methodology for the study will be a refinement of that described by the Committee to Examine the Methodology for the Assessment of Research-Doctorate Programs in the report Assessing Research-Doctorate Programs: A Methodology Study." During the first stage of the study the committee will review and finalize the recommendations of the methodology study concerning the field taxonomy for the programs, the questionnaires and data definitions. Procedures for data collection will also be developed. The next stage will be devoted to data collection at the institutions. This will begin with an institutional questionnaire to identify programs and will be followed by a program questionnaire that gathers information about the programs and the faculty participating in the programs. The faculty will then be surveyed concerning their activities, and students in selective fields will be asked to information related to their studies and career development. In the final stage the data will be analyzed and an on-line database will be developed and made available to the public in September of 2008. In conjunction with the availability of the database the committee will issue a report describing how the database can be used.The committee will conduct a second phase of the study during 2008 when a group of experts will analyze the data and write essays that will be part of a final report.The approximate starting date for the project 08/10/2005"Sponsors for the project include:Andrew W. Mellon FoundationAlfred P. Sloan FoundationNational Institutes of HealthDepartment of Health and Human Services Department of EnergyNational Science FoundationUpdate 10-01-08: The release schedule for reports for the NRC Assessment of Research Doctoral Programs has changed. The release of the Methodology Guide is now estimated for late October or early November 2008. The release schedule for the project report and its database will be announced when we have precise dates.Update 11-17-08: The release of the Methodology Guide is now estimated for December 15, 2008. The final expected report release date (and/or database start date) is February 15, 2009. Update 02-03-09: The release of the Methodology Guide will occur at least one month before the final project report is released. The release schedule for the project report and its database will be announced when we have precise dates. Please check back to this page for datesUpdate 4/9/09: Procedure for Report Release:Although the Methodology Guide has not yet emerged from NRC report review and the final report cannot be completed until the Methodology Guide is completed, we have received many inquiries about the procedures the NRC will follow about the release of the final report and database. The planned release procedure is that universities will receive results for their programs 72 hours before the public release of the report and database.If you have questions about this, contact the Board on Higher Education and the Workforce for assistance at 202-334-2700