Survey of Doctoral Degree Recipients' Opinion

Congratulations on your success in obtaining the highest degree awarded by the University of Pennsylvania! We hope that your experience has been a positive one.

The objective of this survey is to monitor the quality of graduate education at the University of Pennsylvania. It has the dual purpose of providing general data to the University administration to aid in identification of areas in which we could improve the general quality of graduate education and identify specific deficiencies within particular graduate programs. We will make every effort to keep the data as confidential as possible. All personal data (sex, country of origin, etc.) will be used only in the aggregate of all students receiving a Ph.D. during a specific academic year. Data reported to graduate group faculty will include aggregate data of no less than 5 students. While this system cannot guarantee absolute anonymity, we feel it represents a fair compromise between the competing priorities of anonymity* and putting the results to a constructive purpose. The completion of this survey is not a degree requirement. You can choose not to answer specific questions. However, your insight and opinions are important to help keep and improve the quality of graduate education at the University of Pennsylvania. We appreciate your cooperation.

You are also encouraged to discuss any aspect of your graduate program with Assistant Vice Provost Karen Lawrence, 215-898-1842, room 120 College Hall or email [lawrence@pobox.upenn.edu].

* if you report any activities that are illegal, we may be required by law to act on that report.

Personal Information

1. (required) In which graduate group were you enrolled?

2. When did you first enroll at Penn as a graduate student? (e.g. 09/01/1994)

3. (required) When will you receive your degree? (e.g. 05/01/1999)

4. What is your sex? Male Female

5. What is your present citizenship status?

U.S. citizen

Permanent resident of U.S.

Citizen of (please specify country and skip to question 7)

6. If you are a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident, to which racial/ethnic group do you belong?

Asian-American Pacific Islander

African-American Black

Chicano Mexican-American

Puerto Rican

Other Latino

Native American American Indian

White

Other Specify:

(please skip to question 8)

7. Do you intend to return to your country for professional employment within two years?

Yes No Not applicable

Experience with Graduate Group

8. To the best of your knowledge, has financial support for students in your program been fairly allocated?

Yes Mostly Partly No

Do you know what criteria are used to allocate financial support?

Yes No

9. For how many years (or fractions there of) did you receive support in the categories below? (Answer all instances that apply.)

T.A.

R.A. or equivalent

University Fellowship

Outside Fellowship

Foreign government

corporate funds

Other

None

10. Have you had to borrow to finance your doctoral education?

Yes No How much?

At what years of doctoral study did you borrow?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8+

11. How satisfied have you been with the level of financial support you received at Penn?

Very Satisfied Satisfied Somewhat Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Don't know

12. As you look back over your doctoral studies at Penn, how satisfied have you been with each of the following?

A. Graduate Group advising / guidance

Very Satisfied Satisfied Somewhat Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Don't know /NA

B. Overall quality of graduate level courses

Very Satisfied Satisfied Somewhat Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Don't know /NA

C. Professional relationship with faculty other than your dissertation supervisor

Very Satisfied Satisfied Somewhat Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Don't know /NA

D. Faculty efforts in assisting you to find professional employment

Very Satisfied Satisfied Somewhat Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Don't know /NA

13. How many faculty served on your dissertation committee?

14. Other than your principal advisor, how many of these committee members were significantly involved in assisting you to:

obtain financial support

define your topic/prepare a proposal or a prospectus

complete your dissertation research

write up and edit drafts of the dissertation

find a job

15. How satisfied were you with the contact you had with your principal advisor during the following stages?

A. Preparation for preliminary exam

Very Satisfied Satisfied Somewhat Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Don't know /NA

B. Selection of dissertation topic; preparation of proposal or prospectus

Very Satisfied Satisfied Somewhat Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Don't know /NA

C. Dissertation research

Very Satisfied Satisfied Somewhat Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Don't know /NA

D. Dissertation writing

Very Satisfied Satisfied Somewhat Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Don't know /NA

E. Job search

Very Satisfied Satisfied Somewhat Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Don't know /NA

Other comments on your contact with your principal advisor?

16. Using the following scale, please indicate whether you agree or disagree with each of the following statements as they apply to your principal dissertation advisor. 1=agree 2=somewhat agree 3=somewhat disagree 4=disagree 5=not applicable

A. Spent the time necessary to advise me on academic matters.

B. Discussed my research with me on a regular basis.

C. Was accessible.

D. Was knowledgeable about formal degree requirements.

E. Was interested in my goals and projects.

F. Critiqued my work in ways that helped my work progress.

G. Returned my work in a timely manner.

H. (If relevant) Made an effort to secure financial support for me.

I. Was supportive in my search for professional employment.

J. Other (Please explain)

17. In relation to your professional goals, what was the best doctoral level course (lecture, seminar, etc.) that you took at Penn? Please name the graduate group, instructor, and course title. Please list only one.

Graduate group:

Instructor:

Course Title:

18. Was your Ph.D. preliminary exam (or the last examination before you undertook your dissertation research) and preparation a beneficial educational experience?

Very beneficial Beneficial Somewhat beneficial Not beneficial

Do you think the preliminary exam in its current form should be modified?

Yes No Don't Know

If Yes, how?

19. Please provide information on the kinds of research and other scholarly oportunities which you have had during your doctoral studies at Penn:

Were there organized seminars, colloquia, or conferences sponsored by the graduate group at which graduate students presented their research? Yes No

Have you ever presented any of your research at such a seminar, colloquium or conference? Yes No How many times during your graduate career?

Have you attended any national scholarly meetings? Yes No How many times during your graduate career?

Have you delivered any papers at national scholarly meetings? Yes No How many times during your graduate career?

Have you submitted your work for publication? Yes No

20. Do you have any other comments concerning your graduate group? (e.g., quality of administrative staff, opportunities to participate in departmental governance, affirmative action efforts, adequacy of space, facilities.) if you report any activities that are illegal, we may be required by law to act on that report.

General University Experience

21. What was your most valuable academic experience during your graduate studies at Penn?

22. If you could change one thing at Penn, what would it be? if you report any activities that are illegal, we may be required by law to act on that report.

23. (required) If you had the option of starting your doctoral program at Penn over, would you do it again? Yes No (if no, would you still decide to pursue a Ph.D.? Yes No )

24. This decision is based primarily upon:

Graduate Group experience

Penn experience

Current employment opportunities in your field

Prospects of future opportunities and earnings

New interests in some other field

Other (please specify)

Employment

25. What are your immediate professional plans?

I am returning to, or continuing in, my predoctoral employment.

I have found a job.

I am negotiating with one or more organizations.

I am seeking a position but have no specific prospects.

Other (please specify)

26. Which best describes what you will be doing during the next academic

Postdoctoral fellowship/traineeship

Research associateship

Tenure track faculty position

Non-tenure track faculty position

Research at center/lab/institute

Other academic position: please specify

Other non-academic position: please specify

Don't know (please skip to question #31)

27. Will this employment be in the field of your academic training?

Yes No

28. How would you categorize your employer?

Research university (doctoral-granting)

5-year university (masters-granting)

4-year college

Junior/community college

National or federal government

State or local government

Industry or business

International organization

Non-profit organization

Other (please specify):

29. Where will your position be located?

In U.S.

Outside the U.S.

Name of State/Country:

30. What is the name of your employer?

31. Experience with Career Services (CS) while in graduate group at Penn. How satisfied have you been with each of the following services? (Please evaluate only those services that you used.)

A. Academic Career Conference programs (number attended )

Very Satisfied Satisfied Somewhat Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Did not use

B. Programs on non-academic employment (number attended )

Very Satisfied Satisfied Somewhat Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Did not use

C. Dossier preparation and distribution

Very Satisfied Satisfied Somewhat Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Did not use

D. Job search assistance

Very Satisfied Satisfied Somewhat Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Did not use

E. Personal counseling sessions and email contact with counselors

Very Satisfied Satisfied Somewhat Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Did not use

F. Academic Job Search Handbook

Very Satisfied Satisfied Somewhat Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Did not use

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