Physics in the Colleges

JUN 01, 1986

Undergraduate institutions train a large proportion of the students who eventually earn PhDs in physics; research enhances the education of their students and the professional life of their faculty.

DOI: 10.1063/1.881029

Jerry P. Gollub

Neal B. Abraham

Institutions that focus primarily on undergraduate education produce a surprisingly large fraction of the bachelor’s degrees awarded annually in physics in the United States. More than half of the students majoring in physics in 1984–85 were at the 577 institutions that do not award doctoral degrees, which we will refer to as “colleges.” About 40% of US citizens starting graduate study in physics in 1985–86 came from US colleges.

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References

1. S. D. Ellis, Enrollments and Degrees, publication no. R‐151.22, AIP, New York (June 1985), Tables I and II.
2. S. D. Ellis, Graduate Student Survey, publication no. R‐207.18a, AIP, New York (May 1986), p. 7.
3. D. Davis‐Van Atta, S. C. Carrier, F. Frankfort, Educating America’s Scientists: The Role of the Research Colleges, report for the conference on the Future of Science at Liberal Arts Colleges, Oberlin, Oh., June 1985, p. 28.
4. Carol H. Fuller, An Analysis of Leading Undergraduate Sources of PhDs, Adjusted for Institutional Size: A Report Prepared for the Great Lakes Colleges Association (June 1985), pp. 22–24.
5. S. D. Ellis, 1983–84 Survey of Physics and Astronomy Bachelor’s Degree Recipients, publication no. 211.16, AIP, New York (March 1985), p. 2.6.
6. Research in Physics and Astronomy at Undergraduate Institutions, Council on Undergraduate Research and the Research Corporation (March 1986). Departments wishing to be listed should contact Brian Andreen (the executive secretary of CUR) at the Research Corporation, 6840 East Broadway Boulevard, Tucson AZ 85710‐2815.

More about the authors

Jerry P. Gollub, Haverford College.

Neal B. Abraham, Bryn Mawr College.