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1995 NRC Study

The National Research Council (NRC) has conducted three assessments of research doctorate programs in the United States. Based on the years in which study reports were issued, we refer to these as the 1982 study, the 1995 study, and the 2010 study. Each of the studies after 1982 represents an effort to update and improve upon the previous study. Because people are likely to be interested in similarities and differences between the current, 2010 study and the 1995 study, we provide the following resources:

• A document that summarizes key methodological differences between the 1995 and 2010 studies. This document is a revision of "National Research Council (NRC) Study of Research-Doctoral Programs 1993 to 2006 Comparison," written in December 2008 by Roberta Bell, Vanderbilt University, with Julie Carpenter-Hubin, The Ohio State University, and Lou McClelland, University of Colorado, Boulder.  It also links to other resources.  

• An Excel file that compares the taxonomies (lists of disciplines) used in the 1995 and 2010 studies.

• An Excel file of information about each of the 33 CU-Boulder programs in the 2010 study with 1995 rankings of the programs; comparison of CU-Boulder department organization and NRC fields in 1995 and 2010; and details of 2010 submission--unit names, academic major codes, and academic major names.

• 1995 Press release

• 1995 CU-Boulder NRC rankings report - comparison of research doctorate programs for CU-Boulder and public AAUs, prepared by the Office of Planning and Institutional Research

• The NRC 2010 report and methodology guide also compare 1995 and 2010 methods

Last revision 10/07/10