No, the World Doesn’t Need More Humanities PhDs

Aug 10, 2018 · · No Comments on No, the World Doesn’t Need More Humanities PhDs

In May, The Chronicle of Higher Education asked four academics from across the country to weigh in on the “adjunct crisis.” The results were predictable, with most of the blame directed at the usual suspects: bean-counting administrators, complacent, tenured faculty members, tight-fisted state legislators, and, of course, those evil Republicans. Solutions generally involved pressuring colleges and universities to fork … Continue reading “No, the World Doesn’t Need More Humanities PhDs”

Master’s Degrees in Janitorial Science?

Jan 17, 2018 · · 6 Comments on Master’s Degrees in Janitorial Science?

There has been mounting evidence that the financial payoff from the traditional bachelor’s degree is declining, particularly for men. For example, Census Bureau data suggest that, from 2005 to 2016, the average earnings differential for male workers holding bachelor’s degrees compared with those holding high school diplomas fell from $39,440 to $37,653 (in 2016 dollars)—at … Continue reading “Master’s Degrees in Janitorial Science?”

Automatic Pay Raises for Teachers Create Perverse Incentives in Graduate Education

Jul 15, 2016 · · 3 Comments on Automatic Pay Raises for Teachers Create Perverse Incentives in Graduate Education

In 2013, North Carolina stopped giving automatic pay raises to public school teachers who earn master’s degrees. In the legislature, the debate focused on teachers and whether graduate degrees make them better at their jobs. There is little reason to believe so, as this and other studies show. Overlooked in this discussion is the predatory … Continue reading “Automatic Pay Raises for Teachers Create Perverse Incentives in Graduate Education”