External Resources

There are many organizations that house information, data, and best practices for graduate programs and graduate education. Below you will find an overview of resources and helpful information from the Council of Graduate Schools and the Survey of Earned Doctorates.

Council of Graduate Schools

About the SED

CGS - Council of Graduate Schools 

For six decades, the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) has been the national voice for the graduate dean community. CGS is the only national organization in the United States that is dedicated solely to the advancement of graduate education and research.

CGS accomplishes its mission through advocacy in the policy arena, innovative research, and the development and dissemination of best practices. CGS also acts as a convening authority, organizing major events that bring together graduate deans and other stakeholders to discuss and take action on a broad range of issues affecting graduate education today.

SED - Survey of Earned Doctorates

The Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED) is an annual census conducted since 1957 of all individuals receiving a research doctorate from an accredited U.S. institution in a given academic year. The SED is sponsored by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) within the National Science Foundation (NSF) and by three other federal agencies: the National Institutes of Health, Department of Education, and National Endowment for the Humanities. The SED collects information on the doctoral recipient's educational history, demographic characteristics, and postgraduation plans. Results are used to assess characteristics of the doctoral population and trends in doctoral education and degrees.

Resources of Note

Data & Insights

CGS regularly releases data and insight reports on various issues and areas of concern in graduate education.
Data & Insights

Survey of Earned Doctorates Info

The Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED) gathers information annually from approximately 50,000 new research doctorate graduates from U.S. universities about their educational histories, funding sources, and post-doctoral plans. The SED RDAS is a new online data tool designed to expand public access to SED data and allow users to generate customized data tables on a simple yet powerful interface in a secured platform.
SED Info

CGS Publications

CGS prepares publications on issues of fundamental importance to graduate education. Digital versions of all CGS publications are available through the member library at no cost to members.* Any student, faculty or staff member of a CGS member institution may access our publications in PDF format** (login required). Take advantage of this benefit by viewing, downloading, printing, or sharing PDFs of your favorite titles with other individuals at your member institution.
CGS Publications Library