Reforming the German Studies Ph. D.
Russell A. Berman
Abstract of Presentation The rapid contraction of the job market after 2008 was a shock and, today, there are too many Ph. D. s being produced for the number of available tenure-track academic positions. In the end, what’ s at stake is preserving the vitality of the Humanities in our culture even if it means changing how professors pursue their profession. So, rather than shrink programs, let’ s recognize that Humanities Ph. D. s can open many career doors. People who finish Ph. D. s and don’ t go on to tenure-track positions, get good jobs: jobs they’ re interested in. In reality, 10 years out from their Ph. D. s, only about 50 percent are in higher ed. So, we need to let Ph. D. candidates know about the realities of the job market, and restructure our programs to facilitate this mobility into a wider field of careers.
That means greater transparency by departments on student placements and outcomes. Ph. D. s also take too long to complete. A graduate program typically requires nine years. There’ s no reason it can’ t be completed in five. Entering the profession at 27 vs. 32 years of age is a huge difference. There should be a cruel scrutiny of every requirement we have. Many requirements, examination hurdles, and required courses are just there to preserve the past. Our fields have gone through enormous transformations. What I envision is Humanities study, including advanced study – a Ph. D. opportunity – that remains accessible, diverse, and available across the country in many different kinds of institutions, precisely so that Humanities thinking can better inform our society. vii