1988 PLNC ranked 25th in the nation for producing graduates who go on to earn Ph.D.s

Point Loma Nazarene College has been listed 25th in the nation in percentage of college graduates who go on to earn Ph.D. degrees, according to a recent report by the National Science Board. This information is contained in the latest NSB biennial report, a government publication to the President and Congress entitled Science and Engineering Indicators -1987.

According to the study, just over 10% of Point Loma's 1974 graduates had earned the Ph.D. degree by 1984 which ranks the college as 25th among the nation's approximately 2000 colleges offering a baccalaureate degree.

Since this study did not include M.D. and other doctoral level degrees, a perusal of the class of 1974 was made for known graduates with other kinds of doctoral degrees. Our study indicates that at least 14% of the class of 1974 has earned a doctoral degree. Comparative studies of other graduating classes are incomplete at this time. Since individual names of the Ph.D. recipients were not given in the NSB study, the academic department of origin is not known. However, our departments in the sciences, social sciences, fine arts, and the humanities have normally been strong in preparing for graduate study.

Being listed in this very exclusive group is particularly impressive when the names of the top 30 producers are examined. Virtually all are instantly recognizable as highly prestigious institutions. PLNC is the only evangelical Christian school, the only member of the Christian College Coalition and the only Carnegie Class III college included. A most striking observation is that-without exception-all of the top Ph.D producing schools, on a percentage basis, are privately supported. This study tends to support the notion that top quality education resides in the private sector.

From The Clarion July 1988


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