More Doctorates in the House

Experts explain what's working  in postgraduate programs at HBCUs and TWIs

WASHINGTON — The upward trend for African American postgraduate degree attainment remains constant. From 1992-93 through 1997-98, African American master's degree attainment rose 8.6 percent overall and 9.7 percent at historically Black colleges and universities. Degree attainment for African Americans at the professional level rose 5.4 percent overall — 7.7 percent at HBCUs. And at the doctoral level, the overall increase among Blacks mirrors the master's level at 8.6 percent.
African Americans are increasingly opting for HBCUs as the institutions to attend for doctorate completion. Between 1992-93 and 1997-98, HBCUs increased their number of doctoral graduates by 15.2 percent. The two institutions listed among the top 15 African American doctorate producers with the largest undisputed one-year percentage increase are Jackson State University in Mississippi (ranked 15th with an increase of 144 percent) and Clark Atlanta University (ranked fifth with an increase of 95.5 percent). Additionally, South Carolina State, ranked 35th in 1997-98, increased its production of Black doctorates by 1,200 percent.
"Given that most of us have not been in the Ph.D. business for a long, long time," HBCUs are doing remarkably well, says Dr. William H. Boone, associate provost and interim of dean of graduate study at Clark Atlanta University. "[Black colleges] offer a uniqueness that is not found in other schools. Historically, we have opened doors to folks and they have come to us for reasons other than our academic programs.
"Our programs differ from those of other schools," he continues. "You don't get as much teaching and hands-on care[at other schools]  as you do [at HBCUs]. Our professors are involved with a lot more than research and teaching. We do some real close mentoring, for instance, that you don't get at other places."
In fact, officials at HBCUs point to the strength of their faculty as the reason they are attracting more students to their graduate programs.
"I think most of our applicants are looking to study with renowned scholars, and as HBCUs attract more renowned scholars, the student population tends to follow them," says Dr. Dorris Robinson-Gardner, dean of the graduate school at Jackson State.
While some express a wait-and-see attitude about the popularity of HBCU doctoral programs, administrators at HBCUs echo Boone's observations about the uniqueness of HBCU graduate programs.
"We're still so brand new to the public that that question [of the rising number of Blacks dissertating at HBCUs] can be better answered five years down the road," says Dr. Howard D. Hill, professor of educational leadership at South Carolina State and chair of the department of educational leadership.
And Blacks aren't the only ones showing interest in these programs.
At South Carolina State, "we have a quality product and it's just not the African Americans who are attending. We're getting a lot of Caucasians. In fact, the university center at Greenville has mostly Caucasian students," Hill says.
However, Boone acknowledges that certain areas of study have a track record for producing Black doctorates, especially at Clark Atlanta.
"Our [HBCU] programs on the international side have been fruitful because we've been able to [produce doctorate degrees] for a long period of time and we have a fairly good track record in that area," he says.
The programs to which Boone refers are primarily concentrated in the political sciences.
"For a long time, we have been a [leading] producer of Ph.D.s in political science," he says. "That's mainly because of Africa, the Caribbean and the interest in the Black experience in this country. Many of our students here at Clark Atlanta have gone on to work in foreign states and have been active in the political arena in this country as well.
 "I suspect the same thing is happening across the board," he adds.
Boone also notes that Clark Atlanta and other HBCUs can offer the more traditional attractions for graduate students — attractions that aren't necessarily ethnic-oriented.
"We have been at this in some areas of graduate education for 25, 30 years," he says. "We've been able to get the research funds that will attract students. We have some very good physicists and other scientists and that attracts students. We have a faculty that can represent themselves very well on the national scene."
Boone also says that dual degree programs offer attractive alternatives for those considering HBCUs for graduate education.
"We have some dual degree programs that have worked very well," he says, "particularly those that combine math and engineering and social work and public health."
As for the overall increase in African Americans obtaining doctorates, Hill says, "We have more students who can pass eligibility [standards] with the GRE and MAT scores."
Robinson-Gardner expresses a similar thought, saying that all the doctoral programs at Jackson State require a 3.0 grade-point average for admittance, with some programs requiring a 3.5 GPA.
"We also created an atmosphere of rigor and excellence," she says. "Our admissions requirements are extremely strong, and so are attracting doctoral students that can be successful in the program."