SED Discussion Topics Guide

Attachment 9: Discussion Topics Guide
Discussion Topics Guide

The following is a list of topics that could be included in a potential graduate school experience
module.
Communication of Important Information.

Items in this area assess the availability, quality,

sufficiency, type, and extent of communication of important information on the doctoral program
or university (e.g., grading policies, degree requirements, attrition and job placement rates) and
on a student’s academic progress in the program.
Program/Campus Climate.

Items in this area are designed to capture doctorate recipients’

perceptions of the social and intellectual climate on their campus or within their doctoral
program.
Professional Development Experiences.

Items in this area cover a broad range of professional

development experiences from research and teaching assistantships to formal or informal
training in instructional methods, project management, or public speaking.
Curriculum and Instruction.

Items in this area focus on various aspects of the curriculum and

instruction, including the availability and quality of courses, and the difficulty, breadth and depth
of the curriculum.
Items in this area capture the contribution of the graduate school experience

Skill Development.

to the development of particular skills, including soft skills. The development of these skills is
apt to be closely tied to a student’s professional development experiences and the graduate
school curriculum.
Faculty and Staff.

Items in this area largely focus on the level and quality of support and advice

students received from their dissertation advisor and other faculty members who served in
advisory or mentoring roles.
Scholarly Products and Presentations.

Items in this area ask respondents to report on the number

of presentations, publications, and patents they authored or coauthored during their graduate
school career.
Financial Support/Aid.

Items in this area go beyond the information currently collected in the

SED, asking respondents about the availability or adequacy of the level of assistance they
received, years and sources of support, and fairness of its distribution.

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Student Support Services.

Items in this area ask about a range of student support services from

career guidance and placement services to health services and services for students with
disabilities. Students are asked to report on the frequency with which they used the services and
their satisfaction with or the quality of the services.
Factors Hindering or Facilitating Academic Progress.

Items in this area ask respondents to

identify factors that hindered or facilitated their academic progress in graduate school. The items
overlap considerably with the intent of items in other areas, but also include topics not covered
elsewhere in the framework (e.g., family obligations, immigration laws and regulations,
employer support).
Campus Life and Activities.

Items in this area ask respondents to report on the availability of

campus activities (e.g., cultural events, student organizations, and athletic programs) and on the
extent to which they participated in those activities.
Program and University Facilities.

Items in this area ask doctorate recipients to report on the

quality or availability of office space, library holdings, office equipment, classrooms, research
labs, and other physical facilities.
Overall Satisfaction.

Items in this topic area are designed to measure doctorate recipients’ overall

level of satisfaction with their graduate program, graduate school experience, or major
components of their experience.

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