Ph.D. Programs Should Change but Not Shrink, MLA Says

By Vimal Patel. Humanities doctoral programs are under intense scrutiny. Policy makers, scholars, and the public have questioned whether universities should be producing so many Ph.D.’s in those fields, especially when the job market for tenure-track positions is tight. The Modern Language Association on Wednesday proposed a path forward for doctoral programs in literature and languages that calls for change but not contraction. In a document, titled "Report of the Task Force on Doctoral Study in Modern Language and Literature," the association agreed with critics on one point at least. Read more...