Dissertation Examines Attrition Rate in Ph.D. Programs

Barbara E. Lovitts was demoralized after dropping out of two Ph.D. programs, but she knew she wasn't alone. So she enrolled in a third program, writing her dissertation on the sociological aspects that cause about 50 per cent of all doctoral candidates to quit.

Dr. Lovitts earned her degree last semester from the University of Maryland at College Park. She titled her dissertation"Leaving the Ivory Tower: A Sociological Analysis of the Causes of Departure From Doctoral