SED FAQS

Click on any of the frequently asked questions below to reveal the answer

The Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED) is focused on research doctorates. Typically, a degree is included as a research doctorate if the degree requires the completion of a dissertation or equivalent project of original work (e.g. musical composition) and is not primarily intended as a degree for the practice of a profession. The PhD is the most common research doctorate degree. Recipients of professional or practitioner/applied doctorates – including the MD, DDS, JD, PsyD, DMin, PharmD and DPH degrees – are NOT included in the SED. However, in some institutions, there are some doctoral degree programs that may be equivalent to the PhD, such as the Doctor of Science, Doctor of Engineering, and the Doctor of Education; these should be included in the SED ONLY if the National Science Foundation has determined that these particular degrees at your institution are research degrees.

How is an institution added to the SED?

An institutional review is conducted annually to determine if there are any new research doctorate-granting institutions eligible to participate in the SED. If your institution or program offers a research doctorate that is not currently included in the SED, please contact us at sed@rti.org or 1-877-256-8167, and NSF will review your program for inclusion in the SED.

Why is this study important? Why should graduates and institutions participate?

A high response rate, achieved through institutional and individual cooperation, is critical to the maintenance of the statistical integrity of this database. Therefore, it is important that every individual complete an SED survey. Academic departments, research doctorate-granting institutions, national associations, public officials and agencies, and scholars rely on these data to help understand the doctoral education process and to shape institutional and national public policy as they pertain to research funding, financial support for doctoral study, and the nation’s labor force needs.

Why does the SED not include questions with more inclusive gender options?

The National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES), as a federal statistical agency, has been taking a measured approach to adding questions concerning sexual and gender identity to its surveys to appropriately balance the agency’s mission and programmatic goals, as well as data quality, respondent burden, confidentiality, and data user needs. Currently, qualitative testing of several different sexual orientation and gender identity measures are underway for the SED. The SED is unique in that it includes a high proportion of non-US citizens and shares personally-identifiable information with the respondents’ doctoral institution. As a result, this testing focuses on assessing question comprehension, potential confidentiality sensitivities in sharing of the SOGI information. The above research efforts should help us to add SOGI questions in the SED that ensure comparability across the NCSES and other relevant federal surveys, and address the policy and research needs. For more information, please see “SOGI Efforts” at Frequently Asked Questions | NSF - National Science Foundation.

Is the study participation voluntary?

Over the life of the SED, the survey has consistently attained response rates exceeding 90% from doctorate recipients. While the study is voluntary, we have found that most graduates find the reasons for completing the survey compelling.

Does FERPA apply to the SED?

FERPA provides that ‘educational records’ or personally identifiable information from such records may be disclosed, without consent, to organizations conducting studies for, or on behalf of, educational agencies or institutions for the purpose of developing, validating or administering predictive tests, administering student aid programs and improving instruction.

To view the SED FERPA document, please click this link.

How did you obtain the doctorate recipients’ names and contact information?

The SED relies on the research doctorate-granting institutions to provide us with lists of doctorate recipients. The information can be provided to us by the institutions without violating the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). FERPA generally protects a student’s privacy interests in ‘educational records.’ FERPA provides that ‘educational records’ or personally identifiable information from such records may be disclosed, without consent, to organizations conducting studies for, or on behalf of, educational agencies or institutions for the purpose of developing, validating or administering predictive tests, administering student aid programs and improving instruction.

How are the data kept confidential?

These data are solicited under the authority of the National Science Foundation (NSF) Act of 1950, as amended. All information is protected under the NSF Act and the Privacy Act of 1974, and issued only for research or statistical purposes. Per the Federal Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015, your data are protected from cybersecurity risks through screening of the systems that transmit your data. Any information publicly released (such as statistical summaries) must be in a form that does not personally identify the respondents. As the data collection contractor, RTI International takes the strongest measures to safeguard respondent confidentiality. All project staff members sign binding confidentiality pledges, and data processing facilities and computer systems are carefully designed and continuously tested to safeguard the information provided by institutions and respondents.

Is there a public-use data set?

Yes, the Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED) has a Restricted Data Analysis System (RDAS). The SED RDAS is an online data tool designed to expand public access to SED data and allow users to generate customized data tables on a simple yet powerful interface in a secured platform. The SED RDAS contains a comprehensive set of variables beginning with the 2017 SED data, that are not publicly accessible elsewhere.

How can I get access to the SED microdata?

If you are the graduate dean at a participating SED institution, you can request the microdata for your institution’s doctorate recipients using the Institution Order Forms. Other researchers interested in SED microdata must apply for a restricted use dataset through NSF. Further information is available here.