Study On The Scale Of American Education Of Doctoral Students And Its Restriction Factors

The American education of doctoral students has produced a large number of talented graduates with state-of-the-art knowledge, who have made tremendous contributions to the development of the economy, science and technology, education and culture of America. However, the development for the scale of the American education of doctoral students are restrained by the changes of such factors as the state policies, economy, politics, technological revolution, social demands, higher education structures and population conditions, and so on.In this research, a simple review firstly is given to the development and evolution course of the educational scale of American doctoral students during the five periods including the germination time, the standardization time, the vigorous development time, the stagnant and resumption time, and the adjustment reform time. Secondly, the present situation of the American educational scale of doctoral students is analyzed, which includes the categories of the doctorates and their scales, the cultivation organizations of the doctoral students and their scales, and the education scales in different disciplines. Based on history and present situation, this research is supposed to probe into the primary factors that restrict the development of the American educational scale of doctoral students, including the government's idea, legislation and policy, the economical development, the cultivation funds, the influential political incidents, the science and technology revolution, the social demands, the higher education structures, the population structures, and so on. Lastly, the development condition of China's educational scale of doctoral students is compared with America's and the necessity and feasibility of the scaling-up is discussed in China.We may know from America's experiences: Various factors restrict the scale of doctoral students, so we cannot conclude to control or continue to expand the scale in future only depend on some factors. China's development for the socialist market economy and the stern international competition situation set a high request to the talented person quality. China's real situation is the lack of high-level talented persons, and training doctoral persons with ability is a key to solve the problem. Therefore, we must advance troop construction for the doctoral persons with ability focus on top-level and high-grade person quickly, expand the educational scale of doctoral students, and make great efforts to raise large quantities of leaders and middle-aged experts with independent innovation in diverse fields.The national scientific policies, guidelines and efforts for funds support influence the educational scale of doctoral students significantly. In the view of the fact that our country is short of high-level talented persons, government needs to attach great importance to the education of doctoral students, enlarges funds of education and scientific research, and arouses society strength to support doctoral education. We have to learn from America's experience. On the one hand, we should develop economy vigorously to provide the material foundation for the educational scale of doctoral students; On the other hand, we should advance the development of doctoral education to satisfy the society's need for high-level talented persons.