trends-2011-vol1-enrolment-e
trends-2011-vol1-enrolment-e
trends-2011-vol1-enrolment-e
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Literature/Letters<br />
History<br />
-50% -40% -30% -20% -10% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%<br />
ving growth<br />
Graduate students<br />
Source: Statistics Canada data and AUCC estimates<br />
FIGURE 5: Since 1980, full-time master’s <strong>enrolment</strong> has tripled and<br />
full-time doctoral <strong>enrolment</strong> has grown more than four-fold<br />
5 2000<br />
25-to-34<br />
35 plus<br />
timates<br />
The number of graduate students has grown significantly faster<br />
than the number of undergraduate students over the last 30 years.<br />
The total number of graduate students grew from about 77,000<br />
in 1980 to almost 190,000 in 2010. Of those 190,000, 143,000 were<br />
full-time students and 47,000 were enrolled in part-time studies.<br />
In 1980, there were 25,000 students enrolled full-time at the<br />
master’s level, 9,800 at the PhD level, and another 10,000 in other<br />
graduate programs. 5 By 2010, master’s <strong>enrolment</strong> had more than<br />
2005 2010e<br />
tripled to 82,400, and PhDs had grown four and a half-fold to<br />
45,000. The number of students enrolled in other graduate and<br />
certificate programs had increased to 16,000. In addition, the<br />
graduate student body was older in 2010 than in 1980, there<br />
were more women, and a smaller proportion of students were<br />
studying part-time.<br />
Graduate <strong>enrolment</strong><br />
100,000<br />
90,000<br />
80,000<br />
70,000<br />
60,000<br />
50,000<br />
40,000<br />
30,000<br />
20,000<br />
10,000<br />
0<br />
1980<br />
1985<br />
1990<br />
Full-time Master's<br />
Full-time PhD<br />
1995<br />
Source: Statistics Canada data and AUCC estimates<br />
2000<br />
Part-time Master's<br />
Part-time PhD<br />
2005<br />
2010e<br />
students are younger<br />
980s<br />
5<br />
25-to-34<br />
35 plus<br />
timates<br />
2000<br />
Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, graduate student <strong>enrolment</strong><br />
grew at a steady pace. In the early 1990s many provinces reduced<br />
their university investments which contributed to the leveling out<br />
of graduate <strong>enrolment</strong> in the mid-1990s. Between 1992 and 1998,<br />
the number of full-time university faculty declined by 10 percent,<br />
largely in response to deep cuts in government operating grants to<br />
universities. Once investment levels began to rise in 1996, universities<br />
were able to respond more fully to student demand. For example,<br />
the number of students in full-time master’s and doctoral programs<br />
grew from 71,000 in 2000 to 127,000 in 2010.<br />
Another factor that contributed to the rise in graduate <strong>enrolment</strong><br />
growth was the addition of new faculty to university campuses.<br />
Between 2000 and 2008, provincial governments’ operating support<br />
rebounded, allowing universities to add close to 7,600 full-time<br />
2005 2010e<br />
faculty. Faculty members mentor graduate students, supervise thesis<br />
work and provide collaborative research opportunities for students.<br />
Given the nature of these relationships, the addition of the<br />
new faculty was a critically important factor in facilitating graduate<br />
FIGURE 6: Part-time graduate students are significantly older<br />
<strong>enrolment</strong> growth.<br />
Research support Proportion from of graduate the students federal 30 and years provincial of age and older governments<br />
100%<br />
has also contributed to strong graduate <strong>enrolment</strong> growth. For<br />
90%<br />
example, through the three federal research granting councils,<br />
80%<br />
sponsored research investments more than doubled between 2000<br />
70%<br />
and 2010, providing additional funding for graduate students in<br />
60%<br />
the form of new and expanded scholarship programs, and through<br />
50%<br />
increases 40% in research grant programs. Similarly, universities have<br />
expanded 30% their own fellowship and aid programs for graduate<br />
students. 20% Several have introduced new programs to ensure that<br />
all graduate 10% students have a minimum level of financial support<br />
during their<br />
0<br />
graduate programs.<br />
Full-time Master’s<br />
Full-time PhD<br />
Source: Statistics Canada data and AUCC estimates<br />
Part-time Master’s<br />
Part-time PhD<br />
10 | Trends in Higher Education | Volume 1. Enrolment AUCC<br />
1980<br />
than their full-time counterparts<br />
1985<br />
1990<br />
1995<br />
2000<br />
2005<br />
2010e