Revitalization of Graduate School Boosts Enrollment

The current job market and recent decline in economic growth have sent those finding themselves unemployed searching for alternative avenues of success. Some have decided to pursue advanced degrees during this time in order to make themselves more competitive when the market begins to climb again. Schools across the country have seen an increase in applications as well as enrollment as a result. URI is no exception. However, according to Dean Nasser Zawia, Ph.D., of The Graduate School, the increase in Graduate School applications, now at a 40% increase for 2010, far exceeds the weak job market or the approximately five percent increase in unemployment.

"This is the largest increase in applications in decades," Zawia said. "We believe that some of the increase in applications is due to the job market, but URI's large increase is mainly a product of reorganization and revitalization of the Graduate School under the current University Administration."

Zawia references graduate school application increases of about 20% occurring at other universities in Rhode Island, about half the increase that URI is experiencing. The larger applicant pool, he said, has provided The Graduate School the ability to select a larger number of students who demonstrate scholarly potential.

In Fall 2009, enrollment in graduate education at URI increased approximately eight percent, and Zawia expects enrollment to increase significantly the following year beginning Fall 2010. Once the job market makes a comeback, he believes that those with advanced degrees will have the qualifications and skills that will allow them to be even more competitive in their field.

As the biggest losses to date in the job market have occurred in the blue collar sector, Zawia stated that the job market is not saturated with professionals holding advanced graduate and professional degrees. Therefore, graduate programs will not make the job market more competitive once it does turn around. He believes it will only give those individuals with advanced degrees a better chance once they graduate.

Enrollment increases are primarily seen in graduate programs leading to professional degrees. Science-based research degrees have the least number of enrollment increases thus far, Zawia said, however data is still being analyzed to determine each program's performance.

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