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Table 13. Doctorate recipients, by subfield of study: 2005–15

Subfield of study 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
All fields 43,385 45,621 48,132 48,777 49,553 48,031 48,914 50,951 52,707 54,003 55,006
Life sciences 9,310 9,703 10,702 11,086 11,403 11,319 11,536 11,965 12,209 12,484 12,520
Agricultural sciences and natural resources 1,160 1,146 1,321 1,198 1,283 1,100 1,206 1,255 1,324 1,338 1,439
Agricultural economics 121 113 182 111 116 118 106 88 107 96 102
Agricultural and horticultural plant breeding 35 41 39 28 24 31 23 31 21 39 43
Agricultural animal breeding 14 12 15 3 12 7 7 6 8 na na
Agronomy and crop science 79 56 72 68 77 69 54 73 86 80 81
Animal nutrition 51 46 56 41 34 34 48 57 54 50 40
Animal science, poultry or avian 14 15 22 18 17 12 25 22 23 25 31
Animal sciences, other 71 72 63 77 74 54 69 75 85 103 90
Environmental science 129 132 163 182 201 155 195 182 204 213 183
Fishing and fisheries sciences and management 34 52 43 52 67 34 59 51 53 52 60
Food science 93 97 121 96 110 100 73 108 105 93 125
Food science and technology, other 48 45 33 41 30 37 39 35 48 39 47
Forest sciences and biology 29 32 42 32 43 23 26 25 19 22 37
Forest management, forest resources management 40 37 48 44 52 41 34 29 44 28 36
Forestry, other 24 28 34 17 26 17 35 29 26 20 24
Horticulture science 49 54 48 50 55 42 48 40 41 51 50
Natural resource and environmental policy na na na na na na na na na 35 57
Natural resources and conservation 65 60 70 78 84 88 100 99 92 70 87
Natural resources and environmental economics (agricultural sciences) na na na na na na na 31 22 28 39
Plant pathology and phytopathology, agricultural 71 63 70 59 61 56 53 71 74 74 57
Plant sciences, other 31 43 46 39 60 49 51 77 67 78 95
Soil chemistry, microbiology 24 20 24 25 18 20 34 15 16 20 17
Soil sciences, other 52 48 59 67 49 39 39 37 51 45 54
Wildlife, range management 44 51 43 55 34 48 50 39 41 29 32
Wood science, pulp and paper technology 15 12 12 2 17 8 15 16 8 4 15
Agricultural sciences and natural resources, general 10 6 5 8 8 2 9 8 9 25 21
Agricultural sciences and natural resources, other 17 11 11 5 14 16 14 11 20 19 16
Biological and biomedical sciences 6,367 6,652 7,238 7,797 8,025 8,046 8,153 8,323 8,356 8,867 8,801
Anatomy 23 21 20 25 15 25 25 23 15 15 25
Bacteriology 13 10 22 22 20 24 22 23 28 25 22
Biochemistry (biological sciences) 693 784 864 899 858 861 867 847 827 820 749
Bioinformatics na na 83 147 175 123 140 145 166 183 175
Biomedical sciences 249 278 287 268 300 287 311 366 401 438 416
Biometrics and biostatistics 129 107 120 122 115 127 137 174 145 165 171
Biophysics (biological sciences) 144 183 184 167 195 171 192 193 179 186 181
Biotechnology 23 32 28 32 26 22 33 54 39 45 38
Botany and plant biology 87 92 120 105 113 110 110 110 91 93 97
Cancer biology na na 96 289 273 300 396 381 379 455 455
Cell, cellular biology, and histology 317 337 373 376 354 361 379 376 318 331 321
Computational biology na na na na na 69 65 94 115 117 107
Developmental biology and embryology 162 149 177 185 185 193 205 174 197 198 187
Ecology 411 391 469 439 456 431 404 415 468 450 455
Endocrinology 29 18 25 22 33 23 32 26 39 26 22
Entomology 103 117 95 119 131 122 113 120 118 112 110
Environmental toxicology na na na na na 39 30 45 33 49 35
Epidemiology na na na na na na na na na 292 381
Evolutionary biology na na 42 178 215 214 213 203 209 215 209
Genetics, genomics, human and animal 285 286 372 413 364 383 374 334 396 401 358
Immunology 342 390 394 424 434 452 449 455 471 455 473
Microbiology 432 493 527 538 586 490 462 451 455 465 480
Molecular biology 724 780 709 786 763 697 716 621 646 671 631
Neurosciences, neurobiology 690 741 777 883 983 954 958 1,053 1,017 1,048 1,091
Nutrition sciences 163 148 164 176 174 180 163 183 177 175 186
Parasitology 21 27 16 23 24 37 26 29 26 26 31
Pathology, human and animal 93 80 105 105 106 79 83 95 95 99 87
Pharmacology, human and animal 315 329 292 281 343 290 301 308 286 292 243
Physiology, human and animal 208 221 243 241 244 258 226 254 210 208 210
Plant genetics 50 62 47 47 48 52 46 41 37 48 57
Plant pathology and phytopathology (biological sciences) 31 26 20 29 26 19 18 25 21 29 20
Plant physiology 38 40 32 26 13 28 15 19 25 17 18
Structural biology na na na na na 53 71 57 67 59 64
Toxicology 102 101 117 137 120 99 96 101 99 117 105
Virology na na na na na 134 178 162 162 163 164
Wildlife biology na na na na na na na na na 36 47
Zoology 103 101 79 61 79 72 65 51 40 32 46
Biological and biomedical sciences, general 189 187 231 150 173 184 168 223 256 245 261
Biological and biomedical sciences, other 198 121 108 82 81 83 64 92 103 66 73
Health sciences 1,783 1,905 2,143 2,091 2,095 2,173 2,177 2,387 2,529 2,279 2,280
Environmental health 42 75 58 69 42 66 56 67 70 77 81
Environmental toxicology 42 43 37 43 37 na na na na na na
Epidemiology 229 229 293 305 273 324 314 365 353 na na
Gerontology (health sciences) na na na na na 10 15 14 13 14 13
Health and behavior na na na na na na na na na 88 126
Health systems administration 70 71 105 70 70 75 84 51 89 89 70
Kinesiology, exercise science 153 189 190 212 211 215 198 228 214 249 264
Medical physics, radiological science na na na na na 61 74 80 93 103 84
Nursing science 421 415 484 504 511 482 523 552 510 580 536
Oral biology, oral pathology na na na na na 15 22 15 20 15 19
Pharmaceutical sciences 168 154 273 277 277 274 271 295 332 280 270
Public health 279 295 288 229 299 295 266 349 431 400 437
Rehabilitation, therapeutic services 66 74 76 89 80 61 60 80 85 83 87
Speech-language pathology and audiology 97 120 115 112 121 100 110 119 110 114 116
Veterinary sciences 47 38 71 54 60 57 60 59 67 42 56
Health sciences, general 49 44 27 31 35 37 41 37 62 39 36
Health sciences, other 120 158 126 96 79 101 83 76 80 106 85
Physical sciences and earth sciences 4,359 4,686 4,956 4,946 5,161 4,995 5,271 5,420 5,584 5,912 5,924
Chemistry 2,126 2,364 2,318 2,246 2,392 2,304 2,432 2,416 2,484 2,673 2,675
Analytical chemistry 363 367 397 371 364 402 391 370 417 415 389
Inorganic chemistry 256 267 273 301 331 294 320 307 297 372 354
Medicinal chemistrya 110 150 na na na na na na na 86 79
Organic chemistry 603 626 653 640 684 599 663 667 643 605 627
Physical chemistry 298 376 328 331 319 360 390 360 355 340 368
Polymer chemistry 119 134 122 106 119 126 123 125 125 127 135
Theoretical chemistry 57 86 86 80 86 86 69 78 74 103 111
Chemistry, general 191 211 310 271 299 269 289 290 364 416 401
Chemistry, other 129 147 149 146 190 168 187 219 209 209 211
Geosciences, atmospheric, and ocean sciences 714 757 875 865 877 862 852 941 989 1,099 1,057
Atmospheric science and meteorology 145 146 167 188 167 170 178 205 205 200 213
Atmospheric chemistry and climatology 42 30 38 49 30 39 43 50 49 42 36
Atmospheric physics and dynamics 28 30 39 59 43 45 40 51 43 51 59
Meteorology 20 18 17 23 14 15 29 18 18 32 30
Atmospheric science and meteorology, general 30 40 47 40 55 47 47 61 77 55 62
Atmospheric science and meteorology, other 25 28 26 17 25 24 19 25 18 20 26
Geological sciences 379 432 478 458 492 463 451 462 489 579 554
Geochemistry 55 53 58 78 78 74 70 68 73 85 94
Geology 107 126 143 141 140 128 124 112 126 130 135
Geomorphology, glacial geology 12 24 21 12 22 28 23 16 32 25 27
Geophysics and seismology 92 81 111 116 102 94 95 95 113 151 123
Mineralogy and petrology 8 18 16 16 12 13 19 19 16 15 21
Paleontology 29 30 33 26 31 31 38 41 31 38 30
Stratigraphy and sedimentation 15 19 20 10 18 18 16 16 22 15 17
Geological and earth sciences, general 24 30 26 25 31 36 26 34 33 60 55
Geological and earth sciences, other 37 51 50 34 58 41 40 61 43 60 52
Ocean and marine sciences 190 179 230 219 218 229 223 274 295 320 290
Hydrology and water resources 41 38 42 45 38 47 48 52 51 63 76
Marine biology and biological oceanography na na na na na na na 100 111 111 85
Marine sciences 61 61 71 75 79 79 69 36 26 41 42
Oceanography, chemical and physical 74 60 109 83 81 87 90 70 92 89 67
Ocean and marine sciences, other 14 20 8 16 20 16 16 16 15 16 20
Physics and astronomy 1,519 1,565 1,763 1,835 1,892 1,829 1,987 2,063 2,111 2,140 2,192
Astronomy and astrophysics 186 197 223 249 262 266 287 274 301 290 269
Astronomy 72 64 87 101 97 102 88 88 103 112 86
Astrophysics 114 133 136 148 165 155 185 175 184 172 174
Astronomy and astrophysics, other na na na na na 9 14 11 14 6 9
Physics 1,333 1,368 1,540 1,586 1,630 1,563 1,700 1,789 1,810 1,850 1,923
Acoustics 25 15 18 15 21 15 20 10 22 20 19
Applied physics 102 99 125 137 133 143 144 138 180 157 145
Atomic, molecular, chemical physics 87 90 111 119 104 105 125 116 118 121 125
Biophysics (physics) 72 96 118 119 104 123 132 130 133 131 127
Condensed matter, low-temperature physics 314 335 359 397 401 379 383 390 413 389 439
Elementary particle physics 188 200 202 210 218 196 229 282 272 244 243
Nuclear physics 69 86 74 62 74 86 81 92 75 103 86
Optics, photonics 145 144 148 148 164 145 165 165 174 194 216
Plasma, high-temperature physics 54 44 48 59 58 50 83 66 71 83 88
Polymer physics 29 23 29 43 25 18 20 19 32 44 26
Physics, general 128 145 187 159 211 213 189 242 192 230 284
Physics, other 120 91 121 118 117 90 129 139 128 134 125
Mathematics and computer sciences 2,334 2,778 3,042 3,187 3,163 3,223 3,273 3,496 3,660 3,863 3,825
Computer and information sciences 1,129 1,453 1,654 1,787 1,610 1,633 1,667 1,793 1,843 1,989 2,005
Computer science 952 1,216 1,431 1,499 1,361 1,356 1,393 1,482 1,568 1,665 1,661
Information science, systems 84 135 130 181 140 158 165 173 152 152 157
Computer and information sciences, general na na na na na na na na na 94 117
Computer and information sciences, other 93 102 93 107 109 119 109 138 123 78 70
Mathematics and statistics 1,205 1,325 1,388 1,400 1,553 1,590 1,606 1,703 1,817 1,874 1,820
Algebra 97 124 115 124 139 150 152 149 151 174 146
Analysis and functional analysis 111 98 119 112 130 143 145 134 159 137 161
Applied mathematics 292 347 334 360 382 401 432 462 455 476 437
Computing theory and practice 16 14 29 26 16 16 20 14 22 19 24
Geometry, geometric analysis 96 89 88 100 89 104 120 112 119 120 108
Logic 26 20 26 25 38 22 17 15 33 26 21
Number theory 62 60 65 62 64 71 73 63 79 82 88
Operations research (mathematics) 23 32 30 27 28 27 27 26 15 28 34
Statistics (mathematics) 267 301 360 303 353 327 332 365 364 407 383
Topology and foundations 51 72 62 58 73 84 73 74 78 77 87
Mathematics and statistics, general 104 107 145 140 173 163 143 192 234 235 244
Mathematics and statistics, other 60 61 15 63 68 82 72 97 108 93 87
Psychology and social sciences 7,149 7,231 7,309 7,635 7,945 7,883 8,222 8,501 8,580 8,752 9,095
Psychology 3,322 3,260 3,276 3,357 3,472 3,421 3,577 3,601 3,592 3,724 3,782
Behavioral analysis na na na na na na na 44 54 51 63
Clinical psychology 1,155 1,119 1,160 1,142 1,201 1,151 1,229 1,229 1,140 1,220 1,179
Cognitive psychology and psycholinguistics 147 181 174 181 189 220 204 199 219 201 220
Comparative psychology 5 5 7 9 9 na na na na na na
Counseling 466 409 415 422 422 408 427 392 425 378 419
Developmental and child psychology 224 203 197 197 182 191 218 206 227 245 190
Educational psychology (psychology) 81 59 71 69 73 70 62 67 60 65 60
Experimental psychology 121 125 126 137 145 142 147 134 141 143 143
Family psychology 25 21 43 42 34 45 33 41 33 41 56
Health, medical psychology na na na na na na na 46 65 80 101
Human development and family studies 172 182 125 121 146 145 145 136 138 141 135
Industrial and organizational psychology 186 175 187 215 196 207 200 222 214 203 221
Neuropsychology, physiological psychology 85 95 95 81 87 82 77 101 112 122 129
Personality psychology 14 30 16 18 19 22 23 20 15 21 21
Psychometrics and quantitative psychology 22 20 35 23 29 36 35 34 44 33 48
School psychology (psychology) 109 123 121 132 122 107 110 118 114 110 115
Social psychology 183 172 199 204 226 210 228 246 211 242 219
Psychology, general 184 207 194 198 209 185 229 220 229 275 292
Psychology, other 143 134 111 166 183 200 210 146 151 153 171
Social sciences 3,827 3,971 4,033 4,278 4,473 4,462 4,645 4,900 4,988 5,028 5,313
Anthropology 456 472 512 483 503 507 553 547 550 524 493
Anthropology, cultural na na na na na na na na na 267 317
Anthropology, general 456 472 512 483 503 507 553 547 550 185 100
Anthropology, physical and biological na na na na na na na na na 72 76
Economics 1,061 1,029 1,004 1,091 1,118 1,073 1,121 1,243 1,183 1,196 1,256
Econometrics 30 33 30 36 31 34 28 40 48 46 40
Natural resources and environmental economics (social sciences) na na na na na na na 48 49 49 47
Other economics 1,031 996 974 1,055 1,087 1,039 1,093 1,155 1,086 1,101 1,169
Political science and government 618 616 588 628 682 728 685 724 803 777 859
Sociology 536 579 576 601 662 639 657 633 636 679 745
Other social sciences 1,156 1,275 1,353 1,475 1,508 1,515 1,629 1,753 1,816 1,852 1,960
American, U.S. studies 104 107 111 121 116 115 132 121 122 121 130
Area, ethnic, cultural studies 6 23 98 114 112 111 110 113 98 90 81
Criminal justice and corrections na na 46 74 75 74 80 80 75 80 111
Criminology 97 100 46 54 61 52 101 86 76 78 105
Demography and population studies 20 24 14 23 18 13 30 17 27 32 21
Gender and women's studies na na na na na na na na na 40 34
Geography 195 205 200 249 209 225 233 270 251 293 302
Gerontology (social sciences) na na na na na 18 27 31 32 28 24
Health policy analysis na na na na na na na 41 69 50 82
International relations, international affairs 106 115 125 82 101 107 113 124 119 105 104
Linguistics 212 251 226 254 275 240 270 258 285 276 288
Public policy analysis 161 172 212 196 228 244 223 263 279 277 295
Statistics (social sciences) 22 22 29 20 17 21 22 19 24 20 22
Urban, city, community and regional planning na na 71 116 92 106 104 121 114 111 128
Urban studies, affairs 81 84 41 28 33 34 31 34 39 35 31
Social sciences, general 33 45 37 37 51 48 39 33 55 59 55
Social sciences, other 119 127 97 107 120 107 114 142 151 157 147
Engineering 6,426 7,186 7,749 7,864 7,642 7,578 8,032 8,470 9,001 9,633 9,897
Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering 219 238 267 266 297 252 262 307 348 386 361
Bioengineering and biomedical engineering 417 525 637 762 834 824 898 943 1,039 1,046 1,129
Chemical engineering 774 799 817 873 807 822 823 840 824 973 1,002
Civil engineering 622 655 703 713 707 643 634 495 542 622 633
Electrical, electronics, and communications engineering 1,547 1,786 1,967 1,888 1,693 1,778 1,886 1,939 1,897 1,953 2,004
Industrial and manufacturing engineering 221 234 279 280 251 215 258 226 241 298 244
Materials science engineering 493 583 646 636 625 670 662 743 815 833 874
Mechanical engineering 892 1,045 1,071 1,082 1,095 983 1,084 1,220 1,277 1,331 1,467
Other engineering 1,241 1,321 1,362 1,364 1,333 1,391 1,525 1,757 2,018 2,191 2,183
Agricultural engineering 47 53 49 61 64 58 60 68 75 80 67
Ceramic sciences engineering 14 8 14 7 5 11 7 5 3 na na
Communications engineering 27 26 37 26 26 15 16 24 31 29 30
Computer engineering 277 321 404 386 380 374 372 406 417 465 412
Engineering management, administration na na 36 39 40 38 37 44 59 44 45
Engineering mechanics 86 102 56 60 63 46 63 48 70 70 66
Engineering physics 27 35 20 26 31 31 32 17 34 30 36
Engineering science 43 44 43 35 42 52 51 45 41 60 72
Environmental, environmental health engineering 136 149 160 153 120 112 144 214 270 270 283
Geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineering na na na na na na na 49 51 72 68
Metallurgical engineering 33 34 18 22 26 11 30 16 25 24 34
Mining and mineral engineering 12 16 16 13 14 7 6 14 29 na na
Nuclear engineering 71 67 77 99 73 91 107 101 119 156 130
Ocean engineering 18 15 18 25 29 23 26 21 30 30 36
Operations research (engineering) 87 89 96 80 79 85 83 90 119 117 88
Petroleum engineering 50 47 40 44 54 51 56 67 92 107 105
Polymer, plastics engineering 51 45 74 49 60 57 71 67 61 63 80
Robotics na na na na na 31 46 50 59 80 82
Structural engineering na na na na na 66 69 81 81 101 125
Systems engineering 58 79 72 80 67 68 79 82 114 95 105
Transportation and highway engineering na na na na na na na 76 80 101 106
Engineering, general 53 60 35 43 44 36 36 43 24 40 42
Engineering, other 151 131 97 116 116 128 134 129 134 157 171
Education 6,227 6,122 6,448 6,561 6,528 5,288 4,670 4,803 4,935 4,791 5,117
Education administration 2,167 2,051 2,161 2,238 2,146 1,439 924 1,057 966 893 922
Educational administration and supervision 727 629 663 665 585 320 217 219 188 170 169
Educational and human resource studies, development na na na na na na na 78 93 62 68
Educational leadership 1,440 1,422 1,498 1,573 1,561 1,029 649 673 601 605 622
Urban education and leadership na na na na na 90 58 87 84 56 63
Education research 2,674 2,751 2,671 2,640 2,663 2,443 2,438 2,569 2,703 2,560 2,783
Counseling education, counseling and guidance 178 201 220 208 233 211 223 223 257 229 294
Curriculum and instruction 986 1,006 838 744 782 617 590 583 586 552 589
Educational and instructional media design 124 156 177 177 150 121 133 30 17 18 30
Educational and instructional technology na na na na na na na 164 241 192 201
Educational assessment, testing, measurement 56 58 76 73 89 65 73 57 63 53 65
Educational policy analysis na na na na na 122 151 157 171 152 168
Educational psychology (education) 249 255 272 306 326 269 287 302 283 261 286
Educational statistics, research methods 59 72 70 66 60 68 79 70 84 74 92
Higher education evaluation and research 515 492 506 578 512 420 384 448 435 446 522
International education na na na na na 65 60 52 65 70 55
School psychology (education) 112 115 111 103 116 132 128 117 131 145 133
Social and philosophical foundations of education 154 159 107 122 124 92 100 98 84 92 90
Special education 241 237 294 263 271 261 230 268 286 276 258
Teacher education 263 250 297 274 332 245 204 156 109 152 155
Adult and continuing teacher education 151 116 155 118 138 91 64 49 23 53 39
Elementary teacher education 54 37 58 63 66 48 45 40 26 36 37
Pre-elementary, early childhood teacher education 36 57 53 60 80 58 52 29 35 29 47
Secondary teacher education 22 40 31 33 48 48 43 38 25 34 32
Teaching fields 663 707 873 912 906 800 805 757 892 917 957
Agricultural education 25 21 44 33 29 34 28 30 27 25 30
Art education 34 35 47 44 46 35 48 36 30 42 42
Bilingual and multilingual education na na na na na na na 35 50 30 27
Business education 7 9 6 14 13 na na na na na na
English as a second or foreign language na na na na na na na na na 58 94
English education 55 48 51 71 51 61 64 32 35 31 33
Family, consumer, and human sciences 11 13 20 31 19 23 24 10 19 20 24
Foreign languages education 80 60 64 68 57 60 55 60 54 39 31
Health education 44 43 71 61 53 45 49 35 52 43 53
Literacy and reading education 74 68 102 121 118 83 80 124 126 127 123
Mathematics education 89 98 132 127 161 144 142 114 138 143 133
Music education 61 83 82 76 68 83 86 69 91 104 114
Nursing education 10 7 15 23 13 30 23 18 33 30 32
Physical education and coaching 48 49 48 50 34 35 43 38 44 36 36
Science education 67 81 105 94 119 96 93 110 114 112 123
Social science education 15 20 21 22 21 21 27 20 22 16 25
Teacher education and professional development, other 37 58 60 64 76 50 43 26 57 61 37
Trade and industrial education 6 14 5 13 28 na na na na na na
Other education 460 363 446 497 481 361 299 264 265 269 300
Workforce education and development na na na na na na na na na 32 37
Education, general 218 134 260 239 209 152 122 121 128 135 141
Education, other 242 229 186 258 272 209 177 143 137 102 122
Humanities and arts 5,187 5,333 5,085 4,736 4,904 5,016 5,227 5,562 5,715 5,526 5,600
Foreign languages and literature 607 615 607 627 598 601 644 684 701 674 656
Arabic language and literature 5 10 3 7 5 14 8 12 9 14 6
Chinese language and literature 22 19 17 22 35 41 29 20 37 17 28
French language and literature 113 111 116 120 114 110 114 122 140 139 137
Germanic language and literature 76 75 91 80 70 64 71 90 74 84 72
Italian language and literature 19 30 31 31 39 35 38 50 44 39 40
Japanese language and literature 23 26 21 17 18 27 16 20 21 23 21
Latin American languages and literature na na na na na na na 57 66 83 78
Russian language and literature 21 28 25 27 18 23 34 24 30 25 21
Slavic (other than Russian) 13 11 4 2 10 na na na na na na
Spanish language and literature 240 232 241 244 235 231 247 205 216 181 187
Foreign languages and literatures, other 75 73 58 77 54 56 87 84 64 69 66
History 924 973 937 971 1,045 1,005 1,065 1,087 1,148 1,186 1,145
African history 18 27 21 22 29 30 29 38 32 32 30
American history, United States and Canada 372 391 386 384 432 391 432 440 444 433 413
Asian history 64 80 71 74 55 59 68 73 85 78 89
European history 211 216 182 196 214 193 224 187 186 232 198
History, science and technology and society 43 56 51 48 56 46 47 49 53 78 72
Latin American history 45 49 44 62 67 65 52 63 77 73 63
Middle, Near East history na na 45 59 61 65 63 60 71 68 82
History, general 77 59 74 64 64 78 68 93 105 121 108
History, other 94 95 63 62 67 78 82 84 95 71 90
Letters 1,389 1,457 1,340 1,420 1,413 1,516 1,513 1,638 1,606 1,552 1,590
American literature, United States and Canada 406 382 334 338 327 361 367 409 397 349 336
Classics 61 78 62 72 77 86 91 101 101 91 94
Comparative literature 180 165 176 166 179 197 192 201 218 196 167
Creative writing na na 65 73 76 81 84 93 79 87 97
English language 137 136 160 156 104 146 179 154 92 147 154
English literature, British and Commonwealth 416 437 351 397 388 419 354 423 399 397 412
Folklore 18 14 10 13 10 11 10 6 9 17 6
Rhetoric and composition na na na na na na na 154 220 207 240
Speech and rhetorical studies 98 142 131 126 138 152 165 53 33 29 42
Letters, general 19 21 15 34 74 22 25 18 26 12 22
Letters, other 54 82 36 45 40 41 46 26 32 20 20
Other humanities and arts 2,267 2,288 2,201 1,718 1,848 1,894 2,005 2,153 2,260 2,114 2,209
Archaeology (humanities) 44 39 58 47 58 60 87 79 72 105 121
Art history, criticism, and conservation 211 247 227 208 226 248 242 227 265 263 272
Bible, biblical studies na na 43 79 74 97 103 95 106 86 87
Drama, theater arts 88 85 107 83 104 104 107 111 120 104 86
Ethics na na na na na na na 29 26 29 29
Film, cinema, video studies na na na na na na na 62 67 71 67
Jewish, Judaic Studies na na na na na na na 17 33 27 27
Music 907 921 397 67 74 66 81 67 88 65 54
Musicology and ethnomusicology na na 40 106 127 135 137 138 128 140 148
Music performance na na 241 60 85 106 93 113 124 77 110
Music theory and composition na na 59 90 99 91 95 95 102 104 108
Music, other na na 96 17 18 18 22 21 29 20 23
Philosophy 355 370 411 400 422 432 462 497 494 454 465
Religion, religious studies 370 381 325 333 326 282 312 290 301 292 313
Theology, religious education 150 114 104 138 129 160 150 184 173 156 172
Humanities, general 25 23 33 14 49 28 43 16 31 34 27
Humanities, other 117 108 60 76 57 67 71 112 101 87 100
Otherb 2,393 2,582 2,841 2,762 2,807 2,729 2,683 2,734 3,023 3,042 3,028
Business management and administration 1,171 1,311 1,506 1,421 1,405 1,366 1,327 1,404 1,551 1,583 1,588
Accounting 130 138 170 140 141 148 157 175 168 196 194
Banking/financial services 83 104 5 4 5 5 1 na na na na
Business administration and management 299 355 316 204 173 157 146 221 269 242 232
Business, managerial economics 55 45 31 18 24 29 26 31 24 22 43
Finance na na 93 241 213 210 200 232 260 265 242
Hospitality, food service and tourism management na na na na na 36 59 57 71 65 46
Human resources development 100 93 88 65 74 70 70 44 44 68 51
International business, trade, commerce 28 31 30 31 37 25 28 21 33 30 24
Management information systems, business statistics 95 137 142 156 136 108 100 103 107 100 101
Marketing management and research 143 164 197 190 183 157 156 174 191 152 183
Operations research (business) 50 65 66 78 51 84 70 80 103 91 109
Organizational behavior 120 111 184 157 167 175 189 163 186 212 190
Business management and administration, general 27 27 108 60 90 102 67 50 40 68 68
Business management and administration, other 41 41 76 77 111 60 58 53 55 72 105
Communication 488 510 560 557 627 638 650 595 645 663 668
Communication research 63 80 99 104 129 120 125 126 155 149 150
Communication theory 54 47 30 32 38 34 29 31 30 39 41
Film, radio, TV and digital communication na na 39 62 64 73 77 43 30 35 37
Mass communication, media studies 215 229 187 175 206 214 212 199 239 251 242
Communication, general 76 101 116 103 120 119 117 117 107 123 119
Communication, other 80 53 89 81 70 78 90 79 84 66 79
Non-S&E fields not elsewhere classified 733 757 772 784 775 725 706 735 827 796 772
Architecture and environmental design 76 92 96 75 81 81 81 109 101 118 116
Family, consumer sciences and human sciences 51 52 42 58 59 48 54 50 57 51 47
Law 41 76 79 88 73 68 57 53 81 76 76
Library science 30 30 36 31 25 40 35 49 39 39 41
Parks, sports, recreation, leisure and fitness 72 59 59 76 69 54 63 61 76 67 52
Public administration 104 98 111 114 129 126 118 132 127 119 122
Social work 323 308 287 338 333 308 289 280 330 325 308
Other fields, not elsewhere classified 36 42 62 4 6 0 9 1 16 1 10
Unknown field 1 4 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
na = not applicable; the field was not on questionnaire's specialties list for that year.
S&E = science and engineering.
a This field was "Medicinal/pharmaceutical chemistry" through 2006. It was removed from the taxonomy in 2007–13 and was reinstated in 2014 as "Medicinal chemistry."
b Non-science and engineering fields.
SOURCE: National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Survey of Earned Doctorates.