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TABLE A-1. Comparison of science, engineering, and health doctoral fields of study in the SDR and the SED

SDR detailed statistical tables
SED field of study information
SEH group
Major field
Minor field
Fine field (code and label)
Code and label
Start year
End year
Science Biological/ agricultural/ environmental life sciences Agricultural/ food sciences 005 Agricultural animal breeding 005 Agricultural animal breeding 1983 2013
007 Animal husbandry 1958 1982
010 Animal nutrition 010 Animal nutrition 1969 Present
019 Animal science, other 019 Animal science, other 1983 Present
014 Animal science, poultry (or avian) 014 Animal science, poultry (or avian) 1988 Present
012 Dairy science 012 Dairy science 1988 2003
043 Food science 040 Food sciences 1969 1989
043 Food science 1988 Present
044 Food science and technology, other 044 Food science and technology, other 1988 Present
025 Agricultural and horticultural plant breeding 025 Agricultural and horticultural plant breeding 1983 Present
020 Agronomy and crop science 020 Agronomy and crop science 1958 Present
050 Horticulture science 050 Horticulture science 1958 Present
030 Plant pathology/ phytopathology 030 Plant pathology/ phytopathology 1958 Present
032 Plant protection/ pest management 1988 1991
039 Plant sciences, other 039 Plant sciences, other 1983 Present
099 Agricultural science, other 099 Agricultural science, other 1958 Present
098 Agriculture, general 098 Agriculture, general 1958 Present
046 Soil chemistry/ microbiology 046 Soil chemistry/ microbiology 1988 Present
049 Soil sciences, other 045 Soil sciences 1968 1988
049 Soil sciences, other 1988 Present
Biochemistry/ biophysics 100 Biochemistry 100 Biochemistry 1958 Present
105 Biophysics 105 Biophysics 1958 Present
Cell/ molecular biology 136 Cell/ cellular biology and histology 136 Cell/ cellular biology and histology 1959 Present
154 Molecular biology 154 Molecular biology 1965 Present
Environmental life sciences 081 Environmental science 081 Environmental science 1972 Present
055 Fishing and fisheries sciences/ management 054 Fish and wildlife science 1958 1982
055 Fishing and fisheries sciences/ management 1983 Present
068 Forest engineering 068 Forest engineering 1988 2003
066 Forest sciences and biology 065 Forestry science 1958 1988
066 Forest sciences and biology 1988 Present
070 Forest/ resources management 070 Forest/ resources management 1988 Present
079 Forestry and related science, other 079 Forestry and related science, other 1988 Present
074 Natural resources/ conservation 074 Natural resources/ conservation 1988 Present
080 Wildlife/ range management 060 Wildlife 1983 1988
080 Wildlife/ range management 1988 Present
072 Wood science and pulp/ paper technology 072 Wood science and pulp/ paper technology 1988 Present
Microbiology 110 Bacteriology 110 Bacteriology 1983 Present
157 Microbiology 156 Microbiology/ bacteriology 1958 1982
157 Microbiology 1983 Present
168 Virology 168 Virology 2010 Present
Zoology 148 Entomology 148 Entomology 1958 Present
189 Zoology 189 Zoology 1958 Present
Other biological sciences 198 Biology/ biomedical sciences, general 198 Biology/ biomedical sciences, general 1958 Present
129 Botany/ plant biology 129 Botany/ plant biology 1958 Present
120 Plant pathology/ phytopathology 120 Plant pathology/ phytopathology 1983 Present
125 Plant physiology 125 Plant physiology 1958 Present
139 Ecology 139 Ecology 1958 Present
140 Hydrobiology 1958 1979
170 Genetics/ genomics, human and animal 170 Genetics/ genomics, human and animal 1983 Present
171 Genetics 1958 1982
115 Plant genetics 115 Plant genetics 1983 Present
163 Nutrition sciences 163 Nutrition sciences 1958 Present
180 Pharmacology, human and animal 180 Pharmacology, human and animal 1958 Present
158 Cancer biology 158 Cancer biology 2007 Present
175 Pathology, human and animal 175 Pathology, human and animal 1958 Present
185 Physiology, human and animal 185 Physiology, human and animal 1960 Present
130 Anatomy 130 Anatomy 1958 Present
102 Bioinformatics 102 Bioinformatics 2007 Present
199 Biology/ biomedical sciences, other 199 Biology/ biomedical sciences, other 1958 Present
103 Biomedical sciences 103 Biomedical sciences 1995 Present
133 Biometrics and biostatistics 133 Biometrics and biostatistics 1958 Present
107 Biotechnology 107 Biotechnology 1993 Present
104 Computational biology 104 Computational biology 2010 Present
142 Developmental biology/ embryology 142 Developmental biology/ embryology 1960 Present
145 Endocrinology 145 Endocrinology 1983 Present
167 Environmental toxicology 167 Environmental toxicology 2010 Present
137 Evolutionary biology 137 Evolutionary biology 2002 Present
151 Immunology 151 Immunology 1972 Present
152 Marine biology and biological oceanography 152 Marine biology and biological oceanography 2012 Present
160 Neurosciences 160 Neurosciences 1982 Present
166 Parasitology 166 Parasitology 1973 Present
155 Structural biology 155 Structural biology 2010 Present
169 Toxicology 169 Toxicology 1966 Present
Computer/ information sciences Computer/ information sciences 419 Computer and information science, other 419 Computer and information science, other 1999 Present
400 Computer science 400 Computer science 1973 Present
410 Information science and systems 410 Information science and systems 1983 Present
415 Robotics 415 Robotics 2010 Present
Mathematics/ statistics Mathematics/ statistics 420 Applied mathematics 420 Applied mathematics 1958 Present
498 Mathematics/ statistics, general 498 Mathematics/ statistics, general 1958 Present
930 Operations research (business management/ administration) 930 Operations research (business management/ administration) 1983 Present
363 Operations research (engineering) 363 Operations research (engineering) 1971 Present
465 Operations research (mathematics) 465 Operations research (mathematics) 1973 Present
450 Statistics (mathematics) 450 Statistics (mathematics) 1958 Present
690 Statistics (social sciences) 690 Statistics (social sciences) 1967 Present
425 Algebra 425 Algebra 1958 Present
430 Analysis and functional analysis 430 Analysis and functional analysis 1958 Present
460 Computing theory and practice 460 Computing theory and practice 1960 Present
435 Geometry/ geometric analysis 435 Geometry/ geometric analysis 1958 Present
440 Logic 440 Logic 1958 Present
499 Mathematics/ statistics, other 499 Mathematics/ statistics, other 1958 Present
445 Number theory 445 Number theory 1958 Present
455 Topology/ foundations 455 Topology/ foundations 1958 Present
Physical sciences Astronomy/ astrophysics 500 Astronomy 500 Astronomy 1969 Present
506 Astronomy/ astrophysics 1958 1969
509 Astronomy, other 509 Astronomy, other 2010 Present
505 Astrophysics 505 Astrophysics 1969 Present
Chemistry, except biochemistry 520 Analytical chemistry 520 Analytical chemistry 1958 Present
538 Chemistry, general 538 Chemistry, general 1958 Present
539 Chemistry, other 521 Agricultural/ food 1958 1979
539 Chemistry, other 1958 Present
522 Inorganic chemistry 522 Inorganic chemistry 1958 Present
528 Medicinal/ pharmaceutical chemistry 528 Medicinal/ pharmaceutical chemistry 1958 Present
524 Nuclear chemistry 524 Nuclear chemistry 1960 2003
526 Organic chemistry 526 Organic chemistry 1958 Present
530 Physical chemistry 530 Physical chemistry 1958 Present
532 Polymer chemistry 532 Polymer chemistry 1973 Present
534 Theoretical chemistry 534 Theoretical chemistry 1960 Present
Earth/ atmospheric/ ocean sciences 510 Atmospheric chemistry and climatology 510 Atmospheric chemistry and climatology 1976 Present
512 Atmospheric physics and dynamics 512 Atmospheric physics and dynamics 1976 Present
519 Atmospheric science/ meteorology, other 519 Atmospheric science/ meteorology, other 1976 Present
518 Atmospheric sciences/ meteorology, general 518 Atmospheric sciences/ meteorology, general 1983 Present
514 Meteorology 514 Meteorology 1958 Present
540 Geology 540 Geology 1958 Present
552 Geomorphology and glacial geology 552 Geomorphology and glacial geology 1958 Present
548 Mineralogy and petrology 547 Fuel technology/ petroleum engineering 1967 1979
548 Mineralogy and petrology 1969 Present
549 Mineralogy/ petrology/ geological chemistry 1958 1969
550 Stratigraphy and sedimentation 550 Stratigraphy and sedimentation 1958 Present
542 Geochemistry 542 Geochemistry 1968 Present
558 Geological and earth sciences, general 558 Geological and earth sciences, general 1959 Present
559 Geological and earth sciences, other 554 Applied geology 1969 1991
555 Applied geology/ geological engineering 1958 1969
559 Geological and earth sciences, other 1958 Present
554 Geophysics and seismology 544 Geophysics and seismology 1976 Present
545 Geophysics, solid earth 1958 1976
546 Paleontology 546 Paleontology 1958 Present
590 Oceanography, chemical and physical 590 Oceanography, chemical and physical 1958 Present
585 Hydrology and water resources 585 Hydrology and water resources 1959 Present
595 Marine sciences 595 Marine sciences 1983 Present
599 Ocean/ marine, other 599 Ocean/ marine, other 1977 Present
Physics 560 Acoustics 560 Acoustics 1958 Present
576 Applied physics 576 Applied physics 2004 Present
561 Atomic/ molecular/ chemical physics 561 Atomic/ molecular/ chemical physics 1958 Present
562 Electron physics 1983 1991
565 Biophysics 565 Biophysics 2004 Present
574 Condensed matter/ low temperature physics 574 Condensed matter/ low temperature physics 1958 Present
566 Fluids physics 566 Fluids physics 1959 2003
577 Medical physics/ radiological 577 Medical physics/ radiological 2010 Present
568 Nuclear physics 568 Nuclear physics 1958 Present
569 Optics/ photonics 569 Optics/ photonics 1958 Present
564 Particle (elementary) physics 563 Electromagnetism 1958 1979
564 Particle (elementary) physics 1958 Present
578 Physics, general 578 Physics, general 1958 Present
579 Physics, other 579 Physics, other 1958 Present
570 Plasma/ fusion physics 567 Mechanics 1958 1976
570 Plasma/ fusion physics 1967 Present
573 Thermal physics 1960 1981
572 Polymer physics 572 Polymer physics 1983 Present
Psychology Psychology 600 Clinical psychology 600 Clinical psychology 1958 Present
609 Counseling 609 Counseling 1958 Present
822 Educational psychology (education) 822 Educational psychology (education) 1958 Present
618 Educational psychology (psychology) 618 Educational psychology (psychology) 1958 Present
615 Experimental psychology 615 Experimental psychology 1958 Present
648 Psychology, general 648 Psychology, general 1958 Present
621 Industrial and organizational psychology 621 Industrial and organizational psychology 1958 Present
639 Social psychology 639 Social psychology 1958 Present
602 Behavioral analaysis 602 Behavioral analaysis 2012 Present
603 Cognitive psychology and psycholinguistics 603 Cognitive psychology and psycholinguistics 1983 Present
606 Comparative psychology 606 Comparative psychology 1962 2009
612 Developmental and child psychology 612 Developmental and child psychology 1958 Present
620 Family psychology 620 Family psychology 1995 Present
614 Health and medical psychology 614 Health and medical psychology 2012 Present
613 Human development and family studies 613 Human development and family studies 1994 Present
624 Personality psychology 624 Personality psychology 1958 Present
627 Physiological/ psychobiology psychology 627 Physiological/ psychobiology psychology 1961 Present
649 Psychology, other 649 Psychology, other 1958 Present
630 Psychometrics 630 Psychometrics 1958 2003
633 Psychometrics and quantitative psychology 633 Psychometrics and quantitative psychology 1983 Present
636 School psychology 636 School psychology 1960 Present
Social sciences Economics 002 Agricultural business and management 002 Agricultural business and management 1989 2003
000 Agricultural economics 000 Agricultural economics 1969 Present
667 Economics 667 Economics 1958 Present
668 Econometrics 668 Econometrics 1958 Present
003 Natural resource/ environmental economics 003 Natural resource/ environmental economics 2012 Present
Political sciences 674 International relations/ affairs 674 International relations/ affairs 1958 Present
678 Political science and government 678 Political science and government 1974 Present
679 Political science/ public administration 1958 1976
682 Public policy analysis 682 Public policy analysis 1983 Present
Sociology 686 Sociology 686 Sociology 1958 Present
Other social sciences 650 Anthropology, general 650 Anthropology, general 1958 Present
773 Archaeology 773 Archaeology 1958 Present
770 American/ U.S. studies 770 American/ U.S. studies 1975 Present
652 Area/ ethnic/ cultural studies 652 Area/ ethnic/ cultural studies 1958 Present
658 Criminology 658 Criminology 1980 Present
670 Geography 670 Geography 1958 Present
710 History, science and technology and society 710 History, science and technology and society 1971 Present
676 Linguistics 676 Linguistics 1958 Present
662 Demography/ population studies 662 Demography/ population studies 1983 Present
684 Gerontology 684 Gerontology 2010 Present
698 Social sciences, general 698 Social sciences, general 1958 Present
699 Social sciences, other 699 Social sciences, other 1958 Present
694 Urban affairs/ studies 694 Urban affairs/ studies 1959 Present
Engineering Engineering Aerospace/ aeronautical/ astronautical engineering 300 Aerospace, aeronautical and astronautical engineering 300 Aerospace, aeronautical and astronautical engineering 1958 Present
Chemical engineering 312 Chemical engineering 312 Chemical engineering 1958 Present
Civil engineering 315 Civil engineering 315 Civil engineering 1958 Present
337 Geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineering 337 Geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineering 2012 Present
316 Structural engineering 316 Structural engineering 2010 Present
373 Transportation and highway engineering 373 Transportation and highway engineering 2012 Present
Electrical/ computer engineering 321 Computer engineering 321 Computer engineering 1975 Present
372 Systems engineering 372 Systems engineering 1975 Present
318 Communications engineering 318 Communications engineering 1983 Present
324 Electrical, electronics and communications engineering 322 Electrical engineering 1958 1985
324 Electrical, electronics and communications engineering 1983 Present
323 Electronics engineering 1958 1983
Materials/ metallurgical engineering 309 Ceramic sciences engineering 309 Ceramic sciences engineering 1958 2013
342 Materials science engineering 342 Materials science engineering 1969 Present
369 Polymer and plastics engineering 369 Polymer and plastics engineering 1983 Present
348 Metallurgical engineering 348 Metallurgical engineering 1958 Present
Mechanical engineering 345 Mechanical engineering 345 Mechanical engineering 1958 Present
Other engineering 303 Agricultural engineering 303 Agricultural engineering 1958 Present
306 Bioengineering and biomedical engineering 306 Bioengineering and biomedical engineering 1969 Present
327 Engineering mechanics 327 Engineering mechanics 1958 Present
330 Engineering physics 330 Engineering physics 1958 Present
333 Engineering science 333 Engineering science 1983 Present
336 Environmental health engineering 336 Environmental health engineering 1958 Present
398 Engineering, general 398 Engineering, general 1958 Present
339 Industrial and manufacturing engineering 339 Industrial and manufacturing engineering 1958 Present
351 Mining and mineral engineering 351 Mining and mineral engineering 1969 2013
357 Nuclear engineering 357 Nuclear engineering 1969 Present
366 Petroleum engineering 366 Petroleum engineering 1973 Present
376 Engineering management and administration 376 Engineering management and administration 2007 Present
399 Engineering, other 354 Naval architecture/ marine engineering 1983 1991
399 Engineering, other 1958 Present
360 Ocean engineering 360 Ocean engineering 1983 Present
Health Health Health 200 Speech-language pathology and audiology 200 Speech-language pathology and audiology 1963 Present
212 Health systems/ services administration 212 Health systems/ services administration 1993 Present
219 Public health/ epidemiology 1958 1982
224 Hospital administration 1958 1977
207 Oral biology/ oral pathology 207 Oral biology/ oral pathology 2010 Present
250 Veterinary sciences 250 Veterinary sciences 1958 Present
230 Nursing science 230 Nursing science 1977 Present
240 Pharmaceutical science 225 Medical/ surgery 1958 1976
240 Pharmaceutical sciences 1958 Present
245 Rehabilitation/ therapeutic services 245 Rehabilitation/ therapeutic services 1991 Present
210 Environmental health 210 Environmental health 1972 Present
211 Environmental toxicology 211 Environmental toxicology 2004 2009
220 Epidemiology 220 Epidemiology 1983 2013
217 Health policy analysis 217 Health policy analysis 2012 Present
215 Public health 215 Public health 1978 Present
227 Gerontology 227 Gerontology 2010 Present
298 Health sciences, general 298 Health sciences, general 1962 Present
299 Health sciences, other 299 Health sciences, other 1958 Present
222 Kinesiology/ exercise science 222 Kinesiology/ exercise science 1994 Present
SDR = Survey of Doctorate Recipients; SED = Survey of Earned Doctorates; SEH = science, engineering, and health.
NOTES: SDR is a sample survey; SED is a census. For the 2015 SDR, a new sample was selected from a stratified design, where the 216 strata are defined by the 215 fields of study listed in the 2013 SED that were active in the 21st century (academic years 2001 forward) and the one strata that represents the deactivated fields. Start year and End year are defined as the earliest and latest recorded use of a field in the 2013 Doctorate Records File, respectively.
SOURCE: National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Survey of Doctorate Recipients: 2015.