The responses of graduate-level humanities departments to the oversupply of Ph.D.s and strategies that have been most effective in placing new Ph.D. graduates were investigated. Based on randomly selecting a representative cross-section of departments, a telephone survey was undertaken with 32 English departments, 32 history departments, and 22 philosophy departments. It was found that most departments have responded to the Ph.D. surplus by limiting enrollments. Over half of the respondents said that the number of graduating doctoral students should be decreased, either by limiting the number of students admitted to study, by eliminating redundant or low-quality programs, or by other approaches. Nearly one-third of the departments have made degree completion more difficult: some by increasing requirements, others by raising graduation standards. An important change in the structure of academic organizations was the revision of faculty personnel policies to create academic openings. However, these responses and changes in faculty personnel policies seemed to be negatively related to graduate placement, whereas changes in academic programs and direct placement activities were more positively related to the placement of recent doctoral graduates. (SW)