Growth and change in the quality of doctoral education from 1979 to 1984 were analyzed, using Holzemer's program evaluation schema and a repeated measures design. Fifteen nursing doctoral programs participated in both a 1979 and 1984 study using Educational Testing Service and Graduate Program Self-Assessment (GPSA) questionnaires. A total of 14 faculty, 12 students, and 12 alumni reported their perceptions of the quality of their doctoral programs on 16 dimensions. The questionnaire consisted of about 60 statements concerning characteristics of the program, with agree-to-disagree or poor-to-excellent ratings as response options, along with demographic items, such as academic rank, tenure, and years teaching. The findings suggest that, while doctoral programs have experienced a significant growth, they have maintained a quality environment. Faculty demonstrated an increased commitment to scholarly activities as evidenced by an increase in publications, presentations, and perceptions of time spent on scholarly activities. Students in 1984 were better prepared than students in 1979 and pursued their graduate education more on a part-time basis. The evidence documents a growing scholarly maturity among nursing doctoral programs. Descriptions of the 16 GPSA summary scales are appended. (SW)