The document traces the history of graduate education in the United States from 1900 to present. It discusses key events and developments including the formation of the AAU in 1900 to standardize graduate programs, increased government funding during the New Deal and WWII eras which expanded access, the focus on research after Sputnik, and the rise of online education making graduate programs more affordable and accessible for non-traditional students. Economic conditions and societal changes have continued to shape graduate education over time.