Abstract
The completion rate for graduate studies is around 50% in some programs, and several authors suggest that doctoral supervision in a key factor in explaining this. Existing research on doctoral education reveals an uneven international landscape made up of the perceptions of both doctoral students and their supervisors. In the French-speaking North American context, exploration of doctoral supervision practices still remains unchartered. As a part of the first author’s doctoral thesis, interviews were conducted with 20 supervisors and 20 doctoral students from 8 different faculties. The purpose of these interviews was to capture their perceptions and experiences around doctoral supervision, and to explore with them the main issues related to doctoral supervision. Four dimensions for framing doctoral supervision have emerged from these interviews: a) scientific, b) personal, c) administrative and d) professional. Three main issues stretch along a timeline: 1) admission into a doctoral program, 2) mastering of scientific writing, and 3) employability. This study is an attempt to unpack the complexity of doctoral supervision and, in doing so, to construct a shared language for all concerned parties. The overall purpose of the doctoral research is to identify practices that support effective doctoral supervision and reduce the dropout rate.
Highlights
Sverdlik, Hall, McAlpine and Hubbard (2018) mention that the enrolment rate of graduate students increased significantly in Canada and the United States between 1998 and 2010 from 57% to 64%
We have chosen to focus on the definitions of doctoral supervision suggested by the supervisors and the doctoral students we interviewed
The purpose of this article is to draft an exploratory framework of doctoral supervision by listening to what doctoral students and supervisors from different faculties have to say about their experience and, in particular, the challenges they have met along the way
Summary
Sverdlik, Hall, McAlpine and Hubbard (2018) mention that the enrolment rate of graduate students increased significantly in Canada and the United States between 1998 and 2010 from 57% to 64%. This is a very much welcomed and commendable fact. One simple explanation to this is the dropout rate, which is around 50% combined with the duration of studies, which continue to be spread out despite scholarships (McCallin & Nayar, 2012; Skakni, 2016; Sverdlik et al, 2018). A challenging relationship will have the opposite effect affecting duration of the program and sometimes causing the doctoral student to abandon (McCallin & Nayar, 2012)
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