Student-Supervisor Expectations in the Doctoral Supervision Process

Abstract

Listen

Translate article

This research explores whether and how an effective relationship is created from both supervisor and doctoral student perspectives. Interviews were conducted with 12 supervisor-student dyads, totalling 24 interviews, to explore both student and supervisor perspectives on their own lived experience of their expectations during the journey through the PhD. The research revealed four main dimensions that the interviewees expressed during the interview process: (a) their perceptions of the role of the primary supervisor on the doctoral student’s work; (b) what they expect from their counterparts in terms of intellectual capacity; (c) what they expect from their counterparts in terms of resources or logistics; and (d) what they expect from their counterparts in terms of emotional intelligence.