Abstract:

This paper aims to understand perceptions, expectations and needs of PhD students regarding the guidance received along the third cycle of higher education (doctoral degree). This goal is framed by the growth of challenges faced by higher education institutions, for example, the increasing number of doctoral programs and its demand, which has led to global competition, based also on the number of doctoral graduates and relevant research developed and published. As so, it is crucial to understand how the supervision process might play a role in this context, specially by the doctoral students and doctoral recent graduates’ point of view.

The inspiration and starting point of this research, also used as a theoretical framework to the professional work of doctoral supervision includes five interrelated facets, in a holistic perspective, that can be applied from individual to social, and in different types of disciplines and institutions (Halse & Malfroy 2010). These five facets (the learning alliance; habits of mind; scholarly expertise; technê; and contextual expertise) structured the approach of questionnaires applied to doctoral students that already started their thesis research and doctoral graduates in the last two years.

Based on the analysis of responses, the results show the areas that students value most and recognize as important in doctoral guidance, as well as the existing gaps or less developed facets. Depending on differentiated practice, that reflects several approaches and styles of supervision, it’s also possible to understand if supervision guidance impacted the research path and its completion.

Recommendations are also presented so that doctoral supervision can be optimized, in order to develop convergent strategies between supervisors and students.

Keywords:

Doctoral supervision, doctoral students, PhD.