Debates in Doctoral Education: Challenges and Opportunities

Debates in Doctoral Education offers a comprehensive examination of contemporary doctoral programmes, exploring the challenges and opportunities that shape them.

Split into three key sections, the book addresses fundamental debates, covering topics such as the massification of doctoral programmes, inclusivity, ethical considerations, postgraduate researcher development and the complexities of doctoral supervision. These comprehensive discussions lay the groundwork for thinking about the character of doctoral education and its broader implications. The book then shifts its focus to the challenges of supervising doctoral candidates. It examines the delicate balance that both supervisors and students must maintain throughout the doctoral journey, including considerations of preparedness, motivation, peer interactions and the academic environment. It also explores the specific challenges of professional practice doctorates and the examination of PhD theses.

Designed to inspire academics to navigate the ever-evolving world of doctoral education and explore the broader implications of doctoral study, this book will provide a valuable resource for anyone involved in or interested in doctoral education, highlighting the intricacies and dynamics of this critical aspect of higher education.

Fiona Hallett is Associate Dean of the Graduate School at Edge Hill University, UK where she has strategic responsibility for doctoral education across disciplines and subject areas.