Doctoral graduate attribute development: lessons from the South African context

Abstract

Doctoral graduate attributes (DGAs) are the qualities and characteristics of a doctoral graduate. They are considered in the context of concerns for the quality and outcomes of doctoral education. Graduate attributes develop through formal education and the hidden curriculum, influenced by various agents such as the supervisor, peers and the institution of study. In doctoral education, where there is rarely a structured curriculum, consideration of how DGAs develop warrants investigation to ensure threshold levels of DGA development can be supported. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with doctoral supervisors, graduates and students from four South African higher education institutions. This article describes barriers and facilitators impacting the development of DGAs. The findings provide evidence of the interplay between various aspects that facilitate DGA development, including the doctoral student, supervisor(s), peers and institutions. The lack of awareness of DGAs and support available are important barriers to DGA development. It is recommended that support be offered at all levels, to facilitate learning. Agency should be encouraged to support the pursuit of doctoral scholars’ novel contribution, and growth as creative problem solvers. The research contributes by constructing a framework of support for DGA development.