Doctoral research education in Canada: Full-time and part-time students’ access to research assistantships

Abstract

Graduate students’ development as researchers is a key objective in higher education internationally. Research assistantships (RAships) nurture graduate students as novice researchers as they develop theoretical and methodological knowledge. However, few studies have investigated the ways institutional regulations, informal practices, and students’ academic status may influence graduate students’ access to RAships. Based on a larger case study exploring RAship experiences of full-time and part-time doctoral Education students at an Ontario university in Canada, this paper reports key arguments and conclusions specific to students’ unequal access to RAships. Although the study is context specific and cannot be generalized, described practices and recommendations can inform other institutions and programs nationwide.