Third-cycle studies in educational sciences: Expectations and competences development

Abstract

In Europe, third-cycle studies may be undergoing structural changes because of the orientation of the Bologna process. This article intends to shed light on the question of how and whether the ongoing changes might mean that we are in the process of reconstructing the university offer of doctoral degree studies. The authors look at the particular case of the Educational Sciences Doctoral Programme offered by the Faculty of Sciences and Technology of the Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal, which started its activities in 2007-08 under the framework of the Bologna reform. The article draws on data from a survey that constitutes the first stage of a case study of this doctoral programme. Thus, the issue of doctoral students' expectations and competences development, focusing on the perceptions of current students enrolled in the programme, is addressed. Data have been gathered by means of a questionnaire answered by the students. The survey allows for the progressive exploration of emergent questions on the changes taking place at doctoral level within the Bologna reform. These questions concern changes in the profile of third-cycle students as well as organizational and pedagogical strategies.