Successfully Navigating the Stages of Doctoral Study

Abstract

Students often enter a doctoral program desirous of a research and teaching career, but with little hands-on understanding of the demands of such a program. They then find themselves in a program that bears little resemblance to previous degree programs they had successfully com- pleted. Students are usually competent to complete the program and are even highly motivated. However, a key ingredient for success is their ability to manage the program and avoid mistakes that can be detrimental to success. This essay presents a stage model that describes how students experience different challenges as they traverse the stages of exploration, consolidation, engage- ment and entry. Mistakes that are typically seen in each stage are described, along with guide- lines on how to consider managing those mistakes. The essay concludes with a checklist that can be used as an evaluative tool for doctoral students who wish to evaluate how they are really pro- gressing in their doctoral study beyond merely meeting institutional requirements.