Doctoral Student Perceptions of Faculty Advisors: Four Supportive Behaviors to Promote Doctoral Completion

Abstract

The number of doctoral recipients per year in the United States has grown considerably, yet on average, half of all students do not persist to degree completion or far exceed the expected completion timeline. Attrition and extended time to degree negatively impact both doctoral students and institutions and costs each time, money, and effort. Advisor-advisee relationship quality significantly affects degree completion. This study explores experiences of 17 full-time working professionals who had recently completed a doctoral degree in education within 6 consecutive years at a regionally accredited institution in the United States. Our findings revealed four faculty advisor behaviors that contribute to doctoral completion: encouragement, accessibility, dependability, and expertise. We offer recommendations for advisors to improve the student doctoral journey.