WELCOMEThe Canadian Doctoral Journey: Promise

and Possibility

Dr. Thomas G. Ryan, Professor of Education/Graduate Studies – Nipissing University North Bay, Ontario, Canada

Dr. Scott Lowrey, Elementary School Principal – HWDSB, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

CSSE Congress 2014: Brock University – CCGSE Workshop

• The Doctoral Journey: Perseverance • Thomas G. Ryan – Editor – 13 Doctoral

Studies Stories

SOURCE: 2007 Ontario Government

Contributors

•Dr. Elizabeth Auger Ashworth, (Nipissing) University of Glasgow

•Dr. Carolyn Crippen - University of Victoria, British Columbia

•Dr. Heather McLeod - Memorial University of Newfoundland

•Dr. Verna McDonald, University of Northern British Columbia

•Olivia Zhang - Ph.D. Candidate - Simon Fraser Univ, Vancouver, Canada.

•Dr. Sherry Peden, Brandon University, Brandon, Manitoba

•Dr. Scott Lowrey, OISE/University of Toronto

•Dr. Kristen Ferguson, (York University) now at Nipissing University

•Dr. Ron Phillips, (Ph.D., Arizona, U.S.A.) now at Nipissing University

•Dr. David Young, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia.

•Dr. Richard Dominic Wiggers , Executive Director, Research and Programs, for the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO)

•Dr. Thomas G. Ryan, (Ontario Institute for Studies in Education/University of Toronto) now at Nipissing University

In 2008 over 5,000 people graduated with a Doctoral Degree in Canada; this represents a 40% increase from

2003

• University of Toronto awarded the first Canadian doctorate in 1900, in physics

• Ontario had more doctoral graduates whose mother tongue was a non-official language (English/French)

Time taken to complete a doctorate (TTD)

• Williams (2011) determined that “on average, it took doctoral students in Canada 5 years and 10 months to complete their studies” (p. 10).

AGE

• “average age of all full and part-time doctoral graduates, upon completion of their degrees, was 36 years old with 20 per cent in the 20-29 year old cohort, 24 per cent over 40. . . the remainder in their thirties” (Williams, 2011, p. 11).

Destination• 2/3 (65%) of Ontario graduates pursued a Ph.D.,

to become university professors.• As a Nation Canada consistently is given a ‘D’

grade whereas countries like Switzerland and Sweden are granted ‘A’ grades for their financial support of doctoral programs (The Conference Board of Canada 2013).

Financial support

Path-making• “doctoral programs need to position their

domestic students to become mobile and capable of functioning anywhere in the world — as PhDs in business, industry, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and academe” (Nerad, 2010, p. 3).

Student ~ Supervisor• Admittedly, relationships such as the

student-professor supervisory relationship remain important elements that can impact both the economics and the time to completion for all doctoral students.

• In sum, “holders of the doctoral degree must have demonstrated a high degree of intellectual autonomy; an ability to conceptualize, design, and implement projects for the generation of significant new knowledge and/or understanding; and an ability to create and interpret knowledge that extends the forefront of a discipline, usually through original research or creative activity” (Council of Ministers of Education Canada, 2013, p. 1).

Doctoral Journey Process Components

• Application Process• You’ve been accepted! Begin with the end in mind.• Course Work: Mandatory and Elective• Comprehensive Exam• Proposal Hearing and Ethics Review• Research and Thesis Writing• Thesis Defense• Graduation!

Personal Reflections: Lessons Shared and Lessons Learned

• One, research the doctoral programs that best meet your learning needs and life situation.

• Two, establish and commit to timelines recognizing that you do not control all factors as it relates to time.

• Three, be disciplined with your time allocation for your studies, but remember to keep it in balance with your commitments to family and your partner.

• Four, go into your program of study with a good idea of what your dissertation is going to be.

• Five, establish a strong relationship with your thesis supervisor and follow most, not all, of their advice.

• Six, seek the wisdom of many including professors and your classmates. Read critically.

• Seven, do your assigned readings. Reflect upon them. Always seek deep, critical understanding of what you read.

• Eight, methodology courses are your friend.

• Nine, understand that people are genuinely interested in your work and its outcomes.

• Ten, the doctoral journey takes time, but it should not take forever.

References• Conference Board of Canada. (2013). How Canada performs: PH.D. graduates - key messages.

Author. Retrieved from http://www.conferenceboard.ca/hcp/details/education/phd-graduates.aspx

• Council of Ministers of Education Canada (CMEC) (2013). Statement on quality assurance for degree education in Canada, Retrieved from http://phase2.cmec.ca/Publications/Lists/Publications/Attachments/95/QAStatement-2007.en.pdf.

• Desjardins., L., & King., D. (2011). Expectations and labour market outcomes of doctoral graduates from Canadian universities. Ottawa, ON: Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 81-595-M No. 089. Statistics Canada and Human Resources and Social Development Canada.1-60.

• Desjardins., L. (2012). Profile and labour market outcomes of doctoral graduates from Ontario universities. Ottawa, ON: Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 81-595-M No. 098. Statistics Canada and Human Resources and Social Development Canada.1-106.

• King, D., Eisl-Culkin, J., & Desjardins, L. (2008). Doctorate education in Canada: Findings from the survey of earned doctorates, 2005/2006. Ottawa, ON: Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 81-595MIE2008069. Statistics Canada and Human Resources and Social Development Canada.1-75.

Thank you!

thomasr@nipissingu.ca

slowrey@hwdsb.on.ca