Colleagues in Training: How Senior Faculty View Doctoral Education. (December 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pardun, Carol J.; McKeever, Robert; Pressgrove, Geah N.; McKeever, Brooke Weberling
• Is Part Of: Journalism & mass communication educator. Volume 70:Number 4(2015:Dec.)
• Page Start: 354
• Page End: 366
• Publication Date: 2015-12
• Subjects: graduate education -- dissertation -- PhD -- graduate students -- full professors -- mentoring; Communication -- Study and teaching (Higher) -- United States -- Periodicals; Journalism -- Study and teaching (Higher) -- United States -- Periodicals; Mass media -- Study and teaching (Higher) -- United States -- Periodicals; 070.07
• DOI: 10.1177/1077695815599471
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1077-6958

Abstract

A survey of 241 full professors in journalism and mass communication were asked their views on doctoral education. Results indicated that the expected number of publications students should generate from their dissertations was positively correlated with the number of publications professors produced from their own dissertations, supporting the notion that mentoring involves passing on the behaviors that professors learned as graduate students themselves. The data also revealed that respondents tended to think of students as "colleagues in training" rather than simply as graduate assistants to help with the professors' own work. Results also showed that those with a PhD believed a terminal degree was more important for journalism faculty than significant work experience in journalism, which further supports the idea of mentees following in their mentors' footsteps.