Different for women? The challenges of doctoral studies

Abstract

This exploratory study investigates gender-specific differences in the challenges of the doctoral experience through the observations of a counsellor working with doctoral students. The article first contextualises the study within the literature investigating doctoral attrition and gender equity, showing that identity transformation over the doctorate is problematic in particular aspects for women. We confirm that cultural expectations regarding women passivity, family nurturance and (at least symbolic) subordination to male authority can cause tensions between women's social relationships and academic performance which values assertiveness, clear communication and confident management of power relationships. We identify various conflicts between the female roles of the social sphere and the academic arena that problematise the identity transition of the doctorate from student to independent researcher. Context: doctoral attrition and gender equityDoctoral attrition is under scrutiny. Relatively few fail a doctorate once they submit a thesis, yet literature testifies to doctoral attrition rates as high as 50% (McAlpine and Norton 2006;Mendoza 2007). Attrition is the real failure for students and for institutions. It causes considerable costs to the institution or faculty's reputation; institutions are, therefore, keen to improve their statistics. At the ground level, failure to complete often results in financial, emotional and social costs to the doctoral candidate, leading to disruption of identity.There is also awareness of a history of gender inequity in education and desire to improve the balance. Recent UNESCO statistics obtained from mainly Western countries showed the traditional gender gap in higher education closing, with women making up 50% or more of overall university students (Mastekaasa 2005). However, a report from the European Union found that women were less likely to advance from undergraduates to doctoral candidates (Mastekaasa 2005), and it was reported that only 25Á45% of all female undergraduates proceed towards a Ph.D. Furthermore, there is evidence that more male academics hold doctorates than females (Brown and Watson 2010). The gender gap is nonetheless closing at doctoral level: more recent figures from the USA suggest for the first time show 50.4% of

Identifying Significant Personal and Program Factors that Predict Online EdD Students’ Program Integration

“…This is in contrast to the experience of men. A man's family members, not the man, is encouraged to sacrifice for the sake of the doctoral program (Carter, Blumenstein, & Cook, 2013). Consistent with previous theories, models, and literature on doctoral and online students (Tinto, 1975;Bean & Metzner, 1985;Rovai, 2003), the findings of this study demonstrated that both personal factors, as well as program factors, affect students' integration.…”

Women in Distance Doctoral Programs: How They Negotiate Their Identities As Mothers, Professionals, and Academics In Order to Persist

“…The phenomenon of role conflict for women doctoral students is beginning to be documented in the literature (L. Brown & Watson, 2010;Carter, Blumenstein, & Cook, 2013;Eisenbach, 2013;Haynes, Bulosan, Citty, & Grant-Harris, 2012;Lynch, 2008); however, most of the literature on role conflict and management focuses on the residential, PhD, or first generation EdD programs where students often leave their professions and relocate to become students (Lee, Green, & Brennan, 2000). The concept of the motherhood penalty in higher education is well documented in the literature on faculty as researchers have examined faculty with children teaching in tenure-track positions and found disparity between men and women (M. Baker, 2012Baker, , 2016Craft & Maseberg-Tomlinson, 2015;Cummins, 2012;Jakubiec, 2015;McCutcheon & Morrison, 2016;Seher, & Iverson, 2015;Stinchfield, & Trepal, 2010;Summers, & Clarke, 2015;Ward, 2014;Wolf-Wendel & Ward, 2015;Sallee, Ward, and Wolf-Wendel, (2016) purported that academic mothers experience greater responsibility related to household tasks and childcare than academic fathers.…”

Making it Work

“…In addition, Tower and Latimer (2016) describe the disadvantage that women face within the academy, saying "gender plays a role in the type of work that women conduct in the academy as well as how it is devalued, invisible, or unrewarded" (p. 319). Implicit biases against women caregivers are present in many academic programs (Drago et al, 2006), leading to different challenges for mothers than for other students (Carter, Blumenstein, & Cook, 2013).…”