Professional doctorate supervision: exploring student and supervisor experiences.

This paper discusses research supervision within one professional doctorate programme; focusing on the processes and issues students and supervisors gave priority. An exploratory, descriptive approach was used to develop a pilot study. Data was collected from three sources. First student perceptions and experiences of supervision were obtained during a group workshop. Observations and field notes were gathered during this event. A second, similar event was undertaken with professional doctorate research supervisors. Finally a convenience sample of students and supervisors (two of each) participated in open ended one to one discussions regarding supervision. The discussions were tape recorded, transcribed and analysed, along with the workshop field notes and observations. There are implied differences between professional doctorates and the PhD relating to process, purpose and outcome [Yam, B., 2005. Professional doctorate and nursing practice. Nurse Education Today 25 (7), 564-572; Laing, S., 2000. Linking research to practice. Physiotherapy 86 (7), 371]. Given such implications professional doctorate research supervision could, or should, embrace critical engagement with issues related to the leadership of research in professional practice; moving beyond research and methodological issues. Indeed it had been presupposed such issues would emerge in this study. For example it had been anticipated that students would want a supervisor or adviser from within their practice setting, to provide insight and support in relation to leading research in practice and to complement the role of their research supervisor. Such complementary supervisory roles within the practice context are given credence in the literature [Kemp, S., 2004. Professional doctorates and doctoral education. International Journal of Organisational Behaviour 7 (4), 401-410]. However students preferred to utilise support networks within the professional doctorate itself to address professional issues.