Students’ Experience of Postgraduate Supervision at the University of the Western Cape

Abstract

In recent years there has been a proliferation of Masters coursework programmes at universities in South Africa. Many students successfully complete the course‐work component in the required time, and then spend a number of years attempting to complete the research mini‐thesis component. Some students ultimately drop out without completing the mini‐thesis, leaving them with no formal qualification. At UWC it has been pointed out that only 10% of students complete the masters thesis in three years. The problem is widespread, and addressing it is imperative, given the emphasis of the Green Paper on Higher Education which links base research funding to successful post‐graduate work. In the context of an institution like UWC, there has been a great deal of speculation and discussion about the reasons for students’ ability or inability to complete. There has, however, been little systematic observation and investigation of the factors that hinder or advance students’ progress. This article is an initial attempt to understand the constraining and enabling factors by focusing on student experiences. It begins from the premise that a key element in successful supervision is to understand the experience of, and worlds that students construct in relation to their academic work. The research draws upon the experience of a cohort of ten MEd students in the Educational Management, Administration and Policy programme at UWC. Drawing on in‐depth interviews with the students and diaries kept by their supervisors, the research aims to illuminate and analyse students’ conceptions of postgraduate learning. It further identifies critical factors in the students’ social, personal and educational context which have a bearing on their thesis work. The article argues that such textured and fine‐grained analyses of student experience will make it possible to conceive of ways in which successful throughput rates at MEd level may be facilitated. It concludes by suggesting a number of strategies which may inform practice.