TY - JOUR
T1 - Australian postgraduate student experiences and anticipated employability: A national study from the students' perspective
AU - Cook, Elizabeth J.
AU - Crane, Linda
AU - Kinash, Shelley
AU - Bannatyne, Amy
AU - Crawford, Joseph
AU - Hamlin, Gary
AU - Judd, Madelaine Marie
AU - Kelder, Jo Anne
AU - Partridge, Helen
AU - Richardson, Sarah
N1 - Funding Information:
This research is indebted to over 300 students, who so candidly and generously shared their stories, experiences and perceptions. The authors wish to acknowledge Harry Rolf. As the President of Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations at the time this research was conducted, Harry was instrumental in recruiting student participants, sharing knowledge of the research, and analysing and interpreting the results. This work was supported by the Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching under Grant SP1404599.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Deakin University. All rights reserved.
PY - 2021/3/22
Y1 - 2021/3/22
N2 - Postgraduate students are navigating a rapidly evolving landscape for their future careers. In this context, higher education providers are responsible for supporting and monitoring postgraduate (masters and doctoral) students' development for both education and employability contexts. This empirical research provides a rich analysis of feedback breakfasts, focus groups and interviews with 319 postgraduate student participants from 26 universities. Emergent themes highlight widespread lack of confidence in university-mediated student experiences, particularly in the context of employability, and pessimism regarding career outcomes. Students expressed a view that higher education providers need to direct further attention and relevant supports toward postgraduate education. Future career despondency was particularly prevalent among students with academic aspirations. The findings are discussed using the theoretical framework of eudemonia and flourishing as an approach to revitalising and improving both the process and outcomes of postgraduate education. The paper concludes with practical recommendations for universities to improve the postgraduate student experience in the context of employability.
AB - Postgraduate students are navigating a rapidly evolving landscape for their future careers. In this context, higher education providers are responsible for supporting and monitoring postgraduate (masters and doctoral) students' development for both education and employability contexts. This empirical research provides a rich analysis of feedback breakfasts, focus groups and interviews with 319 postgraduate student participants from 26 universities. Emergent themes highlight widespread lack of confidence in university-mediated student experiences, particularly in the context of employability, and pessimism regarding career outcomes. Students expressed a view that higher education providers need to direct further attention and relevant supports toward postgraduate education. Future career despondency was particularly prevalent among students with academic aspirations. The findings are discussed using the theoretical framework of eudemonia and flourishing as an approach to revitalising and improving both the process and outcomes of postgraduate education. The paper concludes with practical recommendations for universities to improve the postgraduate student experience in the context of employability.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85108888807&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.21153/jtlge2021vol12no2art1030
DO - 10.21153/jtlge2021vol12no2art1030
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85108888807
SN - 1838-3815
VL - 12
SP - 148
EP - 168
JO - Journal of Teaching and Learning for Graduate Employability
JF - Journal of Teaching and Learning for Graduate Employability
IS - 2
ER -