SIG 168 Purpose


Our purpose and goals

Over the past half-century, doctoral education across the globe has become increasingly valued. Yet the body of scholarship that is devoted to understanding doctoral education is rather modest compared to the scholarship on the undergraduate student experience.  This SIG seeks to support the work of scholars who focus on doctoral education with the following goals:

To develop and do public research about graduate and postgraduate education and training for the benefit of:

a.  AERA members, the graduate community, professional associations, government agencies, and the Central Office staff of the AERA,

b.  potential students, current students, and others of the general public,

c.  faculty and training supervisors in academic and applied training programs.

To support the development and coordination of research initiatives on graduate and postgraduate education and training in collaboration with:

a.   organizations of educators and professional training councils, and

b.   national and international higher education associations.

To encourage, recognize and support innovative practices that:

a.    better prepare students for careers in teaching, research, and the applications of their field of study, and

b.    address priorities in graduate and postgraduate education and training.