TY - JOUR
T1 - Departmental climate and student experiences in graduate geography programs
AU - Solem, Michael
AU - Lee, Jenny
AU - Schlemper, Beth
N1 - Funding Information:
Quality of academic advising, support, and curriculum Diverse, tolerant, and equitable environment Difficulty coping with program requirements or personal issues Likelihood of leaving or suspending program Commitment to student’s affective development Social interaction among students Importance of affecting social change Importance of improving teaching skills Favorable working environment Importance of program reputation Importance of scholarship and scholarly recognition Hostile working environment Department’s focus on improving prestige Importance of program diversity Financial stress Importance of future financial success and supervision Access to internship/employment opportunity
PY - 2009/5
Y1 - 2009/5
N2 - This study explores how graduate students enrolled in M.A./M.S. and Ph.D. geography programs perceive the social and academic climate of their departments. A second objective is to understand how these students self-assess their own professional abilities, values, and goals, and whether these self-assessments differ across demographic and institutional contexts. The survey instrument for this research is based on data collected from graduate student focus groups and on validated constructs of academic culture and climate from previous research. T-tests, ANOVA, and regression analyses identified significant differences among graduate students and their perceptions of departmental climate when compared on the basis of gender, citizenship, race/ethnicity, disciplinary subfield, and institutional type. Interview data provide additional context for analysis of the survey data. The primary areas in which we detected differences in graduate students' experiences were 1) diversity issues, 2) disciplinary and institutional cultures, 3) career planning and development, 4) financial matters, and 5) quality of the learning environment. These differences result from the varying social and academic dynamics of graduate programs, illustrating the importance of the local environment in shaping student experiences.
AB - This study explores how graduate students enrolled in M.A./M.S. and Ph.D. geography programs perceive the social and academic climate of their departments. A second objective is to understand how these students self-assess their own professional abilities, values, and goals, and whether these self-assessments differ across demographic and institutional contexts. The survey instrument for this research is based on data collected from graduate student focus groups and on validated constructs of academic culture and climate from previous research. T-tests, ANOVA, and regression analyses identified significant differences among graduate students and their perceptions of departmental climate when compared on the basis of gender, citizenship, race/ethnicity, disciplinary subfield, and institutional type. Interview data provide additional context for analysis of the survey data. The primary areas in which we detected differences in graduate students' experiences were 1) diversity issues, 2) disciplinary and institutional cultures, 3) career planning and development, 4) financial matters, and 5) quality of the learning environment. These differences result from the varying social and academic dynamics of graduate programs, illustrating the importance of the local environment in shaping student experiences.
KW - Departmental climate
KW - Disciplinary culture
KW - Geography
KW - Graduate education
KW - Professional development
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U2 - 10.1007/s11162-008-9117-4
DO - 10.1007/s11162-008-9117-4
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:61449119668
SN - 0361-0365
VL - 50
SP - 268
EP - 292
JO - Research in Higher Education
JF - Research in Higher Education
IS - 3
ER -