Student perceptions of the School of Education PhD programmes at the University of Zambia.

Abstract

This article reports the perceptions of PhD students in the School of Education at the University of Zambia regarding the nature and administration of the PhD programmes. Based on the results of a 2011 study, the article examines the level of preparedness of the School of Education to run PhD programmes. The study found that students perceived a horde of challenges, particularly the long duration students took to graduate and the lack of a well laid out programme and guidelines for prospective and current students. Other challenges were the lack of course work and the inadequacy of appropriately qualified senior academic staff to supervise students. In addition, seminar presentations were perceived to be inadequate, thus denying the student the opportunity to benefit from an informed discussion. Furthermore, the study established that PhD students faced difficulties in accessing the latest information. However, the students perceived that the School was prepared to offer doctoral study as it had amongst others, a committed and qualified, if inadequate cadre of PhD supervisors. The article concludes that many of these challenges could be resolved through effective management of the PhD programmes.