Hi Martin,
You wrote: <snip> ....I have been surprised to learn that students are
sometimes enrolled onto PhD
programmes without a Masters degree. <endsnip>
Masters seems a puzzling standard to use as a reference point for PhD
entry.
Undergraduate degrees are moderated across institutions and time because
they are based on the skills of better students as they leave secondary
education, which itself is well moderated. Similarly, PhDs are moderated
internationally by a combination of some universities insisting on external
and out of country examiners, by the public availability of PhD theses, and
by a mutual agreement amongst doctors that they should be at the same
standard.
The problem is Masters degrees. Masters degree programs and the skills of
Master's students are highly variable in standard, quality and scope.
Internationally and locally, moderation of Masters degree programs is almost
nonexistent. This is especially so in terms of research skills. Some Masters
programs are below degree level. This is a natural consequence of the role
of Masters programs in the competitive tertiary business environment. Some
Masters, on the other hand, are almost at PhD level. The variability and
volatility is so extreme that some Masters programs have been very
different in quality at different years at the same institution and in the
same subject. In many ways, to adequately judge the level, quality and
scope of a particular individual's Masters it is necessary to know the
degree, the year, the institution and the subject.
This high level of variability in Masters programs and degrees, suggests it
is a much less useful basis for judging a student's research skills and
readiness for undertaking a PhD than other measures such as undergraduate
degree level, real world experience and diplomas in research skill. This may
be one of the reasons for the substantial tradition in many UK influenced
countries of using the upper levels of Honours as the benchmark for PhD
entry.
What is missing, and what the ESRC in the UK attempted some years ago, is to
exactly and specifically define the competencies needed for an individual to
commence PhD study.
It would be interesting to hear if anyone has created a complete list of
competencies for PhD entry in any Design fields.
Best wishes,
Terry
____________________
Dr. Terence Love, FDRS, AMIMechE, PMACM
Director Design-focused Research Group
Researcher, Digital Ecosystems and Business Intelligence Institute
Associate, Planning and Transport Research Centre
Curtin University, PO Box U1987, Perth, Western Australia 6845
Mob: 0434 975 848, Fax +61(0)8 9305 7629, [log in to unmask]
Member of International Scientific Council UNIDCOM/ IADE, Lisbon, Portugal
Honorary Fellow, Institute of Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Development
Management School, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
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