Information I Wish I Had Known Early in My Postgraduate Journey: Exploring Insights From The Perspective of Former Graduate Students

Abstract

Embarking on a postgraduate program, especially one that involves research, can be a solitary journey for many students, who must seek knowledge independently to conduct their research. Some students face greater challenges during their studies due to limited access to information that could have facilitated their journey. Due to these obstacles, many students found themselves having to extend their studies, and unfortunately, some were unable to complete their postgraduate programs. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the information that graduate students desire to acquire during the initial phase of their postgraduate journey, which has been under-researched in prior studies. Using a purposive sampling technique, face-to-face in-depth interviews were conducted with five Ph.D. graduates, with each interview session lasting approximately two hours. Interviews were conducted both in-person and through virtual platforms. The data were then analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings suggested that in the initial phase of their studies, graduate students primarily desire information related to thesis and study preparation, accessibility of information, as well as interpersonal and social readiness. By highlighting these findings, this research may assist institutions in offering valuable information to their postgraduate students and help future students understand the crucial information necessary for their success prior to enrolling in a postgraduate program. Future research may examine this study from the viewpoints of foreign graduate students, aiming to gain insights from their unique perspectives. Additionally, conducting quantitative studies would contribute to a holistic understanding of this issue. Therefore, improvements can be made to address future students' needs, who are these institutions' primary stakeholders.