Exploring Doctoral Student Experiences in Low-Bandwidth Project-Based Internships

• In Event: Understudied and Unexamined Facets of Work-Related Experiential Opportunities

Abstract

Preparing for a transition into non-faculty career pathways is a persistent challenge for doctoral students across many disciplines. Given the time-intensive nature of graduate degree programs, and the frequent need for students to maintain a physical presence on campus (i.e., to teach or conduct experiments), pursuing work-related experiential learning opportunities outside of one’s prescribed coursework can often be quite challenging. However, employment in academia continues to decline as a share of doctoral career outcomes – down from 49 percent in 2000 to 40 percent in 2020 (NSF, 2021). Meanwhile, traditional graduate education models remain centered upon preparing doctoral students to become part of the professoriate (Sharmini & Spronken-Smith, 2020).
This study presents evaluative data from a low bandwidth, remotely-based internship program for doctoral students at a large research university in the Southeastern United States. Using qualitative interview data (n=8) and related source material (e.g., evaluation surveys, project reports, informal student focus groups), the researcher collected feedback on student experiences during and after a pilot internship program, wherein doctoral students committed 5-10 hours per week for six months to complete a remote project assignment with an industry partner. Using the conceptual models of Kolb’s (1984) theory of experiential learning and Weidman et al.’s (2001) graduate student socialization framework, the author assesses the potential benefits and challenges of a low-bandwidth, remote project-based internship model for doctoral student career development. The paper frames the findings in a theory-to-practice lens, and the tone of the article will be that of a “notes from the field” program evaluation that offers actionable insights to fellow practitioners seeking to address this challenge on their own campuses. Topics addressed in the paper include the core considerations of designing a low-bandwidth, remotely-based industry internship program, the challenges of recruiting and retaining doctoral student participation in such programs, conflicts and tensions between departmental cultures and graduate student time commitments, and the positive outcomes as well as persistent challenges that students identified as a result of their participation.
Given the fact that many postsecondary institutions continue to drive graduate student enrollment as a means to their own reputational ends (Busta, 2020), and the ongoing dearth of tenure-track faculty job opportunities that await doctoral degree recipients (Carey, 2020; Langin, 2020), identifying sustainable models of graduate career development within non-academic career pathways is a moral imperative for institutions and an economic necessity for students. This study will highlight one potential approach that offers benefit to doctoral students, postsecondary institutions, and industry partners - as well as underlining the limitations of such work-related experiential learning opportunities for practitioners to consider.

Author

• Andrew Crain, University of Missouri
  Presenting Author