Postgraduate Supervision: Practical Handbook

Postgraduate supervision is not as simple as people thought it to be. It is a complex field and process. The complexity in postgraduate supervision is related to educational background, intellectual ability, technical skills, ethnicity, cultural, economic, and political factors as well as infrastructure, favourable environment for research/supervision and funding. It demands commitment, expertise, and adequate knowledge on the part of the supervisor. The student must be focused, willing to learn new things, be dedicated to quality scientific work and producing reliable results. The supervision of postgraduate students is a process, and the process begins with the selection of postgraduate students including how the research would be done. The process of selecting masters, and doctoral students for the postgraduate programmes is important to ensure that the students have the necessary skills and tools to complete the chosen postgraduate programme or research. The selection should be guided by departmental, faculty and institutional policies, and prospective students should be told of the academic requirements, commitment of the students, duration of each programme, discipline, and intellectual ability and autonomy to be able to successfully complete the programme. This book examined various aspects of postgraduate supervision that would be useful to supervisors especially new supervisors in the field, postgraduate students, university administrators and government as well as research institutes or centres. Indeed, it is a practical handbook that would enhance effective supervision and significantly reduce dropout rates among postgraduate students in our universities. It would equally allow the supervisors and students to appreciate their respective roles, handle conflicts and achieve their goals.