The development of a scale to measure doctoral graduate attributes in the South African higher education context

Doctoral education is an area of strategic focus in South Africa. The recent review of doctoral education at South African higher education institutions, and subsequent discussions of the findings, have highlighted doctoral graduate attributes as an area needing substantial focus. This study aimed to develop a scale to measure doctoral graduate attributes in the South African higher education context. The study was framed using scale development theory, as it provides clearly defined steps to ensure rigorous processes in test development. The study employed a multi-method approach with four phases, each with distinct methodologies guiding the development of the Doctoral Graduate Attributes Scale (DGAS-10). Phase 1 consolidated international literature through a systematic review of the attributes that doctoral graduates possess, providing conceptual clarity of the construct of doctoral graduate attributes and identifying relevant subdomains and definitions of attributes for consideration in the construction of the scale. Phase 2 explored the contextual relevance of the construct, subdomains and definitions of doctoral graduate attributes in the South African context, through stakeholder consultations with doctoral students, graduates and academic staff. The findings from Phase 1 and 2 informed the construction of the draft DGAS-10 in Phase 3. The draft scale was refined in Phase 4 through a Delphi study with local and international experts, establishing the scale’s face and content validity. The DGAS-10 includes ten domains, namely: knowledge, research, academic literacy, higher-order thinking, communication, interpersonal skills, global citizenship, organisational skills, self-management and personal attributes. The use of the scale is recommended with doctoral scholars as the target group, to enable reflection upon doctoral graduate attributes attained and/or with doctoral students, enabling reflection upon graduate attribute development during doctorate studies.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of the Western Cape

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Senekal, Janine

• Doctoral Education And Training
• Doctoral Graduate Attributes
• Quality Assurance
• Postgraduate Education And Training
• Scale Development

Licence

• https://uwcscholar.uwc.ac.za/bitstreams/b7809024-568a-49a1-927f-78e6ebfc13bb/download