Do I need a doctoral mentor? How do I find one?

As you prepare to take on the doctoral process, you may wonder why you need a mentor. After all, you likely have an advisor—what’s the difference?

“A staff advisor helps doctoral students from the beginning to the end of the process, but is not a faculty member, and does not provide academic guidance or feedback,” said Dr. Kirsten Walters, Dissertation Support Center Manager at Capella University. “Faculty Mentors, who also serve as the Chair of the Dissertation Committee, provide support as students navigate the academic challenges of the research and dissertation process.”

In general, a mentor is considered to have a more individual relationship with students than that of an advisor, since an advisor may support several hundred students.

• Advisors help orient students to the dissertation process and requirements and assist them in understanding University policy. Advisors also support students in navigating challenges through coaching and introducing university resources.
• A mentor may do those things as well, but will also provide academic feedback and resources to promote progress in the dissertation.

Both the advisor and mentor help ensure the student maintains personal accountability for their dissertation progress.

A good doctoral mentor will:

• Meet with you regularly.
• Guide you through the program requirements and benchmarks.
• Provide support when the process seems overwhelming.
• Assist you in developing and implementing your research plan and maintaining dissertation progress.
• Give feedback during the different stages of the doctoral process.
• Coordinate with your dissertation committee as you navigate review processes.

Doctoral Mentor Assignments

While some universities allow students to select their own mentors, Capella assigns mentors to doctoral students. Professional doctorate students are assigned a mentor after they’ve completed their coursework and once they’ve registered for dissertation. PhD students are assigned a mentor following satisfactory completion of their comprehensive exams and registration in dissertation.

“We found that students were spending too much time looking for mentors,” said Walters. “The online model can be more difficult in that respect, in that students don’t see faculty in the hallways to make connections. So we hand-select mentors that are a good fit for the doctoral candidates and their research.”

Mentors are an important part of your doctoral success. Establishing a good working relationship and maintaining consistent and regular communication is critical to your success.

 

Capella University offers professional doctorate degree and PhD programs ranging from business to education and health to technology. Learn more about Capella’s doctoral programs.