Navigating the transition into higher degree research: an exploration of candidates’ experiences

Higher-degree research (HDR) students often struggle with the transition into independent research, the juncture in which students accustomed to the structure and predictability of coursework suddenly become project managers: narrowing research questions to address a meaningful gap in the literature, designing projects that adhere to ethical mandates, and using existing literature to not only report on a topic, but also justify it. This qualitative study examines candidates’ transition into independent research through both interview and questionnaire data. Participants studying in an Australian university most often cited difficulties related to the research process, followed by mental health, writing with scholarly expression, and self-management. The findings suggest candidates entering an HDR program require support beyond traditional ‘one-off’ workshops or interventions. Specifically, they benefit from individualised and dedicated mentoring support that addresses not only their epistemological knowledge gaps, but also their existential transition from students to researchers.