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Defining Excellence In Graduate Studies, Laurie Carlson Berg, Linda Sabatini

Essays in Education

This article provides an analysis of definitions of excellence in graduate study provided by Master’s degree and doctoral candidates, identified by their department as “excellent,” and by chairs of graduate programs (n = 43) at two western Canadian universities. Faculty members’ definitions tended to focus primarily on external markers of success rather than on personal characteristics of graduate students. Both graduate faculty respondents (n = 20) and graduate student interview participants (n = 23) mentioned the importance of visibility in the department and the community. The graduate student participants made infrequent mention of external indicators, such as grades and ability …