'If it were easy, everyone would have a Ph.D.'. Doctoral student success: Socialization and disciplinary perspectives

Socialization is an integral part of doctoral education, with successful socialization serving as a requisite for persistence. The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine the socialization processes of doctoral students in the disciplines of chemistry and history at two research-extensive institutions in the United States. A combination of interviews, document analysis, and informal observations assist in better understanding the contexts and cultures in which socialization takes places and the processes that help or hinder the student toward degree success.; A total of forty doctoral students at three programmatic phases were interviewed for the study including students from the period from application to the initial days in the program, or Phase I, the time encompassing both coursework and candidacy examinations, or Phase II, and the research and dissertation phase of the program, or Phase III. Findings were distinctive by programmatic phase, discipline, and institutional context, with overall findings pointing to the need for faculty and peer support for doctoral students in order to ensure retention in their programs. Recommendations for policy, practice, and further research are also presented.