Social work dissertation committee chairs’ perceptions of their role
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2020
Department/School
Social Work
Publication Title
Journal of Social Work Education
Abstract
© 2019, © 2019 Council on Social Work Education. This descriptive study used a mixed-methods approach to explore social work dissertation committee chairs’ (N = 150) conceptualizations of their role including their understanding of successful relationships, perceptions, and experiences with the scope of the role. Most chairs had no formal training and learned through their own experiences as students and committee members. The majority believed the chair role included academic support but disagreed on whether the role should include psychosocial support (e.g., self-care, physical, mental health) and family support (e.g., pregnancy, parenting, family issues). Qualitative data provided further details and examples of how chairs learned or prepared for their role, conceptualized their role, and defined successful and challenging relationships and the scope of their role. Implications for social work education including strengthening training for chairs and supports for chairs and students are discussed.
Link to Published Version
Recommended Citation
Mirick, R. G., Davis, A., & Wladkowski, S. P. (2020). Social work dissertation committee chairs’ perceptions of their role. Journal of Social Work Education, 56(1), 155–169. https://doi.org/10.1080/10437797.2019.1642273