Doctoral Advising in COVID-19: Opportunity for Change

Doctoral advising is a complex process. In times of uncertainty, doctoral programs offer a unique opportunity for advisors to embrace a new pedagogical and intersectional role.

The Hidden Curriculum of Doctoral Advising

We examined the hidden curriculum of doctoral advising by conceptualizing the advisor as a teacher. Using autoethnographic methods in this case study, we simultaneously explored both sides of the advisor-student relationship. The constructivist paradigm permeated all aspects of the research: data collection, analysis, and interpretation. The significance of this study lies in new understanding of the zone of proximal doctoral development and the exploration of barriers to building positive multiyear advising relationships. Findings and implications resulted in new understandings of how doctoral advisors can minimize obstacles by making expectations explicit, listening by hearing, creating relationships of trust, and judiciously negotiating power. Making the hidden curriculum explicit can be accomplished with purposefully scheduled meetings, supportive caring relationships, and ethical practices.