Supervisory Styles and Graduate Expectations: Perceptions of Saudi Master’s Students

Abstract

The success and timely completion of postgraduate degrees depends heavily on the supervision provided to graduate researchers. The importance of supervision is well recognized yet there is limited research about how Saudi graduate students view their supervisors' styles and if these styles fulfil their needs. The current narrative inquiry study examined how Saudi graduate students view their supervisors' supervisory styles. Seven graduate students pursuing their M.A. TESOL degrees at a Saudi university participated in semi-structured interviews to share their supervisory experiences. The data analysis used Gatfield's (2005) four-styles framework to identify supervisory styles and emerging themes. The research participants described two main supervisory styles: the Contractual style which combines high structure with high support and the Laissez-faire style which features low support with low structure. The participants experienced two additional supervisory styles which included Pastoral (low structure, high support) and Directorial (high structure, low support). Most participants showed satisfaction with their thesis supervision, yet some students encountered obstacles and displayed minimal satisfaction. The study suggests several recommendations for program stakeholders. The supervisor-supervisee relationship requires improvement through better open communication and mutual understanding development. Both students and supervisors need clear explanations about their responsibilities and expectations during the initial stages of thesis work.