Satisfaction with the supervision of undergraduate dissertations

What is it about?

The undergraduate dissertation is characterized by a conflict between autonomy and support, in which the role of the supervisor is outlined; however, this role is not consistently defined either in the literature or in practice. As a result, a mismatch may arise between the dedication of the supervisor and the dedication expected from the student, which may affect both their satisfaction with the supervisor and the competences developed during the process. A structural equation model was used to test these relationships, concluding that the students who reported having acquired skills from the interaction with their respective supervisors are significantly more satisfied with them, and that the roles attributed to the supervisor by the student influence the skills developed.

Featured Image

Why is it important?

This study represents a further step forward in identifying the specific link between the students’ expectations, the skills developed and their satisfaction with the supervisor. The quality of the supervision is critical in order to accomplish a successful dissertation project (at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels), and the results of this study insist on the positive relationship between the skills acquired through direct interaction with the supervisors and satisfaction with them.