Mentorship in undergraduate studies – building block for postgraduate success

The need to improve access and throughput in higher education programmes in SA universities, especially in relation to the improvement of postgraduate and high-quality South African postgraduate publications continues to be a policy concern.  The problematic is as evident from the current higher edu...

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Main Author: Sindi Msimango
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Journal of Student Affairs in Africa 2024-12-01
Series:Journal of Student Affairs in Africa
Subjects:
Online Access:https://upjournals.up.ac.za/index.php/jsaa/article/view/3950
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author Sindi Msimango
author_facet Sindi Msimango
author_sort Sindi Msimango
collection DOAJ
description The need to improve access and throughput in higher education programmes in SA universities, especially in relation to the improvement of postgraduate and high-quality South African postgraduate publications continues to be a policy concern.  The problematic is as evident from the current higher education statistics and has been given attention through studies on entry requirements, and enrolment numbers. This paper is an inquiry into the undergraduate student experiences and how they contribute to professional identity formation and the progression to postgraduate study. The argument we explore is that experiences outside of the lecture room contribute to access and progression from under- to postgraduate studies. This is a mixed methods study of postgraduate students from various faculties in a Research-Intensive University and a Comprehensive University in South Africa. The main finding is that autonomy and agency contribute to professional identity formation and may be directly associated with postgraduate output. This is seen as important since identity is formed in social settings and social interactions and also through an individual’s own influence. Autonomy and autonomous actions can be used as a catalyst during undergraduate studies to help students access postgraduate studies.
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issn 2311-1771
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publisher Journal of Student Affairs in Africa
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spelling doaj-art-a67bf3bf0d1f4894a2e75bc87049c6bc2025-01-03T12:43:23ZengJournal of Student Affairs in AfricaJournal of Student Affairs in Africa2311-17712307-62672024-12-0112210.24085/jsaa.v12i2.39503951Mentorship in undergraduate studies – building block for postgraduate successSindi Msimango0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7669-5548University of JohannesburgThe need to improve access and throughput in higher education programmes in SA universities, especially in relation to the improvement of postgraduate and high-quality South African postgraduate publications continues to be a policy concern.  The problematic is as evident from the current higher education statistics and has been given attention through studies on entry requirements, and enrolment numbers. This paper is an inquiry into the undergraduate student experiences and how they contribute to professional identity formation and the progression to postgraduate study. The argument we explore is that experiences outside of the lecture room contribute to access and progression from under- to postgraduate studies. This is a mixed methods study of postgraduate students from various faculties in a Research-Intensive University and a Comprehensive University in South Africa. The main finding is that autonomy and agency contribute to professional identity formation and may be directly associated with postgraduate output. This is seen as important since identity is formed in social settings and social interactions and also through an individual’s own influence. Autonomy and autonomous actions can be used as a catalyst during undergraduate studies to help students access postgraduate studies.https://upjournals.up.ac.za/index.php/jsaa/article/view/3950mentorshipundergraduatepostgraduatesocialisationsuccess
spellingShingle Sindi Msimango
Mentorship in undergraduate studies – building block for postgraduate success
Journal of Student Affairs in Africa
mentorship
undergraduate
postgraduate
socialisation
success
title Mentorship in undergraduate studies – building block for postgraduate success
title_full Mentorship in undergraduate studies – building block for postgraduate success
title_fullStr Mentorship in undergraduate studies – building block for postgraduate success
title_full_unstemmed Mentorship in undergraduate studies – building block for postgraduate success
title_short Mentorship in undergraduate studies – building block for postgraduate success
title_sort mentorship in undergraduate studies building block for postgraduate success
topic mentorship
undergraduate
postgraduate
socialisation
success
url https://upjournals.up.ac.za/index.php/jsaa/article/view/3950
work_keys_str_mv AT sindimsimango mentorshipinundergraduatestudiesbuildingblockforpostgraduatesuccess