Mentoring Doctoral Students in a Distance Learning Environment

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to describe research on mentoring and advising of doctoral students in a distance education context through the lens of for-profit education. Changes in the doctoral education landscape, including broad access mandates, mean that more students, many of whom are older, have family obligations, are first generation, and have established careers, have access to doctoral education. The role of the mentor has and will continue to change to meet the unique demands these students present. Findings from the examination of mentoring doctoral students online suggest that the characteristic of mentorship are well-examined and that more research is needed that disentangles the roles of mentors to provide targeted services needed by doctoral students. The for-profit, distance education sector has the potential to be a leader in knowledge on mentoring doctoral students in a virtual environment.