Credentiating or not in graduate programs: the perception of professors from a public institution

Abstract The objective of this study was to identify the perception of doctoral staff members regarding their involvement in graduate programs considering motivational, personal, and organizational factors. A questionnaire was administered to 502 PhD professors from graduate programs at a public institution of higher education, obtaining 113 valid answers. The data were analyzed using the statistical software R. The results indicated that the affiliation to the graduate programs is linked to the affective dimension, as enjoying what they do (motivational) and their relationship with students (organizational) were the most highlighted factors. When asked about what would lead them to self-discredit, the individual dimension was emphasized, particularly concerning aspects related to a lack of personal fulfillment with the activity and personal or family health issues. Structural issues were also indicated, although not predominant. The strong connection of the professors' motivation related to personal and motivational factors may explain why these professionals choose to remain accredited in graduate programs in adverse conditions.