O ingresso no mestrado e a adaptação à pós-graduação stricto sensu

Abstract

The aim of this master s thesis is to know the adjustment process of graduate students to their courses. It was realized two studies. The first study consisted of a systematic review of literature that aimed to investigate in an exploratory way personal, relational and institutional factors that are described in the literature as influences in the graduate students adjustment to their courses. The 15 international peer-reviewed articles that composed the final sample of this research showed that the integration with graduate life depends on the setting with the demands of the graduate program, on financial security and, above all, on the establishment of a rewarding relationship between advisor and student. Based on this information and on the lack of studies about the subject in the Brazilian graduate scenario, the second study was proposed to investigate the master students vision about their advisors and the perception of students about the relationship between advisors and students, besides to identify the possible influence of this perception in the adjustment of these master students to their courses. It participated in the study 12 graduate students from two graduate programs of a public university located in south of Brazil. The answers given by them to the issues of a semi-structured interview were subjected to content analysis. It was noticed that the vision (positive or negative) that the students had about the personal attributes and behavioral styles of their advisors influenced the nature of the relationship (satisfactory or unsatisfactory) between them. It is believed that the results of this work will stimulate government, development agencies and higher education institutions in Brazil to concern about the adjustment of graduate students to their courses in order to minimize cases of failure in masters and doctoral programs in the country.