International Graduate Student and Faculty-Advisor Relationship: Benefits and Challenges

This study is a quantitative and qualitative investigation of the benefits and challenges in the international graduate student-faculty advisor relationship. Despite considerable research regarding these benefits and challenges, there are few studies about the academic and professional relationships between international graduate students and their faculty advisors. Drawing from transformative learning and social capital frameworks, this study focuses on the relationship of international graduate students and faculty advisors. Specifically, the research questions investigate the benefits and challenges that international graduate students perceive they have in working with faculty-advisors. The study explores students’ academic goals and whether they believe they receive adequate support regarding the cultural or nationality/citizenship differences among international graduate students. Finally, I offer specific recommendations provided by faculty advisors and international graduate students that can improve the advising environment for both. The data gathered 167 international graduate student survey and 47 faculty advisor survey including in-depth, semi-structured interviews with five international graduate students and five in-depth, semi-structured interviews with faculty advisors. The findings demonstrate that there are more challenges than benefits in the relationship between international graduate student- faculty advisor