Teaching “Pays the Bills”? A Study of Doctoral Program Descriptions in Canadian Political Science Departments

ABSTRACT

Teaching is an important practice in academic life, yet little scholarly research has explored the ways in which graduate education programs prepare the potential next generation of professors for this practice. This study explores the presentation of pedagogical training in the context of doctoral program descriptions offered by Canadian political science departments. By paying careful attention to the public-facing presentation of program descriptions, we can observe both the pedagogical training efforts that departments present as important for the graduate school experience as well as the different ways in which departments express the instrumental and/or intrinsic value of pedagogical practice. We find that many program descriptions present teaching roles in terms of providing financial support to graduate students, indicating an instrumental value. Others present preparedness to teach as an indirect benefit of the comprehensive examination experience. We highlight case studies of program descriptions that prioritize teaching and offer recommendations.

KEYWORDS:

• Canadian political science
• scholarship of teaching and learning
• doctoral education
• digital identity
• Canadian academia

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Caroline Dunton and the editors and reviewers of the American Review of Canadian Studies for constructive feedback on earlier versions of the manuscript.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. If, as scholars have argued, teaching is subordinated to research (e.g., Chen 2015; Cuban 1999; Ettinger 2020), the norms disseminated through the doctoral program framework may be illustrative in determining how deep the problems run. This is particularly unfortunate given the potential contribution of teaching and learning to political science PhD programs (Trepanier 2017).

2. We also recognize that research versus teaching skills will be differentially weighted in hiring processes. While some departments may value an applicant’s strength in teaching, others may not.

3. Note, however, that American-training does not mean American citizenship. Albaugh (2017) shares strategic advice received to move from a Canadian institution to an American one to complete a PhD. Nor is every graduate of a Canadian PhD program a Canadian by birth.

4. We also note the important contributions made by faculty at institutions without graduate programs.

5. This benefit may pay further dividends for undergraduate student experience as these pedagogically minded graduate students may be especially motivated as teaching assistants or course instructors.

6. Indeed, if a department really does want students to recognize teaching as valuable only in financial terms, that can be stated.

Additional information

Funding

Michael acknowledges the support of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada through the Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship Program. Amelia acknowledges the support of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada through the Doctoral Fellowship program.