Australian Journal of Adult Learning - Volume 61 - Number 1 - Factors likely to sustain a mature-age student to completion of their doctorate

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Marglet

Mature-age postgraduate students are late entrants to higher education or learners returning after an educational hiatus in industry, pursuing doctorates through both extrinsic aims (e.g., vocational advancement or higher status) and intrinsic motives rooted in learning. The paper analyzes empirical, peer-reviewed journal and book research, supported by secondary contemporary data, to clarify the aspirations, motivations, and outcomes of mature-age doctoral students. Findings frame completion as shaped by sustained motivations and life-context factors relevant to doctoral persistence.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages18

Reading Time45 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Mature-age students and the doctoral context

Motivations and sustaining completion

The Nature, Motivations and Outcomes for Mature-Age Students

Mature-age students

Learner orientations and integrated approach

Australian Journal of Adult Learning Volume 61, Number 1, April 2021 Factors likely to sustain a mature-age student to completion of their doctorate Robert Templeton University of Southern Queensland. PhD Candidate Abstract Mature-age postgraduate students are those who are late to higher education or have returned to postgraduate study after an educational hiatus in industry. While some mature-age students seek a postgraduate qualification out of extrinsic motivations such as for vocational reasons, there are older non-traditional students who seek higher status; cultural, social, financial, or symbolic. However, some undertake doctoral study with intrinsic motives (based on an intrinsic desire or love of learning) which may have an extrinsic outcome. Mature-age students, who are a subgroup of non-traditional students are categorized demographically by the Australian Bureau of Statistics as being over the age of 35 years. This paper analyses empirical and peer reviewed journal and book research with additional secondary data collected from contemporary sources to inform the literature of the aspirations, motives, and outcomes of mature-age doctoral students. Keywords: andragogy, doctorates, postgraduate education, motivations, aspirations, vocational and personal outcomes 46 Robert Templeton Introduction Within Australian higher education postgraduate studies, there isan increasing population of non-traditional mature-age students who are undertaking a doctoral qualification. They may be returning postgraduate students who commenced but did not complete their doctorate, higher education graduates who are returning to higher education after a hiatus in industry, or who commenced higher education from an industry experience or with a vocational education and training qualification (Daniels, 2012) . According to Daniels (2012), there is a growing need for research into Australia’s ageing population resulting in an increase in the working age of most Australians. This has resulted in the questioning by some mature-age working people as to whether to retire or continue working, either in the same industry or commencing a new career path (Shacklock, 2005) . Research into the retirement intentions of workers by Westwood and Lock (2003) identified five factors relevant to mature age workers; valued outcomes, work centrality, role identification, important work goals, and societal norms. Shacklock (2005) defined a sixth factor, health, and finances,(that is particularly pertinent in mature age doctoral students) which extend these five retirements intention factors. A work and financial situation, and health usually determine the intention and decision to continue working, to which Shacklock (2005) added the variable grouping of‘influences on the intention to continue working’(p.252) . The negative influences are ‘high levels of bureaucracy, lack of recognition, and work and time pressures’while positive influences within this grouping include ‘a passion for working [and/or learning], a life partner, and external interests’(p.252) . These positive influences are posited to be analogous to the motivations of mature-age people to enrol in higher education programs culminating in a doctoral qualification. The motivations for mature-age students undertaking postgraduate doctoral research degrees have received little attention from research into doctoral studies, although there is an increasing volume of research that has commenced within the last few years. Mostly, this research has originated from the United States of America, Canada, and the United Kingdom with some Australian research having been completed with enrolled doctoral students. Factors likely to sustain a mature-age student to completion of their doctorate 47 According to Ryan and Deci (2017) motivation supports eudemonic wellbeing which they consider is an essential factor for personal and professional growth such as autonomy, competence, and rel

FAQs

Who are mature-age postgraduate students in this paper?

Mature-age postgraduate students are those who enter higher education later, or return to postgraduate study after an educational break in industry, typically categorized as over age 35 in the Australian context described.

What research approach does the paper use to study mature-age doctoral students?

The paper analyzes empirical and peer-reviewed journal and book research and supplements it with secondary data collected from contemporary sources.

Which motivation concepts are used to explain personal and professional growth for doctoral study?

The paper links motivation to eudemonic wellbeing, describing intrinsic and extrinsic motivation processes as supporting internalisation and goal-oriented behaviour, including autonomy, competence, and relatedness.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Marglet