ABSTRACT
The purposes, approaches, and scope of the PhD are being rethought in light of the sea changes occurring in the 21st century. It is argued here that the conceptions of the very core of doctoral education (the research and dissertation) need to be broadened to meet the needs of an increasingly complex and changing world. An initiative at the University of British Columbia to facilitate this culture change has demonstrated that such a view is viable within the academy and has had a significant impact on the students themselves. A country-wide consultation on the topic demonstrated a widespread ‘nervous excitement’ among Canadian graduate schools.
