Predictors of Timely PhD Completion: Investigating the Perceptions of PhD Candidates at the Malaysian University

A study was undertaken to investigate the perceptions of PhD candidates at the Malaysian university regarding the predictors of timely PhD completion. Taken 320 PhD candidates from Universiti Utara Malaysia as respondents, the study focused on six predictors namely, institutional/organizational, research skill, research work, supervision, motivational and de-motivational. Research skill was perceived by the candidates as the most important predictor of timely PhD completion. The findings also revealed that the candidates perceived supervision as the second predictor of timely PhD completion, followed by motivational, de-motivational and institutional/organizational. Additionally, the PhD candidates did not perceive research work as predictor of timely completion of their PhD. The study significantly provides the university with accurate predictors of timely PhD completion which may asssit the educators in planning and managing the postgraduate candidates specifically in terms of completing their PhD according to the timeframe. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n3s1p259