Et si j’avais choisi mon sujet de thèse? Analyse de trajectoires menant à l’obtention ou l’abandon au doctorat

How to understand the different doctoral trajectories that can, in some cases, lead to dropout? Numerous studies explore potential explanatory variables, often in isolation or without precisely measuring their interactions or taking into account the long duration of doctorate studies. Based on 21 in-depth interviews with former doctoral students, 13 of whom did not complete their PhDs, the present research offers a qualitative analysis of these trajectories, revealing seven distinct paths and highlighting their complexity and temporality. We thus shed light on the process that led to the completion or withdrawal of the doctorate, from the very start. Whether it be the motivations for engaging in doctoral studies, the way the topic was negotiated, imposed or chosen, or the events that occurred during the thesis (supervisor support, ownership of the topic, etc.), these elements combine in trajectories that reveal relatively linear evolutions, sawtooth patterns, or positive or negative turning points. Implications for future research and the practical implications of these findings are discussed.