In the contemporary world it is clear that the need to study beyond Masters level is increasing in importance for a wide range of practitioners in diverse professional settings. Students across the world are choosing doctorates not only to become career academics, but to go beyond the academic arena, in order to make a personal and educational, as well as an economic investment, in their workplace careers and their lives. However for many doctoral students, both full-time and part-time, navigating the literature and key issues surrounding doctoral research can often be a challenge.Bringing together contributions from key names in the international education arena, The Routledge Doctoral Student's Companion is a comprehensive guide to the literature surrounding doctorates, bringing together questions, challenges and solutions normally scattered over a wide range of texts. Accessible and wide-ranging, it covers all doctoral students need to know about:What doctoral education means in contemporary practiceForming an identity and knowledge as a doctoral studentThe big questions which run throughout doctoral practiceBecoming a researcherThe skills needed to conduct researchIntegrating oneself into a scholarly communityOffering an extensive and rounded guide to undertaking doctoral research in a single volume, this book is essential reading for all full-time and part-time doctoral students in education and related disciplines.