Recognition and Analysis of Values among PhD Students

Using a phenomenological method, the present paper seeks to recognize what values PhD students have, compare them with the usual standards, and elaborate on possible differences. The sample includes 14 male students from different departments in Tabriz University. They restated their values in an unprepared interview. The data were analyzed by a method proposed by Emmitt & et al. (1999). The variables obtained from this study are moral values, religious values, family values, social values, material values, national values, altruism, personal progress, helpfulness, expressing real self, self-respect and security. The research findings confirm the existence of favorable variables in the value system of PhD student in the society. Furthermore, they show that PhD students’ values are different from those proposed by the usual standards. Therefore, these standards lack the necessary efficiency for measuring the values of the aforementioned group. The obtained results can be useful for higher education system and for the institutes which need people holding higher education degrees.