This study investigated supervisory support services in enhancing postgraduate students’ timely completion of studies at the Open University of Tanzania. The study was guided by the Zone of Proximal Development Theory by Levy Vigotsky (1978). Convergent design under a mixed research methods approach was employed. The target population were 989 postgraduate students, 133 research supervisors, 4 Faculty Deans and 1 Directors of postgraduate studies. Stratified random sampling technique, multistage sampling technique and purposive sampling technique were used to select a sample of 242 respodents. Questionnaires, interviews guides and document analysis guide were the data collection instruments used. Instruments were validated by research experts and Cronbach Alpha was used to ensure reliability of Likert scale items of questionnaires. Triangulation and peer debriefing were used to ensure reliability of qualitative instruments. Quantitative data were analysed by using descriptive statistics while qualitative data were analyzed by using thematic analysis. The findings indicated that majority of postgraduate students are not provided sufficient support services necessary for research supervision. The study concluded that insufficient support services given to postgraduate students affects their timely completion of studies. It was recommended that the Open University of Tanzania should ensure that support services necessary for research supervision are made available and accessible to postgraduate students for enhancing their timely completion of studies.
Keywords: Postgraduate Students, research supervision, research supervisors, support services, timely completion
