Health And Wellness

Episode 8. The Mother of All Episodes: On Parenting in Grad School

Navigating a graduate program is tough at the best of times. But doing so as a parent presents a whole new set of challenges. In this episode, two students share stories to help us all understand the plight of graduate student parents a little bit better. And for all the parents out there, we hope it helps you realize you're not alone in finding this hard.

Suman Varghese and Rob Desjardins - 4 October 2023

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Download the transcript (coming soon)

Resources

Resources at the University of Alberta

University of Alberta Library's Family Corner (an accessible child-friendly space on the third floor of Rutherford Library)
"Students Who Parent" Resource Site (Graduate Students' Association)
Student Parents on Campus Group

Books

Hoermann-Elliott, J. and Morton-Aiken, J. (2025). Parenting while PhDing: surviving and improving the working conditions of graduate student parents. Rutgers University Press.

Articles

Dolson, J., & Deemer, E. (2022). The Relationship between perceived discrimination and school/work-family conflict among graduate student-parents. Journal of Career Development 49(1). 174-187.
Spies-Upton, S., & Hill, M. (2021, July 1). Perspectives on parenting as a graduate student amid the pandemic. The Gavel .
Springer, K., Parker, P., & Leviten-Reid, C. (2009). Making space for graduate student parents: Practice and politics. Journal of Family Issues 30 (4). 435-457.