This study explores the perceptions of employed MBA students regarding the value of optional micro-credentials and their impact on skill enhancement, career advancement, and personal growth. Utilizing Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), the research involved semi-structured virtual interviews with 15 participants, complemented by…

Identity formation is a pivotal milestone in the age range of emerging adulthood ("EA"; ages 18-29; Arnett, 2000; 2014). Most of the literature in the area emphasizes the role of identity within college student samples, but there is a lack of understanding of identity distress among graduate students. Graduate school is a prolonged…

The continuous influx of international students to the United States brings a diverse set of needs that colleges and universities should continuously attempt to satisfy with appropriate services and instructional practices. Issues affecting globally mobile students need to be addressed for institutions to attract and retain talented and…

Mindsets have been gaining popularity recently in the field of second language acquisition (SLA). There have been studies exploring language mindsets in relation to emotions such as anxiety and fear of failure (e.g., Lou & Noels, 2017), anxiety, rejection sensitivity, contact avoidance, and willingness to interact (e.g., Lou & Noels,…

Online learning is increasingly prevalent in higher education. The current study explores how learning takes place in online discussions; an activity often found in online courses. Activity Theory is used to understand the contributions of individuals to the process of socially constructing knowledge within small groups. The Community of Inquiry…

An increasing number of international graduate students who learn English as an Additional Language (EAL) pursue advanced academic degrees in the United States. Previous studies have indicated that international graduate students often face several challenges as EAL learners while socializing in English academic communities and negotiating…

Tensions between enrollment growth, faculty shortages, and persistent inequity characterize the current landscape of postsecondary computing education. As individuals who pursue graduate studies in computing are likely future leaders in the tech industry and academic computing spaces, colleges and universities need to restructure mechanisms of…

Within the field of higher education, Colleges of Education, in conjunction with the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED), are working to distinguish the Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) as a distinct doctoral degree designed for scholar-practitioners. The purpose of this study was to identify the perceptions of current Ed.D. students and…

Critical race theory has often been described as a lens in which to see and understand how racism can impact or affect people of color. This lens makes room for a deeper consideration of ones lived experiences as a direct result of racial bias. Sometime in the mid 1970's, Derrick Bell, Alan Freeman, and Richard Delgado acted in response to the…

The purpose of this interpretivist qualitative study was to develop a better understanding of the lived experiences and self-authored development of women who were mothers navigating the journey of motherhood, doctoral degree, and a professional life in the field of student affairs. Research was conducted with guiding principles of reciprocity,…

The number of graduate students who chose to participate in study abroad experiences has grown within recent years. As this population of study abroad participants continues to expand, it is necessary for study abroad faculty and staff to understand the learning outcomes that graduate students experience after their study abroad program. This…

This study explored the doctoral student experience through the lens of college student psychosocial development theory. Although psychosocial development has been a mainstay in the research of undergraduate education, doctoral student psychosocial development has received little attention. The primary research objective was to engage, listen to,…

The advising relationship has been acknowledged as one of the most important factors in doctoral student persistence and attrition. Less researched are psychosocial factors that contribute to doctoral student persistence and completion. Preliminary research including measures of psychosocial factors on doctoral student success found…

The South African coloured identity is a profoundly complex construction that, on the one hand, is interpreted as an ambiguous and "in-between" identity and, on the other hand, its own ambiguity and complexity provides multiple means and strategies of production and articulation within various contexts. This dissertation seeks to examine…

Research on preparation programs for student affairs professionals has focused primarily on identifying competencies. Limited attention has been paid to the process of how meaning is made of preparation program experiences. Of the scholarship conducted, minimal consideration has been paid to the relationship between development and the…