Perceptions of Doctoral Students Regarding Factors Contributing to Student Success

Abstract

This third and final phase of a sequential exploratory mixed methoddesign sought to investigate doctoral student perspectives regardingsupport services that impede or assist in the completion of an Ed.D.program at a small, northeast university. Qualitative methods includedindividual interviews and qualitative reflections to probe studentperceptions regarding support program improvements, using their\u27stories\u27 to provide rich, descriptive details. Students emphasized theneed for better pre-enrollment preparation, a comprehensive orientationand advising program, and ongoing academic support services includingwriting assistance, research skills development, and networking andmentoring. Tinto\u27s (1987) integration theory provides the framework forthis study, using his six transformative dimensions for growth anddevelopment to interpret the findings