College student retention theorists have suggested that improving students' financial literacy may improve student retention and completion rates. Before this important line of inquiry can be thoroughly examined, it is first important to understand if and how major state universities in the United States currently provide students with financial…

The purpose of this study was to determine how resilience factors impact doctoral degree completion after a significant delay of one year or more. The non-completion of doctoral degrees has been a concern due to its economic, social, and personal consequences. The research questions being examined were: (1) What were the various reasons shared by…

Well-being plays a crucial role in the completion of PhD studies. However, recent research suggests that the components of universities' environment affect PhD students' well-being differently, resulting in various outcomes. This research explores the well-being of PhD students, constructed as a series of latent profiles, and assesses their…

Many African American male students who enroll in higher education institutions do not graduate. This phenomenological study aims to understand factors contributing to the success of African American male students at a Midwestern Black Historical Institution. The theory underpinning this study is William Sedlacek's noncognitive variables, which…

Research on first-generation college students' (FGCS) is centered around cultural, demographic, and personal characteristics and structural barriers that adversely impact their persistence and graduation from postsecondary institutions. Literature is limited in its examination of how FGCS' utilize their personal strengths and assets, institutional…

Despite the popularity of online master's degree programs, degree completion times vary greatly, often slowing during the final phase known as the capstone project (GP) or thesis. This exploratory, mixed-method pilot study presents health professions online graduate students' perceptions of facilitators and barriers to completion of both the…

With the large discrepancy between the undergraduate graduation rates of Hispanic students and students from other racial and ethnic backgrounds, it is both an equity issue and an economic imperative that higher education institutions focus on retaining Hispanic students. This qualitative phenomenological study seeks to understand the barriers and…

This country note presents the results of an analysis of Austria undertaken within the Labour Market Relevance and Outcomes of Higher Education Partnership Initiative project. The project was implemented by the OECD with the support of the European Commission with the aim of helping policy makers and higher education institutions enhance the…

This mixed-methods study, as part of program quality enhancement, investigated motivating factors of teachers choosing enrollment in an online master's degree in education in a state where legislative funding does not provide advanced degree pay. Students were surveyed at the conclusion of their program using a quantitative evaluation of…

High School graduation rates are key indicators of accountability for high schools and school districts in Oregon. Beginning with the 2008-09 school year, the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) implemented the cohort method of calculating graduation rates. The cohort method identifies the year the student entered high school for the first time…

Student engagement in institutions of higher education has become a central priority for educators and administrators. What "student engagement" means for a diverse student body is an important question for public institutions with justice-related missions. As social welfare policy shifts to allow more recipients of public assistance…

The aim of the study was to investigate the reasons why adult learners took longer than required to complete their Master's and Doctoral degrees. A questionnaire and focus group interviews were used to collect data. Twenty adult learners who registered for the Master's and Doctoral degrees at one township campus of a university were targeted, and…

Strong economic growth through much of the period since 2000 and demographic pressures such as workforce aging, have contributed to a robust demand for skilled tradespeople. Despite a decline following the economic recession in 2008 and 2009, new registrations in apprenticeship programs have increased nearly 200% since the 1990s. Apprenticeship…

This article presents and discusses the results of a national survey of social work PhD students, faculty, and administrators (n = 416), conducted by the Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education in Social Work (GADE), in December 2012. The survey was undertaken to inform the updating of GADE's 2003 "Guidelines for Quality in Social…

This report presents the findings for community colleges that participated in ACT's 2010 What Works in Student Retention survey. The report contains information pertinent to only these institutions. A copy of the survey instrument to which all colleges and universities in this study responded can be found in Appendix B of this report. The survey…