Institutions of higher education are encountering shifting trends in student enrollment and must embrace interdisciplinary approaches to address student recruitment and retention. This study explores reasons why students choose to leave an online MSW program. Data were collected through telephone interviews with students leaving the program during a five-year period. A thematic coding analysis indicated life issues, communication from faculty and administration, internship difficulties and work-life balance were among the most frequently expressed reasons affecting student retention. Results indicate online programs must account for a balance between academics and external factors in order to address the needs of adult students.