Overcoming Doctoral Education Deficiencies

Wendell Seaborne, Ph.D.Thomas Seiler, D.B.A., J.D., CPA, CGMA

Problem

Attrition Rates in Programs:Undergraduate programs: 10% to 20%Doctorate programs: 40% to 50%

(Golde, 2005; Smith, Maroney, Nelson, Abel, & Able, 2006; Ehrenberg, Jakubson, Groen, So, & Price, 2007)

Perceptions

• Faculty Perceptions of Attrition:– 53%: Students lack ability, drive, focus, motivation

or initiative– 21%: Students lack purpose– 15%: Personal problems

(Gardner, 2009)

Perceptions

• Student Perceptions of Attrition:– 34%: Personal problems– 30%: Faculty & Department issues – bad advising,

faculty attrition, unhappy faculty, department policies

– 21%: Wrong fit – teach & not publish, graduate school not for them

(Gardner, 2009)

Perceptions

• Additional Student Perceptions of Attrition:– Research did not match student’s strengths– Students felt unprepared for discipline & research– Student perceives job market to be poor– Social Isolation of student

(Golde, 2005)

Perceptions

• More student perceptions of attrition:– Communication difficulties with faculty– Faculty are controlling– Academic bullying– Lack of trust– Desertion by faculty

(Yarwood-Ross & Haigh, 2014)\

Social Isolation

• Isolation - “lack of meaningful social contacts”:– Often associated with elderly, depressed, sick– Factor contributing to student attrition

(Ali & Kohun, 2007)

Social Isolation

• Graduate students enter a new environment:– Unknown expectations of program; high stress– Different faculty relationship– Elevated student performance– Greater individual student work requirements

(Ali & Kohun, 2007)

Persistence

• Personal traits associated with positive student persistence:– Strong desire to achieve a personal goal• self-motivation • self-direction

(Gomez, 2013)

Persistence

• Advising issues:

– Financial aid assistance – Ensure high quality advising – Provide clear expectations of program/dissertation– Stress importance of finishing the dissertation

(Ehrenberg, Jakubson, Groen, So, & Price, 2007)

Persistence

Provide training program for faculty advisers:– How to establish the faculty/student relationship– Learn how to motivate students– Assist students in becoming actively involved in

conferences/professional organizations– Collaborate on research– Assist with finding positions upon graduation

(Smith, Maroney, Nelson, Abel, & Abel, 2006)

Persistence

• Department Practices:– Cohort model– Provide a program completion plan– Provide activities where students and faculty are engaged with

each other• Provide social settings for students and advisors• Provide social/learning settings for students to meet faculty• Provide settings for students to socialize with each other• Provide settings for students to engage outside the department

(Ali & Kohun, 2007; Di Pierro, 2012; Holley & Caldwell, 2012; Koehler, Zellner, Roseth, Dickson, Dickson, & Bell, 2013)

Persistence

Department Practices:– Provide orientations/training for students during phases of

program – 1. Admission to comps– 2. Comps to dissertation defense – 3. Dissertation defense to graduation

– Provide a structured approach to completing the dissertation

(Ali & Kohun, 2007; Di Pierro, 2012; Holley & Caldwell, 2012; Koehler, Zellner, Roseth, Dickson, Dickson, & Bell, 2013)

Persisting

• Addressing Deficiencies:– Faculty Advisors from first colloquium– One stop shop– Guidance, support and encouragement

– Build a Graduate Culture– Scholars consisting of faculty, students, practitioners

– Community of Learning– On campus and online

– Provide a structured approach to completing the dissertation– Faculty responsibility and student responsibility

Franklin University Doctoral Education Model

Franklin University Doctor of Business Administration

Franklin University Ph. D. in Business Administration

Course OfferingsResearch Core GRAD 800 – Writing Foundations GRAD 805 – Research Methods and Design GRAD 810 – Applied Statistics GRAD 820 – Advanced Quantitative Research Design and Analysis GRAD 822 – Advanced Qualitative Research and Design Major Courses MGMT 840 – Development of Management Theory and Practice MGMT 845 – Organizational Behavior, Culture and Effectiveness MGMT 850 – Organizational Leadership MGMT 855 – Organizational Systems Perspectives Theory & Application MGMT 860 – Strategic Thinking, Decision-Making and InnovationElectives MGMT 865 – Organizational Performance Analysis MGMT 870 – Business Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility MGMT 875 – Change Management and Organizational Development Any course in other programs offeredDissertation

Course Scheduling

Summer 16 Fall 16 Winter 17 Summer 17 Fall 17

GRAD 800 MGMT 865 GRAD805 MGMT 870 GRAD 810

MGMT 840 MGMT 845 MGMT 850 MGMT 855 MGMT 860

GRAD 800 GRAD805 MGMT 870 GRAD 810

MGMT 845 MGMT 850 MGMT 855 MGMT 860

GRAD 800 MGMT 870 GRAD 810

MGMT 850 MGMT 855 MGMT 860

Research Core

GRAD 800 GRAD 810

Major Courses MGMT 855 MGMT 860

Elective Courses GRAD 800

MGMT 860

Future Course Offerings

Accounting ACCT 840 – Advanced Seminar in Financial Accounting ACCT 845 – Advanced Seminar in Managerial Accounting ACCT 850 – Advanced Seminar in Auditing ACCT 855 – Advanced Seminar in Taxation ACCT 860 – Advanced Seminar in Accounting History Marketing MKTG 840 – Advanced Seminar in Marketing Theory MKTG 845 – Contemporary Issues in Marketing Management MKTG 850 – Marketing Quantitative Analysis MKTG 855 – Consumer Behavioral Research MKTG 860 – Advanced Seminar in Business to Business MarketingHuman Resources ManagementFinance

Our Global Partners

Ghana Nepal Saudi Arabia Trinidad & TobagoGuatemala Oman Serbia UkraineMacedonia Poland Slovakia

Details to Address

Faculty Identify teaching faculty Identify dissertation faculty Training for current and newly identified faculty Curriculum Design courses Identify methods and activities Integrate into LMSStudents Recruitment Preparation Enrollment