Graduation Year

2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree

Ph.D.

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Degree Granting Department

Leadership, Policy, and Lifelong Learning

Major Professor

Amber D. Dumford, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Michelle Bombaugh, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Ann Cranston-Gingras, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Martin Tadlock, Ph.D.

Keywords

Academic Success, Graduate, Perception, Student Success

Abstract

This qualitative case study explores the experiences, transitions, and needs of first-year master’s students in education. Guided by Schlossberg’s Transition Model, the study examines how students perceive shifts in academic rigor, workload, and the increased self-direction required in graduate education. The case study used three data collection methods: semi-structured interviews, document analysis, and observations that provided insights into the student perception of master’s students studying education’s experience, transition, and needs. Additionally, this case study enabled exploration of the research questions across six types of master’s programs within the College of Education. By focusing on the first year of graduate study, the research seeks to identify the challenges students face and to inform potential strategies for support.

Ten themes and twenty-six sub-themes were presented in the research. A few of the key themes that emerged were faculty support, cohort and peer mentorship, and a technology gap in knowledge. The findings contribute to a broader understanding of master’s students’ transition and development within the field of education. The research presented provides an avenue for further studies of the population of master’s students in education and is intended to provide a foundational understanding on perception of the transition, support, and need for this population.

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