An Evaluation of Spirituality among Graduate and Professional Degree Students: Year Two

[Note: This is a continuation of a study that was introduced at the 2013 GERA Annual Meeting.] This ongoing longitudinal study is designed to measure spirituality in graduate and professional degree students utilizing validated survey instruments. Furthermore, the study investigates perceptions regarding the role of spirituality in higher education and professional practice. We hypothesize that significant relationships exist between student perceptions on spirituality and various academic, professional, and vocational outcomes. The study is being conducted at a large, private university in the southeastern United States, which seeks to enrich both the mind and spirit of students while maintaining intellectual and religious freedom. Our study measures spirituality from inter-faith and non-faith perspectives, thereby increasing applicability to a diverse population. Results from our study will be instrumental in examining the influence of an academic institution on validated measures of spirituality. Furthermore, we hope to be the first to examine, from a qualitative and quantitative perspective, the change in daily spiritual experience among students of diverse graduate and professional degree programs at a single institution. We believe our findings have the potential to stimulate constructive dialogue on the imperative to develop methods for improved teaching and learning