Student experiences in the doctoral program in Educational Administration and Supervision at Ball State University, 1987-2002

The purposes of the study were:1) To collect and share information on the perceptions of graduates regarding the academic, professional, and social experiences of students in the doctoral program in Educational Administration and Supervision at Ball State University, 1987-2002, relative to their professional preparation and career goals;2) To profile the demographic characteristics of respondents whose experiences are described and reported in this study: Gender, age, ethnicity, date of admission, enrollment status, date of graduation, professional occupation during and after doctoral study, financial situation, and sources of financial support during doctoral study.3) To draw conclusions and make recommendations, based on the data, on how students' personal motivation and professional preparation, career goals, academic training, institutional, and social support blend together to enrich the experiences of doctoral students in Educational Administration and Supervision at Ball State University.The population for this study consisted of 111 graduates (72 males and 39 females) of the doctoral program in Educational Administration and Supervision, Department of Educational Leadership, Teachers College, Ball State University, 19872002. A list and addresses of doctoral graduates of the program were obtained from the Graduate School Office. The addresses were verified by the Ball State University Alumni Office. A packet of questionnaires was mailed successfully to 106 graduates. Seventy-nine completed surveys (76 percent) were returned. Of the 79 respondents 52 were male, and 27 were female. The data were subsequently tabulated, analyzed, summarized, and reported in narrative form. Findings and conclusions suggest that:1. The doctoral program in Educational Administration and Supervision at BallState University adequately prepared graduates to contribute meaningfully tothe scholarship and professional demands of the discipline;2. The curricula of the doctoral program allow for rich and diverse career optionsto graduates;3. Improvement should be made in the doctoral program in EducationalAdministration and Supervision at Ball State University to include:a. Practical application experiences through structured internship,mentoring, and peer interaction;b. Greater efforts at job search and placement assistance;c. The effective management of technology to serve the growing numberof part-time students; andd. A systematic departmental database to keep track of graduates of the program.Department of Educational LeadershipThesis (D. Ed.