A multicase study of the employment and career patterns and intentional change strategies of adults who completed a nontraditional bachelors degree

This multicase study investigated the educational, employment, and career patterns and intentional change strategies of twelve adults, ages mid-20s through early 50s, who completed a nontraditional bachelor's degree. The purposes were to examine the employment and career patterns of graduates and assess if degree completion was part of an intentional change strategy. Research was guided by the assumptions and principles of naturalistic inquiry.Most participants graduated from high school in traditional pattern, did not attend college immediately, and were first generation college graduates. Before earning degree, participants worked in varied employment, with about half employed in labor and service industry jobs for majority of employment history. Three youngest participants were establishing careers.Three to five years after completing the degree, nine of twelve participants were in executive or management positions or professional specialty occupations. Three participants were in administrative support jobs. Increases in income ranged from 10% -220%. Participants reported degree helped, but was not necessarily primary reason for career change. Degree was necessary credential to enter graduate school or qualify for a promotion for some. Participants reported degree was part of larger intentional change process.Conclusions from study: 1) Review of literature showed recent emphasis on interactionist life span development models as important to understanding adult development. 2) Study demonstrated usefulness of a bachelor's degree in terms of employment up-grading. 3) Participants described increased empowerment and self-directedness in their lives. 4) Inclusion of specific static and dynamic variables selected from the Systems Matrix Model of Adult Learning was verified. 5) Three learner-career development patterns emerged from research. a) Career Pattern - Establishing a Professional Career; b) Career Pattern - Career Change/ Development with Intervening Circumstances; c) Personal Interest in Learning Pattern. Patterns appeared similiar to Houle's goal-oriented and learning-oriented categories.Further study recommended in the areas of transitions and careers using interactionist life span model to understand adult development. Additional research with refined version of the interview guide used would be useful to investigate the tentative learner-career typology developed from study.Department of Educational LeadershipThesis (D. Ed.