Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Identifier

2633

Date

2016

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Major

Counseling

Committee Chair

Richard K. James

Committee Member

Rosie Phillips Bingham

Committee Member

Pamela A. Cogdal

Committee Member

Colton D. Cockrum

Abstract

This study examined archival data gathered from freshmen students who completed a career exploration unit in a first-year experience course during a four-year time span (2011-2014) in an effort to determine how levels of career confidence differed among students based upon race, gender, and place of college residence. Four specific research questions were examined: (1) How does confidence in the ability to identify the skills necessary for a desired career differ among freshment students based on race, gender, and collegiate residental status; (2) How does confidence in chosen academic major vary among freshmen students based on race, gender, and collegiate residential status; (3) How does confidence that academic major will lead to a specific job/career path differ among freshmen students based on race, gender, and collegiate residential status; and (4) How does confidence in the ability to choose a second major when the first choice did not work out vary among freshmen students based on race, gender, and residential status.Participants were 1,953 students who enrolled in a first-year experience course, ACAD 1100, and completed the ACAD Career Exploration Unit and its associated learning assessment during the years 2011-2014. Fifty (50) of the participants identified as Asian/Asian American, 1,009 identified as Black/African American, 68 identified as Hispanic/Latino, and 826 identified as White/Caucasian. Six hundred forty-two (642) were male while 1,311 were female. Eleven hundred (1,100) were residential students while 853 were commuter students.The results of the statistical analysis suggested that Black/African American students had significantly higher confidence in their ability to identify the skills needed for a desired career than Asian/Asian American students, although the effect size was small. Males had greater confidence in their ability to identify the skills needed for a desired career than females, although the effect size was small. Males also reported greater confidence than females in their ability to choose a second major when the first choice of major did not work out, although this effect size was also small. Recommendations for future research and programmatic improvements are presented.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to the local University of Memphis Electronic Theses & dissertation (ETD) Repository.

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