Date of Award
2002
Document Type
Practicum
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Programs for Higher Education
Advisor
Dr. Stephen McLeod
Keywords
administration, administrators, analysis, associate degree, Bevill State Community College, core courses, course scheduling, criteria, data analysis, evaluation model, full-time students, gap analysis, instructors, literature review, needs assessment, preferences, research question, schedule, student needs, students, transfer students, two-year degree completion, validation
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine whether courses are offered at Bevill State Community College (BSCC) to allow a student to complete an associate degree within two years. The problem was that a significant number of students transfer to four-year institutions without completing an associate degree at BSCC.
There was one research question for this study: "Does the schedule of courses at BSCC allow students to complete an associate degree within two years?''
The procedures consisted of a literature review, establishment of criteria, selection and validation of evaluation model, selection and administration of a needs assessment instrument to two hundred randomly selected students, and the collection and analysis of data obtained from the needs assessment instrument.
A gap analysis was conducted by comparing data indicating preferences as to when students would like core courses offered to data obtained from past tabloids indicating when core courses are usually offered at Bevill State Community College. Based on the results of the analysis, it was concluded that courses are not offered in a manner that allows a student, other than a fulltime day student, to complete an associate degree within two years.
It was recommended that (a) a copy of this study be supplied to all instructors and administrators at Bevill State Community College, (b) the instructors use the data from this study to offer courses at times more conducive to student need, (c) the administration use the data from this study to insist that courses are offered at varied times during a two-year period, and (d) the instructors and administration work together to produce a perpetual two-year schedule of courses that allows completion of an associate degree within two years.