Academic Resilience: The Ultimate Thriving Constituent Toward Persistence in Doctoral Studies
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22555/joeed.v8i2.41Keywords:
doctoral education, perceived hurdles, initial motivation, personality traits, persistenceAbstract
A doctoral degree is perceived as a milestone in one’s expedition of educational advancement; however, studies show that 40% to 60% doctoral candidates do not possess persistence to complete their degree. The purpose of this phenomenological inquiry is to explore the factors that contribute toward increasing the persistence level among the doctoral students. Semi structured in-person interviews of eight participants (four male and four female) selected through snowball sampling were conducted in a university setting. The thematic analysis identified certain motivational factors including career progression, gaining subject command, and the desire to achieve self-actualization. Autonomy, sense of purpose, self-determination, and problem-solving skills were found to be the most effective factors that promote resiliency in the students to help complete their degrees.
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