A study on factors affecting Navy officers' decisions to pursue funded graduate education: A qualitative approach
Download
Author
Fowler, Kimberly M.
Date
2017-06Advisor
Tick, Simona
Thomas, Gail Fann
Hatch, William
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
This thesis examines if adjusting the service obligation for officers who pursue advanced-level degrees has the potential to increase returns to investment from Navy-funded graduate education. Using a qualitative approach of focus groups and one-on-one interviews with thirty-five Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) resident students, this thesis aims to identify the primary factors Navy officers consider when deciding to attend fully funded graduate education at NPS, how these factors vary by communities and years of commissioned service, and how the decision to attend NPS might be impacted by a change in service requirements. The depth of answers from the study participants provides valuable feedback about officers' perceptions of value and costs related to Navy-funded graduate education and highlights the differences in these perceptions among officer communities. As a result of the study, it is recommended that the Navy not add more than six months of service obligation, as doing so may have a negative effect on an officer's decision to accept a graduate education opportunity and, as a result, the decision to retain. The findings can be used by policymakers to make more informed decisions on how to fund and obligate service members who choose fully funded graduate education.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.Collections
Related items
Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.
-
Evaluation of Graduate Education Policy in the U.S. Navy
Louidor, Duquesne (Monterey California. Naval Postgraduate School, 2012-06);This thesis evaluates Navy policy by comparing elements of fully-funded and partially-funded Graduate Education Programs (GEPs). The Navy's primary goal in offering funded graduate education is to support requirements for ... -
Return on Investment on Naval Education & Research
Mun, Johnathan (2020-09-20);The United States Navy and other military services send a large number of their officers to various military universities to obtain graduate degrees or perform academic research. These graduate education programs provide ... -
An analysis of the impact of fully funded graduate education on the retention of Naval Officers
Conzen, Eric L. (Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School, 1999-12);This thesis investigates the impact of "funded graduate education" on retention of Naval Officers. Logit regression and multivariate models were used to determine the effects that a graduate degree from the Naval Postgraduate ...