Date of Conferral
7-21-2025
Degree
Ph.D.
School
Management
Advisor
Howard Schechter
Abstract
There was a limited understanding of the lived experiences of African American males who had completed their doctoral degrees, which could provide solutions to the barriers faced by those did not complete the doctoral program. Elements of critical race theory, Vroom’s expectancy theory, and Herzberg’s theory of motivation were combined into a single conceptual framework to understand the barriers experienced by African American men that prevented them from pursuing and completing doctoral programs. The data analysis process included a pre-coding exercise conducted after data collection to identify patterns or commonalities between the two sets of data. The results from this qualitative phenomenological study highlighted factors that contributed to the success of the participants who completed their programs and offered insights into the experiences of the participants who chose not to pursue a doctorate degree. Support, mentoring, and resources emerged as factors stated by the participants who successfully completed their doctorate programs. The factors stated by the participants who chose not to pursue a doctorate degree were support, finances, and mentorship, respectively. The implications from the findings could be used to encourage more African American men in the completion of doctoral degrees, fostering positive social change within their respective communities and field of study.
Recommended Citation
Tucker, Vincent L., "An Explanation of African American Males' Experiences and Decisions in the Pursuit of Doctoral Degrees" (2025). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 18095.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/18095
