International Journal of Doctoral Studies Volume 10, 2015 Cite as: Grabowski, L., & Miller, J. (2015). Business professional doctoral programs: Student motivations, educational process, and graduate career outcomes. International Journal of Doctoral Studies, 10, 257-279. Retrieved from http://ijds.org/Volume10/IJDSv10p257-278Grabowski0957.pdf Business Professional Doctoral Programs: Student Motivations, Educational Process, and Graduate Career Outcomes Louis Grabowski Jeanette Miller Vice President, Director of Strategy, Kennesaw State University 360° Transformational Foundation, Development, USA Kennesaw, GA, USA
[email protected] [email protected] Abstract The emerging body of research on business professional doctoral programs has focused primarily on the programs’ composition and management, offering limited insight into students’ motiva- tions and the impact the degree has on graduates and their careers. However, understanding these student motivations and career impacts is valuable for several reasons. In addition to helping fu- ture candidates assess various programs and the business professional doctoral degree itself, it can help enrolled students maximize their academic experience and help administrators improve these programs so that they better meet students’ personal and professional expectations. To bridge this research gap, this study pursued a mixed-methods approach to glean insights into why people pursue professional doctorates in business, the ultimate personal and professional outcomes of students, and the educational process producing those outcomes. The study revealed that most students entered these programs with a desire for personal or professional transformation, includ- ing the possibility of entering academia or a new industry. Moreover, the vast majority of pro- gram graduates believed they had experienced such a transformation, often in both professional and personal ways.