Committee Chair

Crawford, Elizabeth K.

Committee Member

Williamson, Cindy T.; Rausch, David W.; Freeman, Yancy E.

Department

Dept. of Applied Leadership and Learning

College

College of Health, Education, and Professional Studies

Publisher

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Place of Publication

Chattanooga (Tenn.)

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore if closed classes related to credit hour enrollment and graduation for undergraduate students at a mid-size public institution. A mixed-methods study was guided by four research questions: • Research Question 1 (RQ1): How, if at all, do closed class encounters predict credit hour enrollment while controlling for student demographics and academic preparation for first-time, full-time students at a public university? • Research Question 2 (RQ2): How, if at all, do closed class encounters predict time to graduation while controlling for student demographics and academic preparation for first-time, full-time students at a public university? • Research Question 3 (RQ3): How do undergraduate students perceive their experiences with course registration and closed classes as it relates to overall enrollment? • Research Question 4 (RQ4): How do undergraduate students perceive their experiences with course registration and closed classes as it relates to their graduation? The quantitative portion of the study analyzed historical student demographic and registration data for 6,418 students from three freshmen cohorts. Hierarchical regression analyses produced a model with student demographic variables and closed class encounters that predicted between 2% to 6% of variance in enrollment hours and 11% of variance in graduation. Closed class encounters had limited predictive power in the regression models, adding between .2% to .4% of explanation in all regression models. The qualitative elements of the study used survey data to gather student perspectives regarding registration and closed classes, and 189 students participated in the survey. Their responses were analyzed and categorized through a thematic coding process, with emergent themes being reported. The findings suggested the majority of students encountered closed classes, but they used many different strategies to navigate enrollment and graduation planning, including enrolling in alternative courses over preferred classes. The enrollment changes had differing impacts on students, including conflicts with other personal, work, and academic obligations. The importance of faculty and academic advisors in supporting student success was also surfaced. Potential recommendations include revised class scheduling and registration practices, proactive registration support for students, and emphasizing the value of the courses to students.

Acknowledgments

Thank you to my friends and colleagues who have supported me throughout my doctoral journey. Your words of encouragement and casual check-ins meant more than you will ever know. A special thank you to Dr. Donny Behneman who provided me with endless guidance and inspiration from the moment I applied to the LEAD program to the culmination of this research project. Thank you to all the LEAD faculty for supporting me along the way. You helped me push myself out of my comfort zone and believed I could complete this milestone from the beginning, even when I doubted myself. I am forever grateful for my wonderful dissertation committee, Drs. Crawford, Williamson, Rausch, and Freeman. Your thoughtful feedback and guidance kept me motivated and focused, and I have learned so much from each of you throughout this program.

Degree

Ph. D.; A dissertation submitted to the faculty of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

Date

12-2025

Subject

Academic achievement--United States--Evaluation; Education, Higher--Administration--United States; School enrollment--Education (Higher)

Keyword

course registration, student enrollment, student success

Document Type

Doctoral dissertations

DCMI Type

Text

Extent

xiii, 123 leaves

Language

English

Rights

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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