| Although the elimination of affirmative action has received significant interest in the literature of minority student retention, few empirical research studies examine these students at the Ph.D. level. Of the few studies that exist, African-American and Caucasian graduate students reported differences in their graduate program experiences and that a significant number of African American doctoral students were more likely to abandon their Ph.D. program. This ethnographic study contributes to the literature on the impact of race on graduate study by focusing on two understudied areas of analysis: (1) to examine differences in socialization experiences for African-American and Caucasian students in Education, Humanities, and Social Science Ph.D. programs; and, (2) to what degree do socialization experiences affect African-American graduate student satisfaction, socialization levels within their academic units, and general attitudes about graduate education.;This ethnographic study explored the experiences of 28 African-American and 32 Caucasian doctoral students at a predominantly Caucasian, urban, major research institution in Southern California. Data consisted of semi-structured interviews, follow-up interviews, and focus groups. This study also links the fields of student development theory, academic and social integration theory and Holland's Congruence-Assimilation Orientation and Socialization Theory.;The results of this study indicate that the size of a cohort, peer and faculty connections, funding, and ethnic diversity determine the degree of socialization within an academic department. Evidence shows that a small cohort, strong faculty and peer mentor connections, funding opportunities to all students, and racial diversity all contributed to student's positive academic and social integration within their department. On the other hand, African-American students admitted into large cohort departments were more than likely to find themselves isolated from their peers, thus negatively impacting their academic and social experiences. To that end, although many African-American doctoral students had negative academic and social experiences at Metropolitan University, the investment of time and money were the motivating factors that helped them focus on the completion of their degree program. |
