Frances Worthey, Dissertation ABSTRACT, Dr. William Kritsonis, Dissertation Chair, PV, The Texas A&M University System

1. ABSTRACT
MIXED METHOD INVESTIGATION OF THE RETENTION AND
PLACEMENT OF WOMEN IN NON-TRADITONAL FIELDS OF STUDY IN
HIGHER EDUCATION
(September 2008)
Frances Craig Worthey: B.S. – Texas Women’s University
M.S. - Prairie View A&M University
Dissertation Chair: William Allan Kritsonis, Ph.D.
This study examined the factors that affected the entry and
retention of women pursuing non-traditional fields of study in higher
education and their placement in a non-traditional workforce. An
identifiable population of females from two-year technical training
colleges from Texas was the focus of this study.
The researcher utilized the explanatory design to first show the
quantitative results of the study, followed by the qualitative portion that
gave the reasons why females choose to enter the non-traditional fields of
study, and the career choices, personal elements and the institutional
factors that affected the retention of females in the non-traditional fields
of study.
A structured survey involving 187 purposively-sampled
respondents, all women, with ages between 18 to 55 years old, and
enrolled in a non-traditional field of study in one of the colleges under

2. study, provided answers to the four research questions. Anecdotal
records drawn from the interviews of 25 respondents selected using the
same criteria as the survey, supported the qualitative dimension of
study.
The quantitative portion of the study showed that the mean scores
of the married versus the single or divorced were not significantly
different regarding their reason for joining non-traditional fields of study,
career choice, personal element and institutional factors.
Results of the qualitative dimension of the study provided
information on how motivations, barriers and classroom experiences may
have contributed to women achieving success in non-traditional careers
and fields of study, and created a greater awareness of the personal
elements, career choice, and institutional factors that contributed to the
successful placement of women in non-traditional fields of study in
higher education.