Vocational Education Commons^™

A Qualitative Inquiry Into Female International Doctoral Students Challenges And Stressors, Sameer Ahmed, Maya Jaber

Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development

Objective: A qualitative inquiry to explore the challenges and stressors female international doctoral students experience. Background: Student challenges and stress result in attrition and non-completion of doctoral programs. Using Urie Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory framework, the study connected the theory subsystems to the challenges and stressors female international doctoral students experience. Method: The study analyzed the lived experiences of five female international doctoral students at an Illinois research institution, using a qualitative approach (phenomenology). The participants were interviewed using themed theoretical framework questions. Results: The results identified concerns related to all subsystems. Academic (microsystem and mesosystem) challenges included a lack …