Campus Location
Dallas Campus (Online)
Date of Award
11-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Department
Organizational Leadership
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Committee Chair or Primary Advisor
Dr. Kyle Butler
Second Committee Member or Secondary Advisor
Dr. Karen Maxwell
Third Committee Member or Committee Reader
Dr. Jason Morris
Abstract
Student retention has become an increasingly popular topic for colleges and universities as they look for ways to keep students amid ever-changing budget climates. Research shows that high quality first-year experience (FYE) courses can provide crucial support to new students as they enter the college or university. Additionally, many researchers have found that supporting students through their transition to a new college environment, developing their sense of belonging, and helping them get involved on campus lead to increased student retention. The purpose of this study was to explore the curriculum, format, and delivery of the FYE course at Blue University (a pseudonym) to better understand how the course impacts a student’s transition, sense of belonging, and involvement. The qualitative case study consisted of semistructured interviews with FYE course instructors, peer leaders called orientation leaders, and students to answer the following research questions: (a) What are the participants’ perceptions regarding how the FYE course assists new students in their transition to Blue University? (b) What are the participants’ perceptions regarding how the FYE course assists new students in developing a sense of belonging at Blue University? and (c) What are the participants’ perceptions regarding how the FYE course assists new students in getting involved at Blue University? The results showed that the course has a positive impact on new students’ transition to the university by delivering basic campus information; offering an environment for positive interactions with faculty, staff, and peers; and providing opportunities for involvement.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Alexander, Taler, "The Effectiveness of a First-Year Experience Course: A Case Study From a Public Regional University in the Central United States" (2025). Digital Commons @ ACU, Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 962.
https://digitalcommons.acu.edu/etd/962