Student and faculty perceptions and attitudes about the masters

University of Tennessee, Knoxville TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange Masters Theses Graduate School 5-2003 Student and faculty perceptions and attitudes about the master's thesis in social work Donna J Cherry Follow this and additional works at: https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_gradthes Recommended Citation Cherry, Donna J., "Student and faculty perceptions and attitudes about the master's thesis in social work " Master's Thesis, University of Tennessee, 2003 https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_gradthes/5202 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange It has been accepted for inclusion in Masters Theses by an authorized administrator of TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange For more information, please contact trace@utk.edu To the Graduate Council: I am submitting herewith a thesis written by Donna J Cherry entitled "Student and faculty perceptions and attitudes about the master's thesis in social work." I have examined the final electronic copy of this thesis for form and content and recommend that it be accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, with a major in Social Work Stan Bowie, Major Professor We have read this thesis and recommend its acceptance: Accepted for the Council: Carolyn R Hodges Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School (Original signatures are on file with official student records.) To the Graduate Council: I am submitting herewith a thesis written by Donna J Cherry entitled "Student and Faculty Perceptions and Attitudes About the Master's Thesis in Social Work." I have examined the final paper copy of this thesis for form and content and recommend that it be accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Social Work, with a major in Social Work We have read this thesis and recommend its acceptance: VJ.� Catherine N Dulmus, Ph.D ~ ��� Acceptance for the Council: Vice Provost and De Graduate Studies STUDENT AND FACULTY PERCEPTIONS AND ATTITUDES ABOUT THE MASTER'S THESIS IN SOCIAL WORK A Thesis Presented for the Master of Science in Social Work ·Degree The University of Tennessee, Knoxville Donna J Cherry May 2003 DEDICATIONS This thesis is dedicated ·to my husband, Bill, for his unfailing support, friendship, and sense of humor I also dedicate this to future social students with the hope that this work will contribute toward the College's ongoing improvements of the program 11 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Many people contributed at various levels to the shaping and implementation of this study ·To begin, I wish to acknowledge those who provided informal but critical support Dr Tom C Cruthirds, who altruistically and unknowingly sparked my interest in writing issues of students by sharing a social work journal that contained a timely and provocative article Thanks to my classmates in Knoxville who participated in the focus groups and to the students and faculty who took the time to complete the survey Also thanks to Dr Bill Nugent, who provided vital feedback on IRB approval issues as well as data analysis approaches Next, I wish to thank Dr Catherine Dulmus and Dr David Dupper, who agreed to serve on my thesis committee and provided valuable input and support throughout the process They each co�tributed additional ideas and dimensions to the original research question that resulted in an extensive and rewarding study Thanks also to Dr Dupper for facilitating contact with the Associate Deans at the Nashville and Memphis campuses that enabled the survey to be administered in the classrooms Lastly, I would like to acknowledge the person who has been with me for the entire journey: Dr Stan L Bowie Among the many, many things I have learned through this process is that the pursuit of a thesis is impossible without the proper care and feeding of the student by a devoted mentor Dr Bowie fulfilled this role and more I wish to thank him for the countless hours he so enthusiastically devoted to each step of my study: from sifting through and shaping up the research topic; guidance on conducting focus groups; constructing the surveys; strategizing on data collection and data analysis; and clear and thoughtful direction on tackling the writing process I hope to repay him some day by providing mentorship to others lll ABSTRACT The general aim of this study was to examine student and faculty perceptions of barriers to pursuing the thesis This was in response to the relatively limited knowledge base, research, and literature addressing the thesis/capstone option for the master's program in social work, and lack of theses successfully completed at the University of Tennessee College of Social Work Specifically, the study investigated the background characteristics, curriculum choices, and attitudes of a sample of current and former students enrolled in the MSSW program at the University of Tennessee as well as current faculty at the same institution The data were obtained from a purposive sample of 364 current and former MSSW students and 25 current faculty from the three campuses of University of Tennessee College of Social Work located in Knoxville, Memphis, and Nashville The data were collected in October and November 2002 through the use of a survey questionnaire that included a quantitative and qualitative design Findings revealed that students feel positively about research and writing, which are the main components of a thesis, and appreciate the value of the thesis and research for both personal and professional growth Statistically significant findings utilizing Pearson's Chi Square Test of Independence were realized Significant relationships were found between undergraduate majors and writing ability (Chi-square(l 2) = 27.221, p