Publication Date

Summer 2015

Advisor(s) - Committee Chair

Aaron Hughey (Director), Monica Burke, and Joelle Carter

Degree Program

Educational Leadership Doctoral Program

Degree Type

Doctor of Education

Abstract

This study ascertained the admissions criteria utilized by Radiography programs with high graduation rates and determined whether a relationship exists between admissions criteria and graduation rates. With the high demands for healthcare professionals, preserving the number of students accepted into a cohort throughout the two-year program can be an overwhelming task. These programs should make every effort to admit and graduate those who meet the needs of the public, needs both diverse and subject to change. Radiography program directors and admissions committees are considered the “gatekeepers” of the profession. Yearly, more candidates apply than seats available. Therefore, the directors and committees are faced with the daunting task of selecting students they feel will be successful. Developing a selection system that is fair and equitable to all individuals is a difficult task. Selective admissions measures should be evaluated on the basis of validity, fairness, and feasibility. In the past, a lack of available research has forced program directors to evaluate their admissions process with those in other allied health fields. This research adds to the knowledge sought each year by program directors, who are held accountable for students they admit, as well as those they do not admit. Nine research questions guided this study, which sought to determine the selection criteria utilized by programs with high graduation rates. Results revealed that programs with high graduation rates in both two- and four-year programs utilized more criteria for their selection process than those with moderate to low graduation rates. In addition, a significant difference was seen in criteria utilized for interviews, types of reference letters, and the number and type of prerequisite classes employed as part of the admission criteria by programs with high graduation rates. Radiography program directors can utilize the results to reformat their current admissions process to improve graduation rates in their programs.

Disciplines

Education | Educational Leadership | Other Educational Administration and Supervision

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