Graduate Program

College Student Affairs

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Semester of Degree Completion

2011

Thesis Director

Dan Nadler

Thesis Committee Member

Mona Davenport

Thesis Committee Member

Jennifer Sipes

Abstract

Little research has been done to examine the experiences of African American undergraduate single mothers. Because of this, the purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of African American undergraduate single mothers at a Predominantly White Institution. Prior research identified the following themes: African American women in higher education, single mothers in higher education, welfare reform, and support systems. A qualitative study was conducted to gain an in depth understanding of five women's perceptions of their experiences at Fields University. Individual interviews were conducted with five student mothers, each of whom had one child living with her. These interviews were tape recorded, transcribed into computer files, and coded to identify general themes and subthemes. Themes that emerged during transcript analysis were: learning about single motherhood, challenges, keys to success, and embracing the future. The findings were then analyzed and compared to prior research. The discussion section revealed several commonalities between prior research and themes from the current study. This study concludes with recommendations for institutions of higher education, African American single mothers, and future research.

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