Retention Effects of Immediate Graduate Education in the Nuclear Community
Abstract
This thesis examines how the timing of graduate education affects retention among officers in the nuclear community. Officers were divided into four main categories: Earned a master s degree in the first five years of their career, earned a master s after five years of their career, never earned a master s, and commissioned with a master s. The retention behavior of officers in each of these categories was compared to determine the effect on an officer s decision to remain in the Navy until promoted to CDR. Officers who earned their graduate degree in the first five years of their career had a positive effect on retention given the officer had attained the rank of Lieutenant Commander or had at least been commissioned in the nuclear community for ten years. The cost to send an officer to graduate school in the first five years is substantially less than sending him later in his career. The scholarship programs that send officers to graduate school early in their career make a substantial contribution to the nuclear community and should be utilized as a cost effective tool for all officers to earn their graduate degree before their Executive Officer sea tour.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2013
- Accession Number
- ADA583451
Entities
People
- Sidney W. Cheek
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School