Date of Degree

2026

Degree Name

Ed.D. (Doctor of Education)

Department

Department of Counseling and Higher Education (CAHE)

Director

Nyunt, Gudrun

Committee Members

Hutchings, Quortne; Schimmel, Kari

Keywords

rural, compressed courses, term length, student success outcomes, community college, modality, graduation, completion

Abstract

Rural community colleges have been under increasing pressure to improve student success rates. This pressure has been exacerbated in states with performance-based funding models (e.g., Ohio) because subsidies are tied to performance metrics, including course, certificate, and degree completion. Using fall and spring institutional data from a midsized rural community college in Ohio, this study examined enrollment trends and the association between course structure, defined as term length on its own and in combination with modality, and student success, measured as course completion and graduation, using chi-square analysis. Analysis showed significant increases in success rates for students who took compressed courses, regardless of modality, at the course level and at graduation. Although the results indicated a small effect size and were limited to one institution, the study highlights the need for further research in this area, including examining effects by subject matter, demographics, and withdrawal rates. Meanwhile, the implications of this study highlight an opportunity for policymakers seeking to improve success rates and access by offering flexible course structures within their institutions.

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses and dissertations are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors, unless otherwise indicated.

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Available for download on Wednesday, February 23, 2028

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