Expanding the Pathway to the Ph.D: Exploring the Role of Terminal Master’s Degrees on Latina/o Doctoral Student Production

Despite representing the largest ethnic minority group in the United States, Latina/os are underrepresented in graduate school and continue to fall behind in doctoral achievement when compared to White, African American, Asian American, and Native American populations (Pérez Huber et al., 2015). The Latina/o attrition rate indicates significant obstacles in Latina/o educational pathways throughout the postsecondary system. This study explores the personal and academic experiences of Latina/o terminal master's degree students in order to unpack the potential of the terminal master's degree as a pathway to the doctorate for Latina/o students pursuing programs in the humanities and social sciences. A terminal master's degree refers to an academic master's earned at an institution that does not offer doctoral work in that field of study. This study builds on research recognizing the need for expanded diversity efforts in the doctoral and professoriate pathways. Using Critical Race Theory, Community Cultural Wealth, and Domains of Power as theoretical perspectives, particular attention was paid to how the intersection of race, culture, and socioeconomic status influenced the participants' experiences and how institutional norms and policies shaped their educational trajectories. Drawing on interview responses from five terminal master's students and four Latina/o doctoral degree holders who pursued terminal master's degrees from a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), the study identified four broad themes - fifteen subthemes - centered on the 1) process of selecting a graduate program; 2) institutional failures and self-advocacy; 3) institutional context around challenges and support structures; and, 4) the impact of race/ethnicity within a Hispanic Serving Institution. These findings might affect recruitment, retention, and completion strategies for institutions that enroll or aspire to enroll Latina/o graduate students.