College support systems, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and goals among students in community college baccalaureate programs

Abstract

Community College Baccalaureate (CCB) programs have expanded access to bachelor’s degrees for students who might not otherwise pursue them, yet little is known about how students in these programs experience institutional support or how their motivational beliefs shape progress toward degree completion. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how students enrolled in CCB programs experience college support systems and how self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and goals influence their progress toward degree attainment. Tinto’s (1993) Model of Institutional Departure served as the theoretical framework, and Social Cognitive Career Theory (Lent et al., 1994) provided the conceptual framework. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 students enrolled in upper-division CCB coursework at a large metropolitan community college district in the southwestern United States, and the data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Eight themes emerged from the analysis. Addressing the first research question, participants experienced faculty as their primary support system; student support services were available, useful, and accessed as needed; information resources helped students navigate their programs; and flexibility and familiarity made the CCB pathway attainable. Addressing the second research question, students built confidence by completing difficult academic work; persisted by managing competing work, family, health, and school responsibilities; connected the degree to their future careers through hands-on and work-based learning; and were kept moving toward completion by career goals, degree attainment, and expected future outcomes. The findings suggest that persistence in CCB programs emerges from the interaction between institutional conditions and student agency. Implications for community college leaders, faculty, and student support professionals include strengthening faculty–student relationships, improving the clarity and timeliness of program information, designing learning experiences that build self-efficacy, and aligning programs with workforce outcomes. Recommendations for future research include examining the experiences of lower-division students who intend to enter CCB programs and replicating the study in other states and program areas.