Determinants of the University's Graduate School Public Image in the Philippines
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Abstract
In the Philippine context, graduate education contributes significantly to national development and enhances institutional credibility by cultivating school leaders. The present study examined graduates’ perceptions of the appropriateness and utility of the Ph.D. in Educational Administration (Ph.D.-Ed. Ad) and the MAED in Administration and Supervision (MAED-AS) programs at Cotabato State University, as well as the relationship between these perceptions and the public image of the Graduate School. Utilizing a descriptive-correlational approach, data were collected from 54 graduates through surveys and focus group discussions. Results indicated that both programs were perceived as appropriate and useful for developing knowledge, skills, and attitudes, with grand means of 3.87 (PhD) and 4.34 (MAED) for appropriateness, and 4.01 (PhD) and 4.36 (MAED) for usefulness. The public image was rated as “highly achieved” (PhD = 4.52; MAED = 4.53). Correlation analysis revealed a moderate positive association (r = 0.45–0.50, p < 0.01) between curriculum relevance and public image. This study extends tracer frameworks by clarifying the relationship between curriculum relevance and institutional image, and provides insights for accreditation and policy reform in the Philippines and broader Asian contexts.
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