If It Walks Like a Duck: Self-Identification, Definition, and Experiences of Non-Traditional Doctoral Students in the Communication Discipline

This study aimed to understand experiences of nontraditional doctoral students pursuing their PhD in Communication. Although the term “nontraditional student” exists in the literature (Cox & Ebbers, 2010; Stone & O’Shea, 2019), there is little consensus about demographics of nontraditional doctoral students (NTDS), nor their experiences navigating these programs. Using qualitative, thematic analysis of survey responses, this critical mixed-method study found three themes— age, experience, and education gap—as defining identity factors, barriers, and benefits. Participants described themselves as nontraditional due to different lived experiences from graduate peers, resulting in feelings of “Otherness” within their programs. These findings suggest that although some NTDS navigate graduate work with added benefits of social or financial support and life experience, they may also face a cumulative disadvantage within academic departments, networks, publishing, and other doctoral labor.