Educational and Career Perspectives of the Graduates of the Program of Business Administration: a Case Study

The current analysis focuses on a single question about third-cycle education (aspi-rantura) aspirations, based on data from a retrospective survey conducted among two cohorts of graduates: those from on-campus programs and alumni of a pilot online Business Administration Master's (BAM) program offered by two higher education institutions in Armenia be-tween 2017 and 2022. A total of 165 graduates participated in the survey, including 128 from on-campus programs and 37 from the online BAM program. Despite generally positive self-assessments of their acquired knowledge, skills, and competencies, the results show that most respondents, across both program modes, do not intend to pursue doctoral studies. The dis-tribution of responses by year of graduation and mode of education was examined using de-scriptive statistical analysis. The results are presented separately and analyzed in light of the body of research on graduate transitions and aspirations for doctoral education in post-Soviet and developing nations. According to the study, the reluctance to pursue PhD-level education may be a reflection of larger structural or socioeconomic barriers rather than a direct corre-lation with the perceived caliber of their academic preparation. These findings underscore the need for targeted academic counseling and institutional support to enhance doctoral pathways in Armenia.