The Current State of LCUP Graduates: A Tracer Study of MAED Graduates from

Academic Year 2012-2013 to 2015-2016

by: Maria Corazon Diaz Segismundo, CPA, MBA*

Administrative Officer to the EVP/VPAA
La Consolacion University Philippines
Catmon, Malolos City, Bulacan, Philippines, 3000
[email protected] +63(044) 797 3321

and

Mailyn M. Zacarias
Administrative Assistant
La Consolacion University Philippines
Catmon, Malolos City, Bulacan, Philippines, 3000
[email protected] +63(044) 797 3321

Abstract: The paper is a tracer study of 45 Master of Arts in Education (MAED) graduates of
La Consolacion University Philippines from AY 2012-2013 to 2015-2016, aimed to assess the
Program's contribution to the graduates’ personal and professional growth as well as to the
nation’s human capital. An online survey with Google forms was created, patterned after the
Commission on Higher Education's questionnaire. Results reveal that majority of the MAED
alumni work in private firms as full-time and permanent employees, with average monthly
remuneration ranging from P 21,000-30,000, and majority occupying posts as
professors/instructors, an evidence that their current jobs are related to their graduate degree. On
the average, most have served their present employers from 1 to 15 years, and majority claimed
that their current job was their first after graduation. However, only a few have pursued further
studies. The Program was found to have very highly contributed to the enhancement of the
graduates' personal and professional growth specifically on academic profession, Augustinian
values formation, research capability, people skills, and problem-solving skills. Overall, the
Program received a Very Good rating. Ten out of 13 program aspects were rated Excellent:
relevance to profession, professor’s knowledge of the subject matter, premium given to research,
range of courses, teaching and learning environment, quality of instruction, class size, professor’s
pedagogical expertise, interdisciplinary learning, and teacher-student relationships. Results from
this study are intended to be used along with other institutional research information to strengthen
the MAED curriculum and improve the overall quality of LCUP’s Graduate School course
offerings.
Keywords: graduate school; tracer study; MAED; personal professional growth

*corresponding author
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1. Introduction
Current developments in the Philippines underscore the need for a better understanding of the labor market to identify
appropriate strategies for decent employment and the creation of prolific and productive ones. The quality of a nation’s
human resources is indistinguishably linked to the effectiveness and efficiency, not only in its educational system but
its education and training institutions as well. The advancement of a country’s economy is becoming increasingly
dependent on its human capital. (Slaus and Jacobs, 2011; Peters, 2013; Nyoku and Onyegbula, 2017). At a time when
the country is undergoing a critical phase of its development, with a restructuring of its economic regions towards
service-oriented and knowledge-based growth, it remains a fact that there is an increasing pressure for graduates to
compete for jobs which are not growing at the same pace with the increase in the number of people seeking gainful
employment. Having a critical mass of professionals at all times to support existing and emerging industries is of
utmost importance. However, it is equally appropriate that prospective new entrants possess the required skills,
knowledge and expertise that employers need in the labor market.
The Philippines as a developing country, faces these same challenges having been affected for decades by primarily
high unemployment and underemployment rates. The growing population and increasing labor force continue to
outpace the creation of formal jobs. The Philippine education system churns out more and more college graduates
with different career disciplines such as public administration, commerce/business, engineering, health, sciences, and
law, among others. But the “jobs are not created as fast as the universities handing out of the graduate school diploma”
(de Ocampo, Bagano, and Tan, 2012).
In the real academic world, the role of HEIs, can not only be limited to imparting knowledge but also to contribute to
maintaining a competitive economy and most importantly, to securing the graduates' dream to be employed and to
gain recognition and success in their respective disciplines. On the other hand, the inability of graduates to meet the
skills and competencies required by the industry is one of the major factors for underemployment and the difficulty in
finding jobs (Menez, 2014).
In addressing the emergent and intricate nature and trials of the 21st century, higher education stands out as one of the
primary keys to cope with reforms. Through its crucial tri logical functions on instruction, research, and extension
with the addition of another function which is production, higher education makes-up a vital and strategic factor in
development. Moreover, Executive Order # 83, series of 2012 creates the Philippine Qualifications Framework, which
mandates agencies like DepEd, CHED, TESDA, PRC and DOLE “responsibilities in reviewing learning standards in
basic education, and higher education, technical skills development, and in the alignment of the licensure
examination."
The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) was created with a vision to spearhead the Philippine higher education
system to partner with the major higher education stakeholders in building the nation’s human capital and innovation
capacity toward its development. In effect, CHED is mandated to promote relevant, efficient and quality higher
education (Gines, 2014).
Per records of the National Statistics Office, the unemployment rate in January 2015 is at 6.9 percent or 2.6 million
while the underemployment rate is at 17.5 percent (7.1 million). In its January 2015 Labor Force Survey, the NSO
revealed that more than half or 51.7 percent of the unemployed were from the age group of 15-24. Of this number,
32.8 percent are high school graduates, 13.8 percent are college undergraduates, and 21.0 percent are college
graduates.
Likewise, in a joint study conducted by the International Labor Organization and Employers Confederation of the
Philippines, a significant job skills mismatch in the Philippines was found, and its impact was said to be more crippling
for the manufacturing sector than for services. The report said the mismatch is “significant enough to hamper the
country’s manufacturing potential and constrain economic growth” (The Philippine Star, March 2, 2016; ILO.org,
2017). The mismatch was found to be also a contributing factor to the high unemployment rate in the country, which
remains among the highest in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
With this available data, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has been strictly keeping tabs with industry
stakeholders to address the job mismatch and are likewise being involved in the development of curricula and program
standards, on-the-job-training programs, apprenticeships, faculty immersion, assessment-based talent development
and other activities.
Also, in a bid to address this increasing job mismatch in the country, CHED mandated universities all over the country
to conduct Graduate Tracer Study (GTS) to determine the employability of graduates based on their respective
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disciplines. CHED hopes, through the study, to assess the issues concerning employability and the relevance of higher
education programs concerning expectations of the employers. It will utilize the findings of the study to provide
incentives to institutions; monitor program quality in the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs); determine the basis
for allocating scholarships, prioritize or de-prioritize courses; and investigate whether 21st-century skills are
appropriately and adequately taught to college students.
On the other hand, DOLE's Labor Market Information (LMI) Report for 2013 to 2020, listed 275 key occupations as
in-demand, while 102 jobs were identified as hard-to-fill from among key and emerging industries. In-demand
occupations pertain to current occupations or job vacancies posted or advertised recurrently. These occupations have
high turnover or replacement rate and are essentials in the operations of a company. Meanwhile, the report defined
hard-to-fill jobs as vacancies which the business is having difficulty to be filled either because prospective applicants
are unqualified or there is a shortage of or no job candidates for the particular vacancy (www.ble.dole.gov.ph).
In fact, according to the Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP), the
estimated 1.2 million students who graduated from college and finish vocation courses in March 2017 will find it
difficult to find jobs due to an increasing mismatch between their training and the skills required by the labor market
(Business Mirror, 2016; Depasupil, 2017).
Tracer studies constitute one form of empirical study, which can be considered an appropriate means of evaluating
the results of the training and education provided at a given institution (Orejana and Resurrecion, 2010; Celis, Festijo,
and Cueto, 2013; Aquino, Punongbayan, Macalaguim, Bauyon, Rodriguez, and Quizon, 2015). It brought together
certain basic types of information concerning the contemporary undergraduate experience, the first and current work
position of graduates, the correspondence between educational qualifications and required work skills, and the level
of employment, unemployment, and underemployment among alumni. Findings of such studies can often demonstrate
the success of education and training concerning the alumni, labor market and employers. The information acquired
using tracer surveys can also serve as a basis for future institutional and national level planning activities and indicate
possible deficits in a given educational program and such that academic program might be brought more firmly in line
with the needs of the economy.
According to Schomburg (2003 as cited in Hazaymeth and Dela Pena, 2014; 2012), tracer studies, also known as
"graduate studies, alumni research or follow-up studies, target graduates of an institution of higher education to get
information that indicates possible deficiencies in a given educational program and to serve as a basis for future
planning activities". He further asserts that the information on the professional career, status or income of the graduates
are required as well as information on the relevance of and relationship between knowledge and skills, work
requirements, workplace locality, position, among others (Rachelle, 2012).
1.2 Research Framework
This paper had its theoretical underpinnings on the human capital theory. Schultz and Backer (1961; 1975 as cited in
Mulongo, 2012) gave this theory more substance when they affirmed that time and money expended on education
build human capital; hence the rate of return on investment (ROI) must be calculated in a way similar to investment
on capital assets. In brief, the human capital theory posits that an individual’s education is an investment, involving
direct costs spent on education and the opportunity costs of time spent by the student (akin to investment in physical
assets by a company), which enhances the individual’s productivity and ensues him the prospect of a stream of benefits
such as higher wages, greater productivity, and other non-monetary benefits to both individual and the society.
It is in this context that this study was done to determine whether there are also mismatches, underemployment and
promotion issues among graduates of the Master of Arts in Education (MAED) program of the University.
La Consolacion University Philippines offers the MAED program as one of its course offerings in the Graduate
School. Presently, the MAED program is a candidate for Level IV Accreditation by the Philippine Association of
Colleges and Universities Commission on Accreditation (PACUCOA).
1.3 Statement of the Problem
This Graduate School Tracer Study aimed to assess the work performances of La Consolacion University Philippines’
forty-five (45) Master of Arts in Education graduates for Academic Years 2012 to 2016 through the following
indicators: employment information, contribution of MAED program of study to personal and professional growth,
and overall respondents’ rating of the program of study.
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The results of generated empirical data were hoped to be used as bases for program improvement and curricula
enhancement to meet the needs and expectations of the industry thereby reducing the rate of unemployment in the
country. Moreover, the tracer study aimed to help LCUP institute necessary policies and reforms to make certain that
the University and its graduates are prepared to meet the challenges of a 21 st-century world.
Specifically, it sought answer to the following questions:
1. How would the employment information of respondents be described in terms of the ff:
a. Type of Organization f. Place of work
b. Employment Type g. First job after finishing graduate
c. Occupational Classification degree
d. Relationship of current job in post h. Employment status
graduate degree i. Monthly income range
e. Number of years in the company
2. In case of self-employment, how would the employment information of respondents be described in terms
of the ff:
a. Nature of Business
b. Number of Years
c. Monthly income range
3. How would the respondents rate the contribution of the MAED program of study to their personal and
professional growth?
4. How would the respondents rate the overall MAED program of study?

2. Materials and Methods

2.1 Research Design
The research study utilized Descriptive Evaluation in tracing work performances of LCUP MAED graduates and
enhancing its sustainability. Descriptive Evaluation means collecting data that describes the event and then organizes,
tabulates, depicts, and describes the data collected (Stern et al. 2012). This method fitted the study well since the study
attempted to describe the impact of LCUP Graduate School Master of Arts in Education Program on its students.
2.2 Respondents
The research study used purposive sampling. Purposive sampling is defined as a non-representative subset of some
larger population and is constructed to serve a particular need or purpose (Palinkas et al., 2013; Patton and Cochan,
2002). The respondents of the study were graduate students of LCUP MAED program from Academic Year 2012-
2013 to 2016-2017. A total of 45 graduates were respondents of the study which is shown in Table 1.

The biggest number of graduates were from Batch 2013-2014 totaling fourteen (13) representing 31% of the total
respondents. Thirteen (13) alumni or 29% were graduates of academic year 2015-2016 while ten or 22% came from
Batch 2015-2015. Eight alumni, representing 18% of the total, were graduates of academic year 2012-2013;

Table 1: Respondents of the Study

School Year Total Graduates Percentage
S.Y. 2012-2013 8 18%
S.Y. 2013-2014 14 31%
S.Y. 2014-2015 10 22%
S.Y. 2015-2016 13 29%
Total 45 100%

2.3 Instrument of the Study

The study used a survey questionnaire made available online as the primary instrument of the study adapted from the
tracer study instrument perused by the Commission on Higher Education. The research study utilized a quantitative
approach. According to the Institute of Agriculture of the University of Tennessee, the quantitative approach in
 4

research is more objective because it provides observed effects of the program on a problem or condition through
numerical values and formula. (Donaldson, 2013).

2.4 Data Gathering and Procedure

To gather the necessary information, the researchers sent a letter to the Registrar’s Office requesting for a complete
list of LCUP MAED graduates from year 2012-2013 until 2015-2016. The graduates’ records contained the addresses
of the respondents, their mobile phone/telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses. An online survey questionnaire was
created with Google forms which aided the researchers in summarizing the graduates’ responses. Several follow-ups
were made through phone calls, text messages, e-mails and messages sent through Facebook Messenger.
2.5 Statistical Treatment of Data
The data were processed using frequency counts, percentages, and mean results. Five-point Likert scales were utilized
to describe the results as follows:
a. For the respondents’ rating pertinent to the MAED Program’s contribution to their personal and professional
growth, the scale hereunder was employed:
Scale Range Interpretation
5 4.51-.5.00 E The program has excellently contributed to the
respondents’ personal and professional growth.
4 3.51-4.50 VH The program of study has very highly contributed to
the respondents’ personal and professional growth.
3 2.51-3.50 H The program of study has highly contributed to the
respondents’ personal and professional growth.
2 1.51-2.50 F The program of study has fairly contributed to the
respondents’ personal and professional growth.
1 1.0-1.50 P The program of study has poorly contributed to the
respondents’ personal and professional growth.

b. For the respondents’ overall rating of the MAED program:

Scale Range Interpretation
5 4.51-5.00 E The overall program of study is Excellent
4 3.51-4.50 VG The overall program of study is Very Good
3 2.51-3.50 G The overall program of study is Good
2 1.51-2.50 F The overall program of study is Fair
1 1.00-1.50 P The overall program of study is Poor

3. Results and Discussion

The data gathered were presented, analyzed, and interpreted in terms of employment information, contribution of the
program of study to respondents’ personal and professional development and respondents' overall rating of the
program.
3.1 Employment Information
Tables 2 to 11 that are hereafter presented give information relevant to the employment of MAED Graduates which
includes: type of organization, type of employment, occupational classification, the relationship of employment to
post graduate degree, number of years in the company, place of work, designation, employment status as well as
monthly income range.
 5

The type of organizations where graduates are employed is shown in Table 2. 19 respondents, or 42% are affiliated
with public agencies while 25 respondents or 56% work in private organizations. No respondents are affiliated with
any non-government organizations and one alumnus, representing 2% of the total, work in nonprofit organizations.

Table 2: Type of Organization where Graduates are Employed

Type of Organization Frequency Percentage

Public 19 42%
Private 25 56%
NGO 0 0%
Non-Profit Organization 1 2%
Total 45 100%

On the other hand, graduates' employment status is well presented in Table 3 wherein data gathered revealed that 42
respondents or 93.4% of MAED graduates work as full-time employees of their respective organizations while two
respondents representing 4.4% of the total alumni are engaged only on a part-time basis. One respondent, representing
2.2% of the total MAED graduates claimed that he is working part-time but still in search of a full-time job, while no
respondent indicated that he is engaged in a part-time job, but is not looking for full-time employment.
Table 3: Employment Type
Employment Type Frequency Percentage

Fulltime 42 93.4%
Part-time 2 4.4%
Part-time but seeking full- 1 2.2%
time work
Part-time but not seeking 0 0%
fulltime work
Total 45 100%

It could be gleaned from Table 4 that 68.9% or 31 out of the 45 MAED graduates are working as
teachers/instructors/professors. Six graduates representing 13.3% of the total, are administrators in their respective
organizations while three or 6.7% hold positions as corporate executives or managers. Each of the following
positions are occupied by a total of 12.5% or five alumni: official of government and/or special interest organizations,
human resource director/officer, consultant, pastoral, and librarian.

Table 4: Occupational Classification

Occupational Classification Frequency Percentage

Official of Government and Special-Interest Organizations 1 2.2%

Corporate Executive or Manager 3 6.7%
Administrator 6 13.3%
Teacher/instructor/professor 31 68.9
Human Resource director/officer 1 2.2%
Consultant and other special occupations 1 2.2%
Pastoral 1 2.2%
Librarian 1 2.2%
Total 45 100%

Table 5 presents the graduates’ perception of whether or not their current positions are in line with their post graduate
degree. Apparently, 91% or 41 graduates agreed that their present jobs are related to their graduate degree, while four
 6

alumni representing 9% claimed that their current posts are not, in anyway, related to the MAED degree they have
pursued.
Table 5: Relationship of job in post graduate degree
Relationship of current job to post Frequency Percentage
graduate degree
Yes 41 91%
No 4 9%
Maybe 0 0%
Total 45 100%

Table 6 reveals that the majority or 36% or 16 MAED graduates have an average of six to ten years of service in
their respective companies while 14 representing 31% have been with their current employer for a period of one to
five years. Nine graduates or 20% of the total respondents spent 11 to 15 years in service with their current employers;
three or 7% have worked for 16 to 20 years while two or 4% have stayed for 20 and more years with their present
company or organization.
Table 6: Number of Years in the company
Number of Years Frequency Percentage
in the company
1-5 14 31%
6-10 16 36%
11-15 9 20%
16-20 3 7%
20 and above 2 4%
total 45 100%

Data in Table 7 show that 96% or 42 out of 45 graduates are working locally or within the Philippines while 4% or
two alumni are presently working abroad. This is an indicator that most LCUP MAED graduates prefer to be of service
to the nation.

Table 7: Place of work

Number of Years in the company Frequency Percentage

Local 43 96%
Abroad 2 4%
Total 45 100%

Conversely, Table 8 depicts that 42% or 19 graduates currently hold jobs that are not their first jobs after finishing
their graduate degree. This could be an indicator that after completing their master's degree, the respondents were
promoted to higher posts or have decided to look for greener pastures after having been conferred upon a MAED
degree. 58% or 26 alumni confirmed that their current jobs are their first stint at work after graduating from their
master's degree in education.
 7

Table 8: First job after finishing graduate degree

First job after completing Frequency Percentage
graduate degree
Yes 26 58%
No 19 42%
Total 45 100%

It could be culled from the data presented in Table 9 that majority or 89% of the MAED graduates are permanent or
regular employees in their respective workplaces. This indicates that they enjoy all the benefits and privileges
accorded to employees with regard to leave, retirement, and other fringe benefits and perks as maybe bestowed by
management. On the other hand, 11% or five graduates are still on a contractual appointment in government offices,
while no graduates are either on a casual engagement or under a fixed employment contract.
Table 9: Employment Status
Employment Status Frequency Percentage

Permanent/Regular 40 89%
Contractual 5 11%
Casual 0 0%
Fixed-Period 0 0%
Total 45 100%

It could be gleaned from Table 10 that four out of 37 alumni representing 8% of the total, receive the highest
compensation bracket of P 51,000 and above while eight alumni, representing 18% of the total, earn an average
monthly income of P 20,000 and below. Nineteen graduates or 42% receive remuneration from P 21,000 to P 30,000
while 14 graduates representing 31% receive a monthly income between P 31,000 to P 40,000, and one or 2% earning
between P 41,000 to P 50,000.

Table 10: Monthly Income Range

Monthly Income Range Frequency Percentage

Php 20,000 and below 8 18%

Php 21,000-30,000 19 42%
Php 31,000-40,000 14 31%
Php 41,000-50,000 1 2%
Php 51,000 and above 4 8%
Total 45 100%

Table 11 reveals that all respondents or 100% were employed while pursuing their MAED degrees at LCUP Graduate
School.
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Table 11: Working while pursuing your degree at LCUP Graduate School
Working while pursuing MAED Frequency Percentage
degree at LCUP Graduate School
Yes 45 100%
No 0 0%

3.2 Self-employment. None of the respondents or 0% are either self-employed and unemployed. The respondents
hold stable positions in their companies/ government agencies that enable them to enhance their administrative skills
and nurture their professional abilities to further improve and excel in their jobs.
3.3 Contribution to Personal and Professional Growth. Based on the data presented in Table 12, it could be culled
that the MAED graduates rated the overall program of study to have Very Highly contributed to their personal and
professional growth as evidenced by the overall mean result of 4.37.

Table 12: MAED Program’s Contribution to Graduates’ Personal and Professional growth

Program Contribution Weighted Mean Verbal Interpretation

Academic Profession 4.62 Excellent
Research Capability 4.58 Excellent
Learning Efficiency 4.49 Very High
Communication Skills 4.44 Very High
People Skills 4.56 Excellent
Problem-Solving Skills 4.56 Excellent
Information Technology Skills 4.40 Very High
Meeting Present and Future Professional Skills 4.47 Very High
Exposure to Local Community Within Field of Very High
4.20
Specialization
Exposure to International Community Within Field of Very High
3.67
Specialization
Critical Thinking Skills 4.58 Very High
Salary Improvement and Promotion 4.20 Very High
Opportunities Abroad 3.78 Very High
Personality Development 4.49 Very High
Augustinian Values Formation 4.60 Excellent
4.37 Very High
Overall

Five out of 15 individual indicators of the program’s contribution to personal and professional growth were rated
Excellent by the graduates as evinced by their corresponding computed mean results as follows: Academic Profession
(x̅ = 4.62), Augustinian Values Formation (x̅ = 4.60), Research Capability (x̅ = 4.58), People Skills (x̅ = 4.56), Problem
Solving Skills (x̅ = 4.56).
The rest of the items were found to have Very Highly contributed to the graduates’ personal and professional growth
in the order of rank as follows: Critical Thinking Skills, (x̅ = 4.58) Personality Development (x̅ = 4.49),
Communication Skills (x̅ = 4.44), Meeting Present and Future Professional Needs (x̅ = 4.47), Information Technology
Skills (x̅ = 4.40), Learning Efficiency (x̅ = 4.32), Exposure to Local Community within Field of Specialization (x̅ =
4.20), Salary Improvement and Promotion (x̅ = 4.20), Opportunities Abroad (x̅ = 3.78), and Exposure to International
Community within Field of Specialization (x̅ = 3.67).
Academic Profession was rated the highest in contribution to graduates’ personal and professional growth with a mean
result of 4.62. Apparently, this response supports the graduates' claim that their current positions or jobs are related
to the graduate degree they have earned. Furthermore, MAED graduates have held close to their hearts, the
 9

Augustinian values that they have imbibed during their stay in the University. Research capability was ranked third in
importance in as much as graduates, as teachers/professors/instructors, have to deal with a lot of research works to
keep abreast of changes in their respective disciplines and changes in teaching and learning methodologies as well as
pedagogies. People skills and problem-solving skills were likewise rated as excellently contributing to their personal
and professional growth since interpersonal skills/relationship is a significant factor in the graduates' world of work
which encompasses a variety of differences between people, how people perceive themselves and how they perceive
others, which are needed to effectively deal with issues such as adaptability and change (Greenberg, 2016).
Table 13, on the other hand, demonstrates the results of the respondents’ overall rating of the MAED program. The
computed overall mean of 4.51 is interpreted as Very Good. This could further indicate that the graduates were very
satisfied with the outcomes of the MAED program and that it was impressive.
Only three items out of ten were rated Very Good: Extra-Curricular Activities (x̅ = 4.20), Library Resources (x̅ =
4.40), and Laboratory Resources (x̅ = 4.07). On the other hand, other program aspects were rated Excellent. These
items and their corresponding mean results are: Relevance to Profession (x̅ = 4.71), Professor's Knowledge of Subject
Matter (x̅ = 4.64), Professor’s Knowledge of the Subject matter (x̅ =4.64), Premium Given to Research (x̅ = 4.56),
Range of courses (x̅ =4.56), Teaching and learning Environment (x̅ =4.58), Quality of Instruction (x̅ =4.56), Class size
(x̅ =4.51), Professor’s Pedagogical Expertise (x̅ =4.56), Interdisciplinary Learning (x̅ = 4.51), and Teacher-student
Relationships (x̅ =4.51).
Table 13: Respondents’ overall rating of the MAED program

Program Aspects Weighted Mean Verbal Interpretation

Range of Courses 4.56 Excellent
Relevance to Profession 4.71 Excellent
Extracurricular Activities 4.20 Very Good
Premium Given to Research 4.56 Excellent
Interdisciplinary Learning 4.51 Excellent
Teaching and Learning Environment 4.58 Excellent
Quality of Instruction 4.56 Excellent
Teacher-Student Relationships 4.51 Excellent
Library Resources 4.40 Very Good
Laboratory Resources 4.07 Very Good
Class Size 4.51 Excellent
Professor's Pedagogical Expertise 4.56 Excellent
Professor's Knowledge of Subject Matter 4.64 Excellent
OVERALL 4.49 Very Good

3.4 Pursuance of Further Studies. It could also be gleaned from the study, as demonstrated in Table 14, that 11
graduates representing 24% from Batches 2012-2013 to 2015-2016 continued pursuing degrees in either Doctor of
Philosophy in Education (PhD) or Doctor of Education (EdD) for further professional and career growth while the
rest representing 76% of the total or 34 out of 45 have not pursued further studies.
Table 14: Pursuance of Further Studies
Monthly Income Range Frequency Percentage

PhD 9 20%
EdD 2 4%
Have not pursued further studies 34 76%
Total 45 100%
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4. Conclusions and Recommendations

On the whole, it could be culled from the study of MAED graduates from AY 2012 to AY 2016 that majority: are
employed in private firms (56%) as fulltime employees (93.4%), permanent (89%), with average monthly
remuneration of majority ranging from P 21,000 to P 30,000 and majority occupying posts as
teachers/professors/instructors (68.9%) which are related to their graduate degree (89%). The respondents, on the
average, have served their respective companies for 1 to 15 years (87%).
The MAED program of study has Excellently contributed to the graduates’ personal and professional growth
particularly on academic profession, Augustinian values formation, research capability, people skills, problem-solving
skills.
Overall, the graduates have rated the MAED program as Very Good with ten out of 13 individual program aspect
items as Excellent.
Results from this study are intended to be used along with other institutional research information to strengthen the
MAED curriculum and improve the overall quality of LCUP’s Graduate School course offerings.

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