In my previous blog, I shared my experiences as a nontraditional student trying to complete the hidden graduate school curriculum – those unspoken expectations and necessities for successful degree completion – while finding employment that aligns with my education and skills.

This challenge is not unique to graduate students. In 2020, 19% of full-time undergraduates worked 20-34 hours per week, and 6% worked 35 or more hours per week (National Center for Education Statistics, 2022). This means that approximately 1/4 of undergraduate students, like grad students, are navigating the complex balance of work, academic studies, and their own hidden curriculum.

Undergraduate students, including nontraditional ones, must also complete those unspoken necessities for success. Because undergraduate education provides the foundation for entering the workforce or pursuing further education, successfully navigating the hidden curriculum becomes even more crucial. As nontraditional students, they may be less aware of the hidden curriculum and have more difficulty completing these expectations due to less exposure and the broad structure of undergraduate studies geared more toward traditional students.

As I approach the end of my program, I have been reflecting on how crucial it is for college administration, faculty, and staff to understand and support non-traditional undergraduate and graduate students. This support should go beyond financial and basic needs services, acknowledging our unique challenges in pursuing post-secondary education.

Instructor Support

Instructors can start by acknowledging the complex experiences of students, creating an open line of communication to express concerns, and focusing on flexible ways to gauge learning and earn grades. Bringing the “hidden curriculum” into the light is crucial. It could initiate more open conversations about the necessary support. Events like the Hidden Curriculum Student Panel hosted by the Human Development, Culture, and Learning Sciences department at UT-Austin, which focused on the ‘requirements” for successful students, are a step in the right direction. We need more of these conversations to ensure that both students and faculty are aware of and equipped to navigate this “hidden curriculum.”

Additionally, instructors can tailor their courses to accommodate the modern student experience. The “traditional student experience,” where the college student’s sole responsibility is being a successful student, is becoming less common. It’s crucial that professors recognize this shift and adjust their courses accordingly. Instructors should reassess the design of course syllabi through student feedback and faculty peer review workshops. This reassessment would ensure that workload expectations are commensurate with course credits and assignments aligned with learning objectives. This can help ensure students are not overcommitting time or engaging in busy work. Class designs can include hybrid and asynchronous learning options throughout the semester. Lastly, class policies can support and schedule student mental health days, showing that the student’s well-being is a priority.

Academic Support

Many nontraditional students are juggling multiple roles and responsibilities in addition to pursuing an education, so adequate academic support requires more flexibility in coursework modality and deadlines. There has been a rise in online degree programs that allow learners to complete work at their own pace, but there is room for expansion into other degree programs to include more STEM and health science degree options. With an increase in online degree programs, there must also be a robust and thorough support system designed specifically for this learning modality. Best practices should still include virtual office hours, tutoring, and career and academic counseling. A well-designed support system for online degree programs would remedy potential issues from not being traditional-style degree programs, such as the ability to get immediate or quick assistance or participate in networking opportunities through in-person events and interactions.

Student Support Services

Student support services, including dedicated spaces on campus and student organizations, play a crucial role in fostering a sense of belonging for all students. This support can be particularly beneficial for nontraditional students who may experience social isolation as part of their journey. Furthermore, whether from peers or faculty, mentorship can help build social capital for these students.

Program and Course Designs

Programs and courses can be strategically redesigned at the undergraduate and graduate levels to provide nontraditional students with guided opportunities to complete aspects of the hidden curriculum as part of the course or major.  Coursework can help students build a portfolio of productions related to their majors, such as articles, data visualizations, etc. Designs should allow students to gain relevant, resume-ready experience through internship and apprenticeship opportunities that align with their field and offer proper compensation.

There is an increasingly clear link between participation in internships and apprenticeships with increased job offers and starting salaries. Yet, due to time and money constraints, nontraditional students are less likely to work an internship. According to the National Survey of College Internships 2021 Report, 40.1% of students who wanted to participate in an internship but did not say it was because they needed to work a paid job. Low-income students are more likely to work while enrolled and are more likely to work outside of their fields (Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, 2018).

I have been fortunate to find opportunities like my current role as a Graduate Fellow at Trellis Foundation, which has been the closest experience to my goal of working in education philanthropy and nonprofit research. However, I stumbled upon this role via a former classmate on LinkedIn, and I still work my research assistantship at UT-Austin to pay for tuition. For the past four years, I have worked as a Graduate Research Assistant in Special Education.  Although the work was gratifying and enjoyable, it is outside my field of study.

Strategic designs may include programs that alternate periods of academic study with periods of full-time relevant work experience. Fields like teaching and nursing have programs that partner with employers to create job opportunity pipelines.  Additionally, some universities have incorporated cooperative education programs where students complete a 4-year or 5-year program with structured periods of full-time work with university partners.  Northeastern University Cooperative Education Program allows students to complete two or three 6-month periods of full-time work with one of the 3,000 employers partnered with the institution. Drexel University has a similar program, with students with 1,500 employer partners, and the median 6-month salary is $20,000.  Co-op education programs have downsides, but the structure serves as a foundation for improvement. As work experience becomes more essential to job placement, restructuring programs, and courses is one of the most critical approaches institutions can take to support nontraditional students.

Conclusion

Nontraditional students face unique challenges in navigating the “hidden curriculum” of higher education, and supporting their success requires a multifaceted approach beyond financial support. To truly support these students, colleges and universities must acknowledge the complexity of their experiences and implement policies and procedures that provide flexible support, reimagine course design and instruction, and prioritize student well-being. We must continue to advocate for the needs of nontraditional students and work towards implementing practical solutions to support their success. Investing in these strategies brings our society closer to making higher education more accessible for all students.

About the Author

Shamecca is a fifth-year doctoral student in Educational Psychology at The University of Texas at Austin and is the newest Graduate Fellow at the Trellis Foundation. She is also a Graduate Research Assistant at the Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk, where she manages follow-up testing for a word-problem math intervention in the Austin Independent School District.

As a first-generation college graduate, Shamecca is passionate about education accessibility and equity for low-income and BIPOC students. Before moving to Austin, TX, to pursue her Ph.D., she served as a college adviser in rural Virginia with the Virginia College Advising Corps. As an adviser, she assisted students through the journey to higher education.

Shamecca graduated from the University of Virginia with a B.A. in Psychology and Spanish. She also has an M.Ed. in Quantitative Methods from the University of Texas at Austin and is anticipating completing her dissertation and doctoral degree in May 2025.