The role of nourishing a sense of community among students is crucial

for their academic achievements in online learning environments.

However, the extent to which online graduate students perceive a sense
of community within higher education institutions offering online
courses and degrees remains largely unexplored. This article presents
the findings of a research that about how graduate students in a
completely online program acquired their sense of community from
their institution. Furthermore, the article discusses the ways in which
the institution currently supports its students and suggests potential
improvements in terms of services and assistance. The research
employed a mixed methods approach consisting of three distinct
phases. While the participants in this study showed a relatively limited
sense of community, the interviews and combination of data sources
offered valuable insights on enhancing the sense of community. The
results of this study contribute to a better understanding of the support
and sense of community experienced by a growing number of fully
online learners.