Repass, Mary Eva2014-03-142014-03-142002-04-10etd-04192002-114300http://hdl.handle.net/10919/26991The transitional process to retirement by today's professional women is an issue of great significance. Beginning in the 1960s, these women became the first generation en masse to form long-term careers and to join the professional ranks. Retirement is now affecting over seven million women who are age 55 or older. A void exists in literature concerning these women's experiences as they approach retirement. Their pre-retirement transitions and decision-making process have not been previously addressed. This study addressed the void and through qualitative research, employed a multiple-case study with a phenomenological frame. Through in-depth interviews, the data collected addressed professional women's pre-retirement decision-making. A five-phase working model was developed that illustrates the transitions to retirement of professional women.In Copyrightprofessional womenPhases of Professional Women's Decisions to Retitransitionstransition to retirementAgingretirementretirement sabbaticalDissertationhttp://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-04192002-114300/