Navigating Dual Responsibilities: Work-Life-Learning Balance Among Master in Business Administration Students in Northeastern College

Balancing employment, graduate education, and personal responsibilities has become a growing challenge for working professionals pursuing advanced degrees in public administration. This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of Master in Business Administration (MBA) students at Northeastern College, Santiago City, Philippines, in managing work-life-learning balance. Guided by Husserlian phenomenology, the study sought to understand how graduate students navigate competing professional, academic, and personal demands while sustaining academic performance and personal well-being. Purposive sampling was employed to select fifteen MBA students who were simultaneously employed in government agencies, local government units, educational institutions, and private organizations. Data were gathered through semi-structured, in-depth interviews and analyzed using Colaizzi's seven-step phenomenological method. Findings revealed five essential themes: (1) navigating competing professional and academic responsibilities; (2) strategic time management and prioritization; (3) institutional and family support as catalysts for persistence; (4) psychological resilience amid multiple role demands; and (5) graduate education as a pathway toward professional advancement and public service excellence. Participants described balancing multiple responsibilities as challenging yet transformative, enabling them to strengthen leadership competencies, decision-making abilities, organizational skills, and public service commitment. Despite experiencing fatigue, stress, and occasional work-life conflicts, students demonstrated resilience through effective planning, support systems, and intrinsic motivation to achieve career advancement. The study underscores the importance of flexible institutional policies, responsive graduate programs, and supportive workplace environments that foster academic persistence among working professionals. The findings contribute to the growing body of literature on adult learning, work-life balance, and graduate education within the context of Philippine public administration.