Research Article https://doi.org/10.12973/eu-jer.11.1.365 European Journal of Educational Research Volume 11, Issue 1, 365 - 380. ISSN: 2165-8714 http://www.eu-jer.com/ Factors and Challenges Influencing the Criminologist Licensure Examination Performance through the Non-passers’ Lens Albert C. Albina * Negros Oriental State University, PHILIPPINES James Y. Balasabas Negros Oriental State University, PHILIPPINES Ben John I. Laquinon Negros Oriental State University, PHILIPPINES Muffit Herlyn Pampilo Negros Oriental State University, PHILIPPINES Liza J. Caballero Negros Oriental State University, PHILIPPINES Received: July 4, 2021 ▪ Revised: September 8, 2021 ▪ Accepted: December 6, 2021 Abstract: This study aimed to explore the perceived factors that influenced the success and challenges experienced when taking licensure examination among Bachelor of Science in Criminology graduates of a state university in the Philippines who failed in the Criminologist Licensure Examinations (CLE). Descriptive-correlational research design was utilized to analyze quantitative data, and Colaizzi’s descriptive phenomenology was used for the thematic analysis of qualitative data. The quantitative findings reveal ed that home and family factor has a high influence on the success in CLE, while student factor, school factor, review center factor, and personal factor have average influence. Further, ten clusters of themes emerged as factors that influence the success in CLE. Among them were interest and focus on the program, and availability of qualified and dedicated faculty. Among the themes that emerged as challenges were lack of preparedness for the exam because of one’s work, and personal and social pressures. There is a significant difference on the respondents’ perception towards the factors that influence the success in CLE when they are grouped accordi ng to sex. Regarding the challenges associated with preparing for and taking the CLE, a significant difference is only observed when respondents are grouped according to their civil status. Generally, married respondents have higher weighted means than the single ones. This implies that the identified challenges affected married respondents more than the single ones. These results can be used to make policies and initiate programs that would enhance graduates’ success in the exam by providing appropriate interventio ns and early remediations. Keywords: Criminology, descriptive phenomenology, higher education, licensure examination. To cite this article: Albina, A. C., Balasabas, J. Y., Laquinon, B. J. I., Pampilo, M. H., & Caballero, L. J. (2022). Factors and challenges influencing the criminologist licensure examination performance through the non-passers’ lens. European Journal of Educational Research, 11(1), 365-380. https://doi.org/10.12973/eu-jer.11.1.365 Introduction Republic Act No. 11131, otherwise known as “The Philippine Criminology Profession Act of 2018” mandates that any person who wants to practice his profession in criminology is required to pass the Criminologists Licensure Examinations (CLE) given by the Professional Regulation Commission’s (PRC) Professional Regulatory Board of Criminology. From 2015 to 2019, with two examinations each year, the country had produced a total of 95,884 licensed criminologists out of 280,323 takers with an average national passing rate of 32.87% (PRC, 2015a; PRC, 2015b; PRC, 2016a; PRC, 2016b; PRC, 2017a, PRC, 2017b, PRC, 2018a, PRC, 2018b, PRC, 2019a; PRC, 2019b). Specifically, Region VII, which includes the provinces of Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor, had produced a total of 3,076 out of 17,013 takers with an average regional passing rate of 32.21%. More specifically, the province of Negros Oriental had produced a total of 1,615 licensed criminologists out of 5,575 takers from 2015 to 2019 with an average provincial passing rate of 30.83%. There is a plethora of literature examining the success predictors of performance in licensure examinations in other disciplines abroad. These predictors include demographic data, scores in admission tests, grades in content courses, grade point average, critical thinking, learning styles, and participation in supplemental instruction sessions. These * Corresponding author: Albert C. Albina, Negros Oriental State University, Bayawan – Sta. Catalina Campus, Bayawan City, Negros Oriental, Philippines.  albertalbina@norsu.edu.ph © 2022 The Author(s). Open Access - This article is under the CC BY license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).