The purpose of this thesis is to explore the meaning and nature of the experience of a ‘late learner’ adult learner who challenged the doctoral program. This expands the horizon of today s educational phenomenon and discusses practical implications of the educational phenomenon of the “late learner” doctoral program. Based on van Manen s hermeneutical phenomenology, the research method was analyzed by analyzing four kinds of existent objects: lived space, lived body, lived time, and lived human relation. Through the in-depth interviews of the participants, the experience of ‘late learner’ doctoral course adult learners resulted in four essential themes and ten themes. The four essential themes were mature ego by growth , transcendental learners , another start, not the end of life , Learning done throughout life-long . In terms of hermeneutic phenomenology, first, research participants lead a mature life due to their intellectual curiosity and psychological satisfaction second, it has characteristics of transcendental learners toward knowledge that overcomes the physical limitations of aging.
Third, the meeting between work and academic is reborn as a career with continuity and confirmed the essential meaning to contribute to social development beyond its own development. Finally, they had the basis of themselves embodied as lifelong learners through the cyclical life of learning and teaching. By this, when judging comprehensively, The meaning of ’late learner’ doctoral experience is based on the enjoyment of learning itself and the phenomenon of learning passion. Based on this, the conclusions discusses practical implications of educational phenomena through this study.