Factors Affecting On-Time Graduation of Engineering and Construction Management Undergraduates at a Minority Serving Institution
Conference
Müller, CC, Kayyali, M, Elzomor, M. (2023). Factors Affecting On-Time Graduation of Engineering and Construction Management Undergraduates at a Minority Serving Institution
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Müller, CC, Kayyali, M, Elzomor, M. (2023). Factors Affecting On-Time Graduation of Engineering and Construction Management Undergraduates at a Minority Serving Institution
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Graduation rates, degree completion, and time to degree are of utmost importance to academia. Although the bachelor's degree is traditionally a four-year degree, the time for its completion has increased significantly in the United States (U.S.) over the past two decades. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) only 44 percent of students completed their bachelor's degree within four years. This translates to more than half of undergraduate students failing to complete their degrees on time, thus becoming extender students. Despite these concerning statistics, there is not much research published that addresses why students struggle and fail to complete their degree within four years, or even abandon their education. The goal of this study is to identify some of the main reasons why undergraduate STEM students, particularly in Engineering and Construction Management programs, take longer to complete their degree, or fail to graduate, and propose initiatives to support minority students in completing their degree on time. To achieve these goals, this study: (a) identified the main factors contributing to this paramount problem from previous literature; (b) gathered and assessed data regarding students' graduation rates from Florida International University (FIU), one of the largest minority serving institutions (MSI) in the U.S.; (c) administered a survey to 75 Construction Management students at FIU, which helped analyze degree completion, the factors contributing to delays in undergraduate program completion, as well as the motivators and resources to finish their degree within four years; and (d) proposed strategies that could be implemented at educational institutions to aid students in completing their degree on time. The data collected regarding graduation rates surprisingly confirmed that (a) less than 50 percent of Engineering and Construction Management students graduated in four years while 60 percent graduated in six years; and (b) approximately 40 percent of students did not graduate after six years. The results of this research showed that several academic, financial, and social factors play a significant role in students' failure to complete their degree within four years. This research proposed several strategies including an inclusive educational experience that embraces peer-to-peer mentoring and tutoring, equitable financial aid mechanism, and establishing a clear educational curriculum path that can be implemented at institutions to enhance learning experiences while incentivizing minority students to graduate within four years. The findings of this study serve educational institutions and education stakeholders by paving the way to address graduation concerns and contribute to the academic success and timely graduation of students.
