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ERIC Number: EJ918355
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2011-Apr
Pages: 13
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0729-4360
EISSN: N/A
Student Non-Completion of an Undergraduate Degree: Wrong Program Selection or Part of a Career Plan?
O'Keefe, M.; Laven, G.; Burgess, T.
Higher Education Research and Development, v30 n2 p165-177 Apr 2011
Institution wide comparisons of students who leave university before completing their degree and students who complete their studies, have identified "wrong course selection" and a lack of vocational focus as common reasons for non-completion. It is not fully understood, though, whether these trends are constant across different disciplines and programs and whether all relevant contributing factors, in particular career intentions, have been considered. This study was undertaken to explore reasons for student non-completion in more detail in one program. Students enrolled in an undergraduate health sciences degree completed a questionnaire at enrolment and another 12 months later, regarding their reasons for enrolment, career intentions and expectations for/experiences of learning. Students who did not re-enrol after the first year were invited to complete a separate exit questionnaire regarding their reasons for not re-enrolling. Many students who did not re-enrol after the first year of study transferred to another degree that was more aligned with their career intentions. In this context rather than a "wrong" selection, non-completion of the initial undergraduate degree formed part of a career plan. (Contains 6 tables.)
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 325 Chestnut Street Suite 800, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Fax: 215-625-2940; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Australia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A