Postgraduate student retention and success

This monograph is the posthumous publication of the first part of Charlton Koens’s PhD thesis, in which he examines the main factors influencing the retention and success of master students at the University of the Western Cape (UWC). Sadly, he passed away before analysing the extensive data he had collected, which was to have formed the second part of his doctorate. The first part of the PhD published here provides a highly critical, richly theoretical, and controversial work. Its publication is not just in honour of Charlton Koen and the quality of his work but is also likely to prove a path-breaker in our understanding of the complex web of factors that shape postgraduate student retention and success.

HSRC Press

Product Information

Format:

280mm x 210mm

Pages:

132

ISBN-13:

978-07969-2192-5

Publish Year:

2007

Rights:

World Rights

Chapter 1: The studys origins and motivations

1.1 Introduction

1.2 The background

1.3 Personal motivation for the study

1.4 The scope of the retention problem in South Africa

1.5 The scope of the retention problem at UWC

1.6 General explanations for retention difficulties in South Africa

1.7 Explanations in research on masters students

1.8 Explanation gaps

1.9 Conclusion

Chapter 2: The analytical framework

2.1 Introduction

2.2 General theoretical approaches

2.3 Tintos theoretical approach

2.4 Criticisms of Tintos views, and retention characteristics identified in other theories

2.5 The theoretical model of this study

2.6 Data and method: why a case study?

2.7 Research techniques

2.8 Data analysis

2.9 Limitations of the research

2.10 Conclusion

Chapter 3: Review of literature on masters study and retention in South Africa

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Factors affecting student performance

3.3 The quality problem

3.4 Routinising conduct

3.5 Research evidence and academic anecdotes

3.6 Research themes and findings from institutional research

3.7 Findings on policy-related objectives

3.8 The natural sciences model as a proposed solution

3.9 What can we learn from this?

Chapter 4: International literature review of theoretical models

4.1 Focus of the chapter

4.2 Tintos model of social and academic integration

4.3 Bairds institutional integration perspective

4.4 Beans person-fit model

4.5 Research findings on retention

4.6 Conclusion

Chapter 5: Academic organisation and institutional features at UWC

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Institutional type and key features

5.3 The adequacy of institutional resources at UWC

5.4 Academic goal-setting at UWC

5.5 Change, integration and student-staff growth patterns

5.6 The influence of financial variables at UWC

5.7 Adaptations and improvements at UWC

5.8 Conclusion

Appendix

References