Analysis of barriers to graduation for transfer students in Aerospace Engineering

Radha Aravamudhan; Maria Chierichetti

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Conference: 2022 ASEE Zone IV Conference
Location: Vancouver
Publication Date: May 12, 2022
Start Date: May 12, 2022
End Date: May 14, 2022
Conference Session: Supporting Transfer Pathways
Tagged Topics: Diversity and Conference Submission
Page Count: 14
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--44718
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/44718
Download Count: 109

Paper Authors

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Radha Aravamudhan San Jose State University

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Radha Aravamudhan's research interests include Culturally Responsive Pedagogy, Community cultural wealth and their application to curriculum specifically with respect to undergraduate engineering education as well as creative Arts-Based Research and Documentary film making. She supports faculty research in the area of undergraduate STEAM teaching and learning with a focus on increasing retention and graduation rates of under-represented student populations in engineering.

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biography

Maria Chierichetti San Jose State University orcid.org/0000-0002-9093-8697

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Maria Chierichetti joined the department of Aerospace Engineering as a full-time assistant professor in Fall 2019. Her interests lie in the field of aerospace structural design and vibrations, with particular emphasis on developing methodologies for combi

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Abstract

This abstract will be followed by a full-paper. The proposed study will focus on identifying the causes and implications of extended time to graduate for many transfer students in Aerospace Engineering at San Jose State University (SJSU). Community colleges where many students begin their higher education are a critical part of the engineering supply pipeline to four-year universities such as SJSU. In Fall 2021, approximately 35% of the students admitted to the College of Engineering and 21% in the Aerospace engineering department were transfer students. Analysis of data for 2015 cohort of transfer students shows that the 2-year graduation rate for transfer students in Aerospace Engineering is 20% and gradually climbs to 63% for 3 years and 83% for four years. Graduation rates of underrepresented minorities (URM) is for the same cohort is 15% in comparison to the non URM students at 23%. 91% of the non-URM students in Aerospace Engineering graduate in 5 years in comparison to only 77% of the URM students. While there are many factors that can contribute to the time to degree, a preliminary analysis of the data suggests that it is impacted by the number of courses that students transfer from their community colleges. For Fall 2015 cohort, students who graduated within 2 years or 2 years and an extra term averaged 2.6- 6 lower division courses while a junior or senior at SJSU [2]. For cohorts in 2016 and 2017 the average lower division courses taken ranged from 2.3-4.3. The courses in the junior year of the aerospace engineering program requires the completion of math, science and engineering core courses and the lack of these pre-requisites sets back many of the transfer students from graduating in 2-3 years. The most recent data from Fall 2021 Aerospace engineering transfer students’ data reveals that though transfer students (from approximately 25 different community colleges) admitted to the program are typically expected to have earned enough units to reach junior standing, only 10% of the students have completed the Math and science requirements and 3% have all the required engineering core courses even though many of the community colleges offer these courses. In order to support the transfer students and URM students in particular, it is important to understand the underlying causes for challenges that students face in their transfer pathway. In this study, the researchers will use surveys, interviews and student transcripts to understand the academic experience of transfer students, identify their points of struggle and examine advising and other support structures for transfer students.

Citation
Format

Aravamudhan, R., & Chierichetti, M. (2022, May), Analysis of barriers to graduation for transfer students in Aerospace Engineering Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Zone IV Conference, Vancouver. 10.18260/1-2--44718

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - This abstract will be followed by a full-paper.
The proposed study will focus on identifying the causes and implications of extended time to graduate for many transfer students in Aerospace Engineering at San Jose State University (SJSU). Community colleges where many students begin their higher education are a critical part of the engineering supply pipeline to four-year universities such as SJSU. In Fall 2021, approximately 35% of the students admitted to the College of Engineering and 21% in the Aerospace engineering department were transfer students. Analysis of data for 2015 cohort of transfer students shows that the 2-year graduation rate for transfer students in Aerospace Engineering is 20% and gradually climbs to 63% for 3 years and 83% for four years. Graduation rates of underrepresented minorities (URM) is for the same cohort is 15% in comparison to the non URM students at 23%. 91% of the non-URM students in Aerospace Engineering graduate in 5 years in comparison to only 77% of the URM students. While there are many factors that can contribute to the time to degree, a preliminary analysis of the data suggests that it is impacted by the number of courses that students transfer from their community colleges. For Fall 2015 cohort, students who graduated within 2 years or 2 years and an extra term averaged 2.6- 6 lower division courses while a junior or senior at SJSU [2]. For cohorts in 2016 and 2017 the average lower division courses taken ranged from 2.3-4.3. The courses in the junior year of the aerospace engineering program requires the completion of math, science and engineering core courses and the lack of these pre-requisites sets back many of the transfer students from graduating in 2-3 years. The most recent data from Fall 2021 Aerospace engineering transfer students’ data reveals that though transfer students (from approximately 25 different community colleges) admitted to the program are typically expected to have earned enough units to reach junior standing, only 10% of the students have completed the Math and science requirements and 3% have all the required engineering core courses even though many of the community colleges offer these courses. In order to support the transfer students and URM students in particular, it is important to understand the underlying causes for challenges that students face in their transfer pathway. In this study, the researchers will use surveys, interviews and student transcripts to understand the academic experience of transfer students, identify their points of struggle and examine advising and other support structures for transfer students.
AU  - Radha Aravamudhan
AU  - Maria Chierichetti
CY  - Vancouver
DA  - 2022/05/12
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Analysis of barriers to graduation for transfer students in Aerospace Engineering
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/44718
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--44718
ER  -