Browsing by Subject "degree completion"

The main focus of this study is to examine if Finnish university-students' family background (measured as the education and SES of their parents) is associated with their 10-year degree completion rate. Class-based analysis examines the association between educational outcomes and students' social background. Selection on the basis of social class on different educational levels still appears in the Finnish educational system, despite a declining trend in the magnitude of this effect. For example, students from socially disadvantaged backgrounds are still underrepresented in universities in Finland. In this study the discussion of retention, dropout and graduation rates at Finnish universities is put in a Bourdieuan perspective. The association between graduation rates and the following variables are analysed: students' social background (educational level and SES of mother and father), gender, age, mother tongue and type of degree when enrolled at university. In addition, the association is analysed on different study programs or faculties. The research questions were analysed using register-based data compiled by Statistics Finland. The data covers all the new students enrolled at universities in Finland in 2002 (N = 21 341). The examined final sample consisted of all of the students who didn't have a university degree when enrolled on a program leading to a Master's degree or equivalent (N = 16 910). Degree completion rate by 2012 was reported for students with different backgrounds. The difference between groups was tested with chi-square and the effect of the background variables on the dependent variable was tested with logistic regression. The results showed that all the background variables were associated with degree completion, although with fairly small effect sizes respectively. For instance; women were more likely than men to graduate within ten years on all faculties, and the offspring from families with more educational capital were more likely to graduate within ten years. However, the association between graduation and educational capital in the family was not statistically significant on all faculties. The results are discussed within the framework of equality and social class in higher education.